Zammit on cue to keep Balzan in driving seat

Balzan Youths 1
Birżebbuġa SP 0

Leaders Balzan maintained their impressive stride towards promotion after chalking up their 11th victory from 12 outings and preserving a four-point lead over closest rivals Melita.

Veteran Ivan Zammit, Balzan's player-coach, scored the winner from a penalty in the first half.

Only seconds after the initial whistle, Balzan felt they should have been awarded a penalty when a Birżebbuġa defender looked to have handled the ball in his penalty area following a shot by Clint Micallef. However, the referee waved play on.

Anthony Lagana then fired over the Saints bar but on 24 minutes, Balzan broke the deadlock from a penalty after Micallef was tripped in the box. Zammit converted from the 11-metre spot.

Balzan retained the initiative, going close to doubling their lead with shots from Aaron Agius, Lagana and Clayton Caruana.

At the other end, an attempt by Noel Tabone was slightly off target.

But, Balzan stayed in control and on 65 minutes Caruana headed just wide from a Jerryton Agius centre while the Saints' keeper produced good saves to deny Lagana and Zammit in the latter stages.

Balzan: J. Galea, C. Micallef, D. Agius, B. Bondin, C. Sciberras, J. Francica, A. Agius (T. Thomas), C. Caruana (L. Stivala), A. Camilleri (J. Agius), I. Zammit, A. Lagana.

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

Referee: Saviour Tanti.

Lija Athletic 2
Mġarr United 0

Lija Athletic made it a double over Mġarr United as Marco Gerada's team kept their promotion hopes alive. Carlo Leonardi, signed on loan from Pembroke Athleta, had a positive debut for Lija.

Mġarr had a Chris Gauci shot going just wide with Lija replying through Chris Pace whose grounder was stopped by Grech. The latter was again prominent on 23 minutes to stop an Andrea Spiteri free-kick but a minute later, Lija scored an excellent goal, Pace glancing a flying header from an inviting Lydon Cilia centre.

Mġarr's response produced a Neil Busuttil shot, which was saved by Bonnici, but Lija were also dangerous with attempts by Leonardi and Beppe Antignolo.

Lija played the better football in the second half and threatened to increase their lead following efforts by Jean Paul Scerri and Cilia. On 64 minutes, Antignolo made it 2-0 when he found space to meet a Cilia delivery inside the opponents' box.

Ten minutes later, however, Lija ended with 10 players when substitute Daniel Cremona was sent off for retaliation.

Leonardi almost marked his debut with a goal but his effort was blocked by the Mġarr rearguard.

Lija: L. Bonnici, R. Farrugia, A. Spiteri (K. Grech), M. Mangion, D. Scerri, C. Leonardi, L. Cilia, J.P. Scerri, C. Pace, C. Ciantar, B. Antignolo (D. Cremona).

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

Referee: Andrea Sciriha.

Mellieħa 3
Naxxar Lions 1

This was Mellieħa's second victory over Naxxar this season. The once-mighty Lions are now in dire straits as they are bottom of the class and still without a win this season.

Wayne Borg St John scored two goals for the Northerners as Kayne Said (ex-Rabat) and Jose Borg (ex-St Andrew's) made their debuts for Mellieħa and Naxxar respectively.

Naxxar were the better team in the early stages and had good opportunities to open the scoring but Adrian Fenech, Chris Farrugia and Joe Mercieca failed to take their chances.

Mellieħa, who had lost their previous four matches, gradually settled down and on the half-hour mark, Naxxar keeper David Vella, facing his former team-mates, pulled off fine saves to deny Said and Borg St John.

Five minutes from half-time, however, Vella was left helpless as he was unable to stop a powerful David Fenech shot.

Ronald Vella's side dictated the run of play for most of the second half. A shot by Fenech bounced off the Naxxar bar but on 64 minutes, Borg St John hit home from an angle after receiving a square pass from Reuben Vella.

Naxxar got back in the reckoning on 77 minutes when they were awarded a penalty for a foul by Kevin Cassar on Joe Mercieca. Matthew Spiteri Gonzi made no mistake from the spot.

But the Lions' hopes of rescuing a point were dashed two minutes later when Mellieħa restored their two-goal lead with a Borg St John finish following a good move by the returning Mario Debono.

Mellieħa: J. Abela, Ph. Camilleri (L. Attard), W. Borg, K. Said (M. Debono), P. Camilleri, D. Fenech, W. Borg St John, R. Vella, K. Cassar, L. Cauchi, D. Cauchi.

Naxxar: D. Vella, J. Borg, M. Spiteri, A. Bajada (G. Sant), S. Cassar (A. Delnegro), K. Fenech, A. Fenech (J. Agius), J. Mercieca, M. Deguara, A. Bartolo, C. Farrugia.

Referee: Mario Apap.

Żebbuġ Rangers 0
Marsa 1

Marsa moved off the bottom of the standings after obtaining their first win of the season thanks to a late Adam Spiteri goal.

Victory was indeed a merited one for Marsa's youngsters. They dominated proceedings throughout the first half.

Alan Delceppo missed a sitter in the early stages and a shot by Spiteri finished just wide. Rangers keeper Martin Pace did well to keep out an attempt by Shaun Farrugia.

Żebbuġ went very close to taking the lead just before half-time as a powerful shot by Marlon Vella was turned onto the post by Demis Grima.

Rangers stepped up their efforts after the restart. Lawrence Vella tried to deceive the referee when punching the ball behind Grima from a free-kick but Żebbuġ were unlucky minutes later when a shot from the distance by Keith Farrugia hit the woodwork.

The match seemed headed for a goalless draw but three minutes from time, promising striker Spiteri nodded past Pace to secure his team's first win of the season.

Żebbuġ: M. Pace, G. Saliba, R. Ellul, B. Galea, K. Farrugia, G. Mallia, E. Cachia, M. Vella, L. Vella (R. Micallef), C. Tabone (R. Attard), O. Rababah (J. Sapiano).

Marsa: D. Grima, J. Rizzo, G. Cutajar, J. Camilleri, S. Callus, S. Farrugia, A. Spiteri, E. Sciberras (P.M. Cachia), B. Zammit, A. Delceppo (C. Cioffi), K. Scerri.

Referee: Duncan Sultana.