Balzan move to fourth place

Marsaxlokk 0 Balzan Youths 1

Balzan has served a further notice of their intentions to secure a berth in the Championship Pool after beating Marsaxlokk with a solitary goal.

In fact it had to be a moment of brilliance from former Valletta midfielder Dylan Grima that swayed the match in Balzan in favour. Although there was a goal between the two sides, from then on Balzan never looked back.

The results lifted Balzan to fourth place on 27 points, one ahead of Birkirkara and Sliema, albeit they have a game in game.

Jamie Pace made his first appearance for the Youths as the arrival of the former Valletta midfielder had been heralded as one of the transfer coups of this transfer window with Balzan desperate for the kind of stamina and invention this playmaker would bring.

He had been deployed in his favoured position as central midfielder alongside Nikola Tasic, with Martin Deanov and Dylan Grima out wide. He dominated the midfield in the opening exchanges but his evening soon turned into a nightmare as his debut lasted just 44 minutes before he limped off with injury.

With Pace and Tasic dominant in the middle in the opening exchanges it was the Youths who settled the quickest, with Pedrinho in the thick of the action. The Brazilian striker had already gone close after 4 minutes, and after the quarter of hour mark, his fierce free-kick which went under the wall finished just off the far post.

However Balzan were ahead a minute later and it was created by the majestic Dylan Grima at his best. The nippy midfielder exposed Jonathan Xerri's positional weakness down the Marsaxlokk left before he curled in a delicious centre behind Cassar.

In the 39th minute, the Southseasiders finally began to construct some useful passing patterns and after Nemanja Stoskovic squared to Gary Caruana, the Maltese striker jinked into a shooting position, only to fire wide.

Just after the break, Eviparker could not turn in Deanov's cross when he fired over from close range. On the hour mark, substitute Fagner Bernardes should have doubled the lead and only a desperate block by Modesto Valeriani stopped his shot

While there was a goal between the two sides, it was far from comfortable for Balzan and Stoskovic was guilty of not punishing them when he fired straight into Matthew Camilleri.

In the 71st minute, Stoskovic crossed from the left but Oladotun headed feebly into the waiting hands of Camilleri.

Six minutes from time, Bernandes went on a dazzling run, only to be thwarted by a lunging blocked tackle by Valeriani on the penalty spot and then the Brazilian shot over the bar with the goal at his mercy.