The Spartans continued adding honours and won the Super5 and Lowenbrau Cup at the start of season 1991/92. The league went to Valletta who managed to do it unbeaten this time. The citizens wanted the league and trophy double. Hamrun had eliminated Sliema on penalties and then Floriana winning 2-0..with great performances especially from goalkeeper Tony Mallia. Hamrun were in the final against Valletta. The Spartans took the lead against the run of play. Stefan Sultana converted a penalty. Valletta equalised also courtesy of a penalty....it was converted by Laferla. Then Jesmond Zerafa put the citizens in front. The Valletta supporters thought that the trophy was won, and quite a good number were already near the touchline ready for the presentation. However Ivan Zammit had other ideas and snatched the drammatic equaliser.. The Spartans were still in it. Joe Zarb gave Valletta the lead in the first period of extra-time. Joe 'Tivoli' Brincat managed an equaliser in the opening minutes of the second period, with a spectacular volley. Gozitan John Cassar could have given the trophy to Hamrun, but his superb effort finished against the bar.The two teams were unseparable. All had to be decided in a replay. The Spartans had Joe Brincat and John Micallef suspended. A real setback for Hamrun as players of this level are not easily substituted. However the Spartans managed to dominate the midfield in the first half, with players like Michael Degiorgio, Ray Vella, Ivan Zammit, Noel Fenech and Julian Micallef having a great match. The Reds surprised Valletta and scored twice with Stefan Sultana in the space of four minutes. Valletta reacted and Joe Zarb scored and put them back into the match. Hamrun defended until the end, and finally won the Trophy again. The week after, Hamrun played the Super Cup against Valletta. Stefan Sultana continued his scoring form when he scored twice to give the Super Cup to the Reds as well. It was a memorabble season for Sultana who ended as top scorer. Hamrun opened the season after with success, when they won the Super 5 and Lowenbrau Cup.
The seasons after were dissapointing. Hamrun did not manage to qualify for europe and appeared only in a trophy final that was lost against Valletta 1-0. The decline continued as the Spartans' financial situation was becoming increasingly difficult to sustain. After a couple of seasons battling in the Premier, Hamrun surrendered and faced the humiliation of first division football. However the Spartans won the first division championship unbeaten and returned to top flight football. And here we come to recent times. Hamrun managed to assure themselves of Premier football for the next season as well. Our aim is to remain in the Premier and to build a team for the future. |
