Balzan Youths march on, Melita keep up the chase

Mellieħa 0
Balzan Youths 1

This was the fifth successive victory for leaders Balzan Youths who defeated Mellieħa thanks to a second-half goal scored by veteran Ivan Zammit. Balzan goalkeeper Joshua Galea is still unbeaten after eight matches.

The initial stages were balanced but Balzan could have forged ahead when a strong shot by Aaron Agius was saved by Mellieħa keeper Simon Gauci.

Midway through the half, Balzan won a free-kick and from Agius's delivery, Cedric Sciberras, all alone in front of goal, saw his point-blank shot parried by the Mellieħa keeper.

The second half was characterised by some rough play, forcing the referee to book various players on both sides.

Zammit left his mark on the match on 63 minutes when the Balzan player-coach scored what proved to be the winning goal.

Mellieħa's reaction only produced two free-kicks, taken by Luke Cauchi and David Fenech.

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

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

Referee: Andre Arciola.

Mġarr United 0
Melita 1

Martin Gregory's Melita notched their fifth win of the season to keep up the pressure on leaders Balzan who are four points clear at the top.

This was a positive performance by Mġarr but in the end, they had to succumb to a Matthew Borg I winner just before half-time.

Mġarr looked the livelier lot at first and a close-range header by David Muscat was saved by Melita keeper Sapiano. Matthew Muscat should have done better in front of the Melita goal and then two inswinging free-kicks, taken by Neil Busuttil and Malcolm Bugeja, were saved with difficulty by the Amateurs' no.1.

Melita broke the deadlock in first-half stoppage time when Matthew Borg I hit home after being put through by Gregory Degabriele.

Mġarr were stunned and Melita threatened to put the game beyond their opponents after the restart but efforts by Julian Galea and Matthew Borg I were stopped by the promising Mġarr keeper Luca Grech.

Mġarr tried hard to get back into the game but it was Melita, again, who went close when a 77th-minute shot by Galea was saved by Grech. Four minutes from time, Mġarr almost drew level but Josef Micallef fired wide from a good position.

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

Melita: M. Sapiano, D. Gravino, G. Gribbon, J. Mifsud, L. Micallef, M. Borg II, M. Martin, G. Degabriele (L. Fenech), J. Galea, K. Micallef (S. Micallef), M. Borg I (S. Galea).

Referee: Sammy Attard.

Sta Venera 1
St Andrew's 0

Sta Venera Lightnings obtained their first win of the season and infliced the first defeat on St Andrew's.

Michael Valenzia and Michael Calleja almost put St Andrew's ahead early on but the best opportunities came Sta Venera's way following an overhead-kick by Ian Falzon and a George Frendo drive.

The Lightnings took the lead on 25 minutes through a Jeffrey Zammit grounder from a cross by Andre Cachia.

Patrick Briscoe White hit just wide from the edge of the box for St Andrew's and then attempts by Valenzia were saved by keeper James Mercieca.

St Andrew's seized the initiative after the break but Zammit was unlucky when his effort from a corner cannoned off the bar.

St Andrew's pressed hard for an equaliser but a Matthew Calascione free-kick was headed off the line by Cachia. Jonathan Briscoe White sent his shot wide and at the other end, the woodwork again denied Sta Venera, this time from a Mark Grech shot.

Luca Buttigieg Scicluna missed a glaring opportunity late on as Sta Venera held on for victory.

Sta Venera: J. Mercieca, A. Cachia (A. Galea), M. Muscat, Y.M. Law, G. Micallef, I. Falzon (S. Farrugia), J. Zammit (M. Grech), A. Ellul, C. Abela, N. Caruana, G. Frendo.

St Andrew's: F. Tabone, N. Chetcuti, T. Sullivan, P. Briscoe White, S. Falzon, B. Diacono (A. Camilleri Kamsky), N. Vella Petroni (J. Briscoe White), L. Buttigieg Desira, M. Calascione, M. Valenzia, M. Calleja (M. Grima).

Referee: Duncan Sultana.

Birżebbuġa SP 1
Marsa 0

A goal scored by substitute Ronnie Celeste gave Birżebbuġa three useful points to consolidate their position in mid-table.

Marsa were very close to opening the score early on through Jeremy Dalli and Shaun Cutajar.

The southerners were denied by Spiteri from a Roderick Baldacchino shot with Marsa hitting back with a Johan Camilleri effort that was saved with difficulty by goalkeeper P. Celeste.

Birżebbuġa were unlucky when a shot by Alistair Buhagiar hit the upright before half-time.

Marsa stand-in keeper Demis Grima was called to make an excellent save to deny Baldacchino soon after the restart.

Dalli hit wide of goal from close in for Marsa but a minute from time Celeste scored the goal that mattered to condemn Marsa to their sixth loss in eight outings.

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

Marsa: R. Spiteri (D. Grima), J. Rizzo, G. Cutajar, J. Camilleri (S. Farrugia), J. Dalli, S. Cutajar, E. Thornton, A. Spiteri, K. Scerri, N. Vassallo (J. Martin), P. Cachia.

Referee: Thomas Debono.

Gozo FC 2
Lija Athletic 3

In a direct clash between two teams that came into this match level on points, Lija edged Gozo FC by the odd goal in five.

Having come close to opening the scoring through Beppe Antignolo, Lija took the lead in the 21st minute when Chris Pace tapped the ball home.

Glenn Barry doubled Lija's advantage six minutes later with a fine strike from an unmarked position in the box.

The hosts were shocked and goalkeeper Xuereb prevented Lija from making it 3-0 when saving from Daniel Cremona.

Lija might have sealed the issue but Pace, Antignolo, Cremona and substitute Ibrahim Tarik missed their chances in the second half.

Gozo produced a reaction in the final stages. They reduced the arrears two minutes from time through substitute Oliver Farrugia and levelled matters in the second minute of stoppage time with a close-range header by Charles Hili.

In a tense finale, Hili was sent off for a foul in midfield. From the resultant free-kick, taken by Daniel Scerri, Michael Mangion's header was partially saved by Xuereb but the same player headed in the rebound to give Lija a dramatic but deserved victory.

Gozo: J. Xuereb, J. Cefai, B. Meilak, C. Mercieca, J.M. Portelli, C. Hili, A. Portelli (R. Buttigieg), P.P. Buttigieg, J. Attard (O. Farrugia), J. Buttigieg, J. Portelli.

Lija: L. Bonnici, A. Spiteri, M. Mangion, D. Scerri, D. Cremona, G. Barry (I. Tarek), L. Cilia, JP. Scerri, C. Pace, C. Ciantar, B. Antignolo.

Referee: Tristan Farrugia Cann.