Balzan consolidate lead, Lija hand Melita first defeat

Sta Venera Lightnings 0
Balzan Youths 3

Leaders Balzan Youths made another giant stride towards promotion to the First Division after a convincing victory over Sta Venera Lightnings.

Balzan were off to a flier, taking the lead inside the opening three minutes when Kurt Coleiro headed home from a Clayton Caruana corner. Coleiro was at it again minutes later but his header was turned over the bar by the Sta Venera goalkeeper.

The Lightnings' response produced a dangerous cross-shot by Antoine Galea that was pushed away by Joshua Galea.

However, it was Balzan who made it 2-0 on 24 minutes when Trevor Thomas beat John Agius with a firm header.

Just before the break, Sta Venera were unlucky not to pull a goal back when captain Yau Mun Law saw his shot come off the post before being cleared to safety.

Balzan sealed the points on 55 minutes when Coleiro finished off a good move by strike partner Thomas.

This was a hard blow for the Lightnings who had a Nathan Caruana free-kick well saved by Galea. Twelve minutes from time Sta Venera were reduced to ten players when defender Mark Muscat was sent off for dissent.

Sta Venera: J. Agius, A. Cachia (A. Micallef), A. Galea, M. Muscat, Y.M. Law, G. Micallef, S. Farrugia (N. Caruana), M. Grech, J. Zammit (D. Calleja), A. Ellul, D. Zuccaro.

Balzan: J. Galea, J. Agius (M. Monreal), B. Bondin, L. Stivala, C. Sciberras, J. Francica, A. Lagana, Is. Zammit, C. Caruana, T. Thomas (C. Abela), K. Coleiro (R. Farrugia).

Referee: Mitchell Scerri.

Melita AFC 0
Lija Athletic 1

Lija Athletic scored a crucial victory in their bid to gain promotion after beating Melita to move to within one point of the Amateurs.

This was Melita's first defeat of the season.

Melita did all the early running, Julian Galea twice coming close only to be foiled by the alert Lija goalkeeper Luke Bonnici.

Lija gradually came more into the picture and Melita keeper Matthew Sapiano did well to push away Michael Mangion's header.

The stalemate was broken on 27 minutes when Lija's Carlo Leonardi fired the ball past Sapiano.

Melita tried to produce a reaction but, bar a Matthew Borg I free-kick that finished just over, they rarely troubled their opponents.

The Amateurs pushed more men forward in the second half but they lacked firepower in front of goal.

In the opening minutes, the Lija goalkeeper brought off fine saves from Gregory Degabriele and Galea. Timothy Hampton and Mark Hyzler missed the target for the Amateurs.

Fifteen minutes from time, George Gribbon headed just wide from a Hyzler corner-kick.

Although Melita continued to dictate the run of play, it was Lija who went close to doubling their lead late in the match through Chris Pace whose shot just missed the target.

Melita: M. Sapiano, J. Mifsud (L. Fenech), D. Gravino, G. Gribbon, M. Borg II, M. Hyzler, M. Martin, A. Caruana Scicluna, G. Degabriele (T. Hampton), J. Galea (J. Mangion), M. Borg I.

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

Referee: Kevin Azzopardi.

Birżebbuġa 0
St Andrew's 1

St Andrew's chalked up their fourth win of the season at the expense of Birżebbuġa with former Birkirkara striker Matthew Calascione notching the all-important goal.

St Andrew's were the better team early on with Luca Desira Buttigieg, William Camilleri and Michael Grima going close to scoring.

The Saints were unlucky on 23 minutes when Desira Buttigieg hit the crossbar while at the other end, Darren Vella's shot was cleared away by Patrick Briscoe White.

Six minutes from the break Birżebbuġa threatened again but Jason Cassar's header was cleared off the line.

St Andrew's finally forced a breakthrough on 52 minutes when Calascione profited from an indecision in the Birżebbuġa defence to ram the ball home.

Birżebbuġa should have drawn level on 62 minutes when they were awarded a penalty for a handling infringement by Neil Chetcuti. Cassar steered his spot-kick wide.

St Andrew's could have added a second late on but Noel Tabone and Clive Formosa were both denied by Celeste.

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

St Andrew's: F. Tabone, P. Briscoe White, B. Diacono, J. Briscoe White, N. Chetcuti, W. Camilleri, N. Vella Petroni, D. Cuschieri (A. Camilleri Kamsky), L. Desira Buttigieg (M. Calleja), M. Calascione, M. Grima.

Referee: Thomas Debono.

Marsa 0
Mellieħa 3

A first-half penalty scored by Wayne Borg St John put Mellieħa on course to a convincing victory over bottom-placed Marsa who also missed a penalty in the opening 45 minutes.

After a balanced start, it was Mellieħa who struck first on 32 minutes when Borg St John was felled in the area. From the resultant penalty, the Mellieħa forward made no mistake.

Four minutes from the break, Marsa should have equalised when they were awarded a penalty for a foul on Osvaldo Zammit but Adam Spiteri shot wide from the spot.

Five minutes after the restart, Mellieħa striker Jeffrey Gauci was denied a certain goal through an excellent save by Marsa's goalkeeper Demis Grima and in the 54th minute, Gauci shot just wide following a through-pass by Philip Camilleri.

Mellieħa doubled their lead on 75 minutes when Kayne Said rounded Marsa goalkeeper Grima before shooting the ball into an empty net.

Four minutes from time, Mellieħa had the points in the bag with another goal from Borg St John after some good work by David Fenech.

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

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

Referee: Trustan Farrugia Cann