Lija hand Balzan first defeat

Lija Athletic 2
Balzan Youths 0

Lija boosted their promotion chances when they handed rivals Balzan Youths their first defeat of the season in a derby watched by a sizeable crowd at the Centenary Stadium.

Lija took the lead after just two minutes through an angled shot by Martin Borg. Balzan responded with a firm shot by Kurt Coleiro that was well saved by Luke Bonnici.

Beppe Antignolo almost made it 2-0 on 19 minutes but his header was blocked by Cedric Sciberras.

In the closing stages of the first-half Balzan were close again through Clayton Caruana and Aaron Agius but Lija held on to go at the break 1-0 up.

Carlo Leonardi was close to a second early in the second half but his shot hit the upright.

Balzan stepped up a gear and an Agius shot finished just wide while Jerryton Agius's effort was stopped by Bonnici.

It was Lija, though, who struck again in time added on when Antignolo beat Joshua Galea with a firm drive to seal a precious win.

Lija: L. Bonnici, M. Mangion, D. Scerri, M. Borg, L. Cilia, G. Barry (C. Leonardi), J.P. Scerri, C. Pace, A. Scicluna (M. Camilleri), C. Ciantar, B. Antignolo.

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

Referee: Jurgen Spiteri.

Naxxar Lions 1
Melita 6

Melita scored another 6-1 win over Naxxar Lions this season in a one-sided match to remain level on points with Lija Athletic in second place.

The Lions had a nightmarish start to the match when they were reduced to ten men after Kevin Fenech was red-carded for a professional foul. From the ensuing free-kick, Ives Bilocca fired the ball home to put Melita ahead.

It was all Melita and Nigel Rizzo and Simon Galea were denied by the Naxxar goalkeeper.

On 42 minutes the Amateurs increased their lead through Jonathan Mifsud from a Bilocca corner and a minute later Michael Martin beat Attard to make it 3-0.

The second period was a mere formality with Melita adding a fourth goal in the 75th minute through leading scorer Matthew Borg I.

Naxxar pulled a goal back on 82 minutes through Adrian Fenech but it was Melita who had the final say adding two other goals from Gregory Degabriele (87) and Matthew Borg I (90) to wrap up an emphatic win.

Naxxar: B. Attard (K. Agius), J. Mercieca, J. Agius, K. Fenech, G. Sant (J.P. Zahra), M. Coleiro, A. Delnegro, C. Farrugia, A. Fenech, V. Bellia, M. Deguara (A. Catania).

Melita: M. Sapiano, J. Mifsud, D. Gravino, G. Gibson, I. Bilocca, N. Rizzo (M. Hyzler), M. Martin, A. Caruana Scicluna (G. Degabriele), J. Galea (M. Borg), S. Galea, L. Micallef.

Referee: Mario Apap.

Mellieħa 1
Żebbuġ Rangers 1

Żebbuġ were on the verge of clinching a vital win over Mellieħa only to be denied by a last-gasp equaliser from Kayne Said that left Rangers in relegation trouble.

The opening stages were evenly balance with Christian Tabone and Donald Gatt going close for Żebbuġ while at the other end Philip Camilleri headed just wide for Mellieħa.

The northerners almost struck on 33 minutes but Wayne Borg St John's effort was somehow kept out by Rangers keeper Martin Pace.

Eight minutes into the second half, Errol Cachia put Żebbuġ ahead and on 65 minutes Gatt almost made it 2-0 but his shot was saved by Gauci.

Borg St John came close to making it 1-1 but his shot just missed the target.

When everything pointed to a Żebbuġ win, a minute from time, Mellieħa drew level when Said finished off a good move by the influential Camilleri.

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

Żebbuġ: M. Pace, G. Mallia, R. Attard, B. Galea, E. Calleja, E. Cachia, J. Cilia (L. Vella), C. Tabone, D. Gatt (J. Sapiano), R. Micallef, G. Saliba.

Referee: Saviour Tanti.

St Andrew's 1
Sta Venera 2

Sta Venera Lightnings edged St Andrew's by the odd goal in three to move up to fourth in the standings. For St Andrew's this was their fourth defeat of the season.

The Lightnings took just four minutes to forge ahead with a well-placed shot by Rudy Carbonaro.

St Andrew's responded on 18 minutes when Matthew Calascione was denied by Sta Venera keeper John Agius. Just past the half-hour mark, the former Birkirkara striker was again close but his effort just missed the target.

However, it was Sta Venera who increased their lead on 63 minutes when Stefan Farrugia's angled shot hit the back of the net.

St Andrew's had two close efforts by Luka Desira Buttigieg and a shot by Edward Grima which were saved with difficulty by keeper Agius.

Farrugia almost struck again on 85 minutes but his curling free-kick hit the bar.

St Andrew's did manage to pull a goal back a minute later through Edward Grima but it was too little too late as the Lightnings held on for the win.

St Andrew's: E. Vernon, N. Chetcuti, A. Camilleri Kamsky, J. Briscoe White, W. Camilleri, D. Cuschieri (M. Grima), M. Calleja (G. Fenech), M. Calascione, L. Desira Buttigieg, M. Valenzia, N. Vella Petroni (E. Grima).

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

Referee: Andrea Sciriha.

Gozo FC 1
Birżebbuġa 1

Gozo FC put behind them the heavy 7-1 defeat to Balzan Youths when they earned a 1-1 draw against Birżebbuġa St Peter's at the Gozo Stadium to remain in a safe mid-table position.

The first half was evenly balanced with Birżebbuġa threatening with a Clive Formosa shot that almost surprised the Gozitan keeper.

At the other end Michael Bezzina's shot finished just over.

Late in the first half, Birżebbuġa were again close when Ronnie Celeste's close range shot was cleared off the line while a Jason Cassar effort flew just wide.

Birżebbuġa maintained their momentum after the break and on 47 minutes a header by Noel Tabone hit the bar.

The visitors opened the score on 62 minutes. They won a corner and Eric Saliba's header was cleared off the line by Brian Meilak. Darren Vella was first to the rebound to bury the ball home.

Gozo equalised four minutes later when Oliver Farrugia released Michael Bezzina who beat goalkeeper Celeste with a firm shot.

Birżebbuġa stepped up a gear in search of a winner but the Gozitans held firm to earn a deserved point.

Gozo FC: D. Gauci, F. Camilleri, J. Cefai, C. Mercieca, B. Meilak, C. Bugeja (K. Apap), E. Grima (C. Tabone), M. Bezzina, R. Buttigieg (P. Attard), O. Farrugia, J. Vella.

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

Referee: Kevin Azzopardi.