Naxxar fight back to deny Balzan

Naxxar Lions 2
Balzan Youths 2

Balzan Youths played the better football but Naxxar's fighting spirit earned them a point.

Balzan saw more of the ball in the opening half as efforts by Anthony Lagana and Stefan Cauchi were saved by Bjorn Attard in the Naxxar goal. However, in their first opportunity the Lions took the lead when Adrian Fenech hit home from a Gerald Camilleri free-kick.

Balzan had a Leonid McKay free-kick which was cleared off the goal line but they drew level four minutes later when Antoine Sacco scored from an Aaron Agius corner.

Two minutes before the break, Sacco grabbed his second goal when he finished off a good move by Kurt Coleiro to put Balzan 2-1 up.

Naxxar improved after the break and they were twice denied by Brian Bonello off efforts by Andy Bartolo.

Balzan were unlucky as they hit the woodwork twice through Ives Bilocca and Sacco with Naxxar drawing level following a Chris Farrugia lob with 16 minutes to go.

Naxxar: B. Attard, R. Farrugia, M. Spiteri Gonzi, B. Farrugia, A. Galea (A. Spiteri), K. Fenech, A. Fenech, A. Catania, G. Ancilleri (A. Bartolo), K. Naudi (C. Farrugia), J.P. Zahra.

Balzan: B. Bonello, S. Cauchi (G. Scerri), D. Agius, R. Farrugia (S. Cappitta), R. Mifsud, L. McKay, A. Lagana, A. Agius (A. Camilleri), I. Bilocca, K. Coleiro, A. Sacco.

Referee: Gordon Barbara.

Zurrieq 1
Rabat Ajax 2

Rabat Ajax earned three useful points despite having two players sent off during the second period.

They took the lead after just seven minutes through a Kayne Said flying header. Zurrieq's reaction produced a Dino Bonnici effort, which just missed the target, and a Jason Saliba grounder saved by Spiteri.

Rabat were more incisive up front and they were denied by Julian Azzopardi on two occasions off attempts by Alan Zahra.

Zurrieq dictated the run of play during the second half and Rabat suffered a blow on the hour when Emanuel Muscat was sent off for dissent. However, seven minutes later the Magpies doubled their lead when Adam Smeir hit home in style.

Zurrieq surged forward in attack with Rabat losing Smeir in the 79th minute for a second caution.

In the 85th minute Zurrieq had a Godfrey Chetcuti goal disallowed but two minutes later substitute Clive Shomba made it 2-1. In added time, Zurrieq defender Jeffrey Camilleri almost committed an own goal as his back pass hit the upright.

Zurrieq: J. Azzopardi, J. Lia, E. Camilleri, J. Camilleri, K. Sacco, D. Bonnici (D. Zammit), M. Abdilla, A. Briffa (C. Shomba), J. Saliba, M. Genuis (R. Bajada), G. Chetcuti.

Rabat: T. Spiteri, J. Bezzina, J. Tonna, J. Caruana, C. Micallef (P. Ciantar), A. Zahra, K. Said (A. Borg), K. Micallef (D. Falzon), M. Micallef, E. Muscat, A. Smeir.

Referee: Esther Farrugia.

Sta Venera 0
Birzebbuga SP 1

A goal scored by Jeffrey Zammit (on loan from Sta Venera) was enough for Birzebbuga to chalk their second win.

The seasiders dictated the run of play during the first period and after three minutes Leslie Burke hit just wide from the edge of the area.

Zammit scored what proved to be the winning goal on 13 minutes. He headed behind the Sta Venera keeper after being set up by Jason Cassar.

Burke almost made it 2-0 on 35 minutes but his shot was turned by keeper Caruana against the upright.

Sta Venera improved after the interval. A Mark Grech shot hit the Birzebbuga woodwork and efforts by Glen Micallef and Johan Scicluna just missed Xerxen's goal.

In the 75th minute, Sta Venera keeper Caruana made a fine save to deny Donald Gatt and at the other end Ian Falzon should have done better in front of the Birzebbuga goal.

Sta Venera: C. Caruana, A. Micallef, M. Agius, C. Abela, Y.M. Law, J. Scicluna, G. Micallef, A. Hili (R. Xuereb), J. Galea, M. Grech, D. Mercieca (I. Falzon).

Birzebbuga: M. Xerxen, M. Ciappara, D. Baldacchino, E. Saliba, C. Formosa, N. Tabone, J. Cassar (D. Gatt), J. Zammit (L. Vella), Joh. Zammit (R. Celeste), E. Azzopardi, L. Burke.

Referee: Sammy Attard.

St Andrew's 0
Melita 1

Melita won this derby with Matthew Borg I scoring the all-important goal midway through the first half. St Andrew's had a good match but finished on a sour note as two of their players were sent off in the last 15 minutes.

The Saints had a strong start with Jonathan and Patrick Briscoe White both going close early on in the match. Gradually, the Amateurs gained the upperhand and on 19 minutes a Michael Martin free-kick was saved by Tabone.

Melita opened the score on 32 minutes when Borg I headed in from a David Azzopardi corner. Michael Calleja, of St Andrew's, had a goal disallowed and Melita keeper Sapiano was alert to stop shots by Calleja and Adrian Galea.

In a swift break, Melita protested in vain for a penalty when Borg I was tripped in the box by Tabone.

In the 76th minute, Michael Valenzia was sent off and four minutes into stoppage-time the Saints were reduced to nine players when Andrew Camilleri Kamsky committed a second bookable offence.

St Andrew's: F. Tabone, N. Chetcuti, B. Diacono, J. Briscoe White, J. Sank (A. Galea), A. Camilleri Kamsky, P. Briscoe White (A. Gera), Ad. Galea, A. Tabone, M. Valenzia, A. Zammit Tabona (M. Calleja).

Melita: M. Sapiano, M. Stivala, D. Azzopardi, M. Mamo, D. Gravino, M. Martin, M. Hyzler (S. Galea), J. Galea (K. Micallef), M. Borg II, B. Bondin, M. Borg I (L. Micallef).

Referee: Juergen Spiteri.