Balzan go second

St Patrick 0
Balzan Youths 2

Balzan Youths maintained their promotion charge and moved to second place in the standings after beating St Patrick with a goal in each half at the Tedesco Stadium, yesterday.

This was not an easy victory for Ivan Zammit's side but a merited one even though the relegation-threatened Saints showed signs of revival and battled gamely for most of the match.

Balzan again relied on the speed and skills of Peter Anizoba to raid the Saints' fort but as the minutes ticked by, the Saints started coming more into the picture with Thomas Caruana looking sharp in attack.

On 20 minutes he was a whisker away from target after a free-kick and a minute later a Daniel Milovanovic shot finished just wide.

Balzan soaked up the pressure and then took the lead on 25 minutes.

Anizoba, formerly of St Patrick, was allowed too much space in the box before releasing Renie Forace who gave Sean Mintoff no chance from close in.

St Patrick had a Gordon Failla free-kick finishing over the crossbar and at the other end the Saints keeper was alert to dive at the feet of Simon Shead after the Balzan striker was put through by Bjorn Bondin.

A minute from half-time, Anizoba came close to adding another goal for his side when he lobbed over the head of Mintoff as the Saints keeper was caught out of his lines. Luckily for the latter, the ball rolled the wrong side of his goal.

Balzan went all-out in search of a second goal after the restart. Shead's grounder was stopped by Mintoff and the same Shead was again denied by the Saints' keeper soon after.

In between, Luke Sciberras saw his effort saved by Galea and from the rebound Simon Zerafa blasted over from a good position.

Mintoff again did well to keep out an Anizoba scorcher as Balzan were now in control also thanks to a sound defensive cover.

With the Saints throwing caution to the wind, Balzan put the game to bed when Anizoba beat Mintoff on the run despite the close marking of two other Saints defenders.

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

Balzan: J. Galea, S. Aquilina, C. Micallef, B. Bondin, G. Tanti, M. Sciortino (D. Agius), R. Forace, P. Anizoba, C. Caruana (I. Zammit), S. Shead (A. Agius), J. Francica.

Referee: Paul Apap.

Man of the match: Peter Anizoba (Balzan Youths).

Stars held

Pietà Hotspurs 1
Vittoriosa Stars 1

A last-gasp equaliser, scored by substitute Zach Muscat, dashed Vittoriosa's hopes of bouncing back from two successive upsets and claim the second position in the standings all by themselves.

Pietà, in desperate need of points at the lower end of the standings, never threw in the towel and fought back to win a precious point.

Vittoriosa took the lead after eight minutes following a perfect Gary Inguanez free-kick that left keeper Miguel Montfort helpless.

One expected a reaction from the Hotspurs but this never came with the Stars, who had coach Winston Muscat serving the first of a long 10-match touchline ban, dictating matters comfortably.

On 23 minutes, Leontin Chitesco found Joseph Chetcuti in a good position but the former Qormi player drove the ball wide.

Pietà's first threat came two minutes later but an Alabi effort went off the mark. Chitescu then tried to beat Montfort with a lob from 20 metres out but the ball finished on the roof of the net.

Vittoriosa continued to play the better football and after Chitescu won a ball in the Pietà half, the ball fell kindly to Joseph Chetcuti but he shot weakly from in front of goal.

Chetcuti hit wide after beating a defender to the ball and then it was Montfort again who saved Pietà when he parried a Gary Inguanez shot. In added time a Chetcuti piledriver was again stopped by Montfort as the Stars were left to rue a series of missed chances.

The second half never reached great heights as Vittoriosa opted for prudence to preserve their lead.

Pietà, however, missed a golden opportunity on 63 minutes when Alabi dashed through, served Matthew Agius but the substitute failed miserably in front of goal.

Montfort was again on the right spot to keep out a Chitescu shot but in the late stages the Hotspurs lifted their game by a few notches in search of an equaliser.

Seven minutes from time Quelin Refalo struck from the distance but Henry Bonello saved well on the ground. Montfort was again on the right spot to deny Chetcuti.

Then the dramatic equaliser on 87 minutes, Refalo did well to unmark Muscat who anticipated a couple of defenders before hitting the ball home.

Pietà: M. Montfort, C. Sammut (M. Agius), C. Spiteri, B. Sciberras, Q. Refalo, M. Alabi, C. Cassar, I. Grech, J. Azzopardi (A. Scerri), S. Micallef (Z. Muscat), S. Pace.

Vittoriosa: H. Bonello, J. Camilleri, B. Bonnici, P. Camilleri, Jeffrey Chetcuti, J. Spiteri, L. Chitescu, G. Inguanez, E. Vella, H. Makinwa, Joseph Chetcuti.

Referee: Fyodor Zammit.

Man of the match: Leontin Chitescu.