Shead hat-trick floors St George's

Balzan Youths 3
St George's 0

Balzan confirmed they are a force to reckon with this season following a 3-0 drubbing of St George's. Simon Shead scored all goals for the winners who played almost the entire second half with 10 men.

Shead was the star of the show but Balzan veteran Ivan Zammit produced another masterful game at the back. The Saints were coming from impressive wins over St Patrick and Marsaxlokk to move joint third but they were no match for Balzan yesterday.

The initial stages of the match saw both sides testing each other in midfield but when the Saints tried to venture forward they found striker Anthony Ewurun under tight scrutiny and less sharp than in previous outings.

On 31 minutes, a good move between Ewurun and Silvio Sciberras was followed with a Chris Ciappara shot that sailed over the Balzan goal.

Balzan forged ahead a minute later. Shead was left unmarked in the Saints' box and hit home from a perfect Peter Anizoba cross.

The Saints tried to react but Balzan made it 2-0 on 37 minutes.

Anizoba did well to avoid his marker before releasing Shead who scored a superb goal from an acute angle.

St George's held the initiative until the break but were hardly ever dangerous in front of goal. At the other end, Morgan Onourah had the ball in Galea's net but the 'goal' was disallowed for offside.

Balzan suffered a setback three minutes after the restart when Onourah was dismissed for a second booking. However, despite the numerical edge, the Saints failed to impose any kind of superiority.

On 75 minutes, Ewurun sprinted to reach a Benoir Fenech pass but goalkeeper Fredrick Tabone came off his lines to avert danger. Fenech twice tried his luck from the distance later on but failed to hit the target on both occasions.

With 20 minutes left Balzan made sure of the points following a cute Shead lob from a David Fenech ball.

Balzan could have made it 4-0 late on but Rennie Forace blasted wide with only the Saints goalkeeper to beat.

Balzan: F. Tabone, I. Zammit, R. Farrugia, C. Micallef, R. Forace, M. Onourah, B. Bondin (L. Micallef), S. Aquilina, C. Caruana (D. Fenech), P. Anizoba, S. Shead (A. Agius).

St George's: T. Galea, E. Sevasta, C. Grech (G. Bonello), A. Ewurun, E. Amaira, B. Fenech, J. Dalli, G. Mallia, A. Bonello (J. Bugeja), S. Sciberras, C. Ciappara (M. Xerri).

Referee: Alan Mario Sant.

Man of the match: Simon Shead (Balzan Youths).

All square

St Patrick 0
Pietà Hotspurs 0

Pietà and St Patrick produced a lively match but despite the two teams playing open and attacking football the stalemate prevailed.

The lack of goals in this match was also due, perhaps, to the fine showing of the two goalkeepers, Pietà's Miguel Montfort and Ryan Mintoff, of St Patrick.

All in all, a draw was a just result as no team deserved to leave the field empty-handed although the Hotspurs, who also had Mohammed Alabi in fine form, did finish the stronger side.

After only six minutes Alabi burst through on the right flank before delivering a perfect ball to Sheldon Grech who hit badly in front of Mintoff. Grech made partial emends for his mistake on 14 minutes when he stopped a Steve Dimech shot that looked destined to reach the Pietà net.

Thomas Caruana shouted penalty on the half-hour mark following a tackle by Sciberras in the Pietà box but the referee waved play on. Moments later the Pietà rearguard stopped for offside, Milovanovic advanced only to see his shot stopped by Montfort.

Alabi did well to release Zack Muscat just before half-time but the latter hit wide from a good position.

On resumption, Mintoff produced a superb save to avoid an own goal when from a Shaun Micallef cross the ball took a wicked deflection off a Saints' defender.

On 49 minutes, Caruana zig-zagged into the opponents' box but Montfort rushed out of his lines to block the Saints striker. At the other end, Mintoff was again on hand to deny Muscat from goal.

The pace was frantic in the second half and on 68 minutes Milovanovic sped through but his shot just missed the target. On 73 minutes the Saints were unlucky when Milovanovic's lob hit the Pietà woodwork.

Ten minutes from time Alabi found space in the Saints' box but Mintoff was on the right spot to stop the shot. Alabi did manage to beat Mintoff soon after but his effort rolled agonisingly wide of goal.

St Patrick: S. Mintoff, M. Fleri Soler, R. Mifsud, G. Failla (J. Farrugia), L. Sciberras, S. Dimech, D. Gauci (Y. Tonna), T. Caruana, M. Pullicino, S. Zerafa, D. Milovanovic.

Pietà: M. Montfort, C. Sammut, C. Spiteri, B. Sciberras, B. Perry Acton, Q. Refalo, M. Alabi, S. Grech (J. Azzopardi), Z. Muscat, S. Micallef, K. Fedele.

Referee: Trustin Farrugia Cann.

Man of the match: Mohammed Alabi (Pietà Hotspurs).