Last-gasp Zammit goal sees leaders Balzan through

Balzan Youths 1
St Andrew's 0

An injury-time goal, scored by former Malta international Ivan Zammit, gave leaders Balzan Youths their eighth win from nine matches as St Andrew's were unlucky not to have at least grabbed a point. Balzan goalkeeper Joshua Galea is yet to concede a goal this season.

The first half was evenly-balanced with the Saints twice going close early on through Nicky Vella Petroni and Michael Valenzia. Balzan replied with an Aaron Agius effort which just missed the far post while at the other end a header by Michael Calleja was saved by Galea.

Balzan threatened again a minute before the break when Aaron Agius's grounder was saved with difficulty by Tabone, the Saints' keeper.

The second half continued to be well fought out with Balzan's pressure failing to pay off against a well-organised Saints' defence.

Zammit and Kurt Coleiro had good opportunities to put Balzan ahead while on 75 minutes Agius was again denied by Tabone.

The St Andrew's no.1 was again the protagonist on 82 minutes when parrying away a point-blank shot by Lydon Micallef.

Balzan got the winner a minute into stoppage time when Zammit curled the ball home from a free-kick.

Balzan: J. Galea, J. Agius, D. Agius (Iv. Zammit), B. Bondin, C. Sciberras, J. Francica, Is. Zammit (L. Stivala), A. Agius, K. Coleiro, A. Lagana (L. Micallef), C. Micallef.

St Andrew's: F. Tabone, T. Martin, T. Sullivan, N. Chetcuti, S. Falzon, A. Amato, N. Vella Petroni, P. Briscoe White, M. Calascione, M. Valenzia, M. Calleja.

Referee: Thomas Debono.

Melita 4
Birżebbuġa SP 0

Second-placed Melita underlined their status as one of the main challengers for promotion after easing past Birżebbuġa. Striker Matthew Borg I was the architecht behind the Amateurs' success after scoring a second-half hat-trick.

Birżebbuġa created the first scoring opportunity after five minutes as a Clive Formosa shot finished just over the bar.

But Melita soon gained control and on 24 minutes Matthew Borg I's lob was pushed away by Paul Celeste. Then, Julian Galea saw his shot finish just wide of the Birżebbuġa post.

After the change of ends, it was Birżebbuġa who came close to taking the lead but Ronnie Celeste and Noel Tabone failed to hit the target.

Melita took the lead on 70 minutes with an angled shot by Matthew Borg I. The same player added a second goal five minutes later before completing his hat-trick 11 minutes from time when he converted a penalty.

The Amateurs sealed the points on 89 minutes when Kane Micallef buried the ball home after a good move by substitute Tobias Terpougoff.

Melita: M. Sapiano, I. Bilocca, G. Gribbon, D. Gravino, M. Borg II, K. Micallef, A. Caruana Scicluna (S. Galea), M. Martin, G. Degabriele (T. Terpougoff), J. Galea, M. Borg I (L. Micallef).

Birżebbuġa: P. Celeste, E. Saliba, B. Farrugia, D. Vella, R. Baldacchino, M. Ciappara (K. Muscat), M. Ellul, J. Cassar, C. Formosa, N. Tabone, R. Celeste (J. Camilleri).

Referee: Mario Apap.

Gozo FC 1
Mellieħa 0

Gozo FC kept their promotion hopes alive with a close win over Mellieħa.

This was the second win for the Gozitans on home soil and they are now joint third with Lija, who, however, have a game in hand.

Mellieħa tried hard not to finish empty-handed but they found it difficult to penetrate a sturdy Gozitan rearguard.

The hosts were on the offensive right from the start and Joseph Portelli had a shot coming off the bar early on. At the other end, however, Matthew Borg's effort also came off the woodwork.

Gozo opened the score on 37 minutes when Mellieħa keeper Simon Gauci cleared Joseph Cefai's cross into the path of John Camilleri who buried the ball home with an excellent strike.

Mellieħa responded with a long range shot by David Fenech that ended just wide and minutes later a Jeffrey Gauci effort was stopped by Xuereb.

Gozo regained control after the break and had efforts from Camilleri, Christian Bugeja and Joseph C. Portelli just missing the target.

Late on, Xuereb preserved the Gozitans' lead with excellent saves on David Cauchi and Gothard Conti.

Mellieħa ended the match with ten men when Reuben Vella was sent off for a second booking.

Gozo FC: J. Xuereb, J. Cefai, J. Vella, B. Meilaq, J.M. Portelli (A. Portelli), C. Bugeja, J. Camilleri, J.C. Portelli, S.F. Bajada, O. Farrugia, E. Grima.

Mellieħa: S. Gauci, W. Borg, P. Camilleri, D. Fenech, W. Borg St John, R. Vella, H. Vella (D. Cauchi), M. Borg (P. Vella), K. Cassar, L. Cauchi, J. Gauci (G. Conti).

Referee: Sandro Spiteri.

Sta Venera 0
Mġarr United 0

This was a balanced match with Sta Venera Lightnings having to play for most of the second half with ten men after having Mark Grech sent off. Sta Venera are still unbeaten under new coach Patrick Zammit.

Although Sta Venera held the initiative during the first half, they lacked incisiveness in front of goal.

Stefan Farrugia and Daniel Zuccaro tried their luck from free-kicks but both efforts were dealt with by alert goalkeeper Luca Grech.

On 22 minutes Mġarr were denied by Mercieca off a low shot by Josef Micallef. A minute before the break Glen Micallef's cross-shot was saved by Grech. The latter was again in position to hold out Alan Ellul's grounder soon after the restart.

On 55 minutes, the Lightnings suffered a huge setback when Grech was dismissed for using foul language.

Mġarr assumed the initiative with Matthew Muscat twice going close while Josef Micallef hit wide in front of goal.

In stoppage time, Neil Busuttil's cross-shot was pushed away by Mercieca while at the other end Micallef almost grabbed a late winner for Sta Venera from a corner.

Sta Venera: J. Mercieca, A. Cachia (A. Galea), Y. Mun Law, D. Calleja, G. Micallef, S. Farrugia, M. Grech, D. Zuccaro, A. Ellul, N. Caruana (I. Falzon), G. Frendo (J. Zammit).

Mġarr: L. Grech, A. Portelli, N. Busuttil, C. Bugeja, W. Camilleri (A. Muscat), C. Gauci, M. Muscat, S. Camilleri, J. Micallef, M. Bugeja, S. Aquilina (D. Muscat).

Referee: Juergen Spiteri.

Żebbuġ Rangers 2
Naxxar Lions 0

Lawrence Vella and Marlon Vella scored the goals for Żebbuġ Rangers as Naxxar Lions slipped to their sixth defeat and continue to occupy the penultimate position in the standings.

Naxxar were unlucky early on when an overhead-kick by Andy Bartolo hit the upright but it was Rangers who took the lead on 18 minutes when Vella hit home with a rasping grounder.

Keith Farrugia almost doubled the score from a cross by Donald Gatt with Naxxar's reaction producing attempts by Mark Deguara and Joe Mercieca which were saved by experienced Rangers' keeper Martin Pace.

In the initial stages of the second half, Naxxar went close through Ryan Sammut and Matthew Spiteri Gonzi but it was Żebbuġ who practically sealed the three points on 66 minutes when Marlon Vella made it 2-0 following a good move by Lawrence Vella.

Naxxar were down and out now with the Rangers creating other scoring opportunities through Marlon Vella, Keith Farrugia and Omar Rababah.

Żebbuġ: M. Pace, D. Gatt (T. Farrugia), K. Farrugia, B. Galea (E. Calleja), G. Mallia, C. Tabone, M. Vella, E. Cachia, L. Vella (O. Rababah), G. Saliba, R. Attard.

Naxxar: D. Vella, J. Sank, J. Agius, A. Galea (S. Cassar), M. Spiteri Gonzi, R. Sammut, M. Coleiro (C. Farrugia), A. Fenech, J. Mercieca, M. Deguara (K. Naudi), A. Bartolo.

Referee: Mitchell Scerri.