Balzan 2
Micallef 20; Grima 57;
Melita 0

Balzan scored a goal in each half to secure a safe passage into the FA Trophy quarter-finals with a 2-0 victory over Melita.

Lydon Micallef carried the star-studded Balzan to victory, striking first in the 20th minute and then he turned provider to serve Dylan Grima to seal the one-sided contest.

With Balzan, pressing forward with guile and style, the Melita defence stood little chance from the word go.

With the majority of action condensed in the Melita territory, the difference in class between these two sides was apparent right from the outset.

Balzan used the wider spaces of the pitch to stretch their opponents’ defence as their superior passing game emphatically exposed the gulf in status between the Premier League and the First Division to secure a comfortable win.

Balzan coach Oliver Spiteri named a strong line-up, perhaps a signal of his ambition of making the latter stages of the cup competition this season.

Spiteri gave new goalkeeper Ivan Janjusevic his debut but the Serbian was rarely troubled.

Balzan wasted little time in asserting their dominance on their opponents.

With 11 minutes on the clock, Grima was allowed to cruise towards the edge of the box but shot high and wide.

Spiteri’s side continued to dictate the pattern of the game and it was no surprise when they broke the deadlock after 20 minutes.

Aleksandar Vujacic chested the ball down for Lydon Micallef who strolled into the penalty area and drove his shot into the bottom corner.

Past the half hour mark, Samir Arab drifted into the box before setting up Grima whose first-time volley from routine distance sailed well over the bar.

Another dangerous cross by Arab almost yielded a second goal soon after the break.

The Balzan defender advanced down the left channel before sending in a low far-post cross where Alfred Effiong was denied by Jean Claude Debattista, the Melita goalkeeper, in two attempts.

Shy of the hour mark, Grima atoned for his glaring first-half miss, doubling Balzan’s lead with a fierce far-post drive from Micallef’s cross.

Five minutes from time, Balzan should have added a third.

Substitute Alan Da Silva Souza unsettled the Melita defence with a bursting run on the right but his attempted lob flew over the bar.

Balzan: I. Janjusevic, R. Fenech, J. Grioli (65 A. Da Silva Souza), C. Brincat, S. Arab, A. Effiong, L. Micallef, A. Vujacic (77 S. Cipriott), D. Grima, P. Fenech (88 J. Zerafa), E. Serrano.

Melita: J.C. Debattista, L. Bianco, E. Cornago, B. Jaccarini, J Abela, D. Cachia, J. Attard, F. Guihard, A. Borg Olivier (76 A. Vesic), A Attard (68 L. Mifsud), M. Cachia.

Referee: Alan Mario Sant