Melita 1
Birżebbuġa 1

Melita lost two precious points in their bid to reach Żebbuġ in second place in the standings after they were held to a draw by a Birżebbuġa side that never gave away an inch.

As things stand at present, Żebbuġ only need one point from their remaining two matches, one of them against Melita next weekend, to seal promotion.

Melita were second best in the first half but came out fighting after the break to, at least, avoid defeat.

On 11 minutes, Birżebbuġa could have forged ahead when Glanville Goodlip picked up a loose ball just outside the Melita box and his curler finished inches wide with goalkeeper Nicholas Grima beaten.

Melita finally woke up and on 34 minutes Luke Micallef beat the challenge of three defenders but shot weakly with only the goalkeeper to beat.

Then, on 37 minutes, Birżeb-buġa opened the score when striker Paolo Cataldi was left unmarked to enter the box and beat Grima from an angle.

Birżebbuġa could have added a second soon after the restart when Pierre Grima drove the ball wide from in front of goal from a Ryan Zammit centre.

Nigel Rizzo also blasted his shot wide from inside the Birżebbuġa penalty area following a good move by Bianco.

Rizzo was guilty of another missed opportunity when he hit wide following a Jean Carlo Da Silva cross but with seven minutes to go Melita hit the target.

Da Silva rose high to head home from a Michael Valenzia free-kick.

Melita: N. Grima, N. Bonello, M. Borg, M. Cachia (A. Borg Olivier), L. Bianco, M. Valenzia, N. Rizzo, L. Micallef, K. Coleiro (L. Mifsud), J. Da Silva, A. Attard (T. Terpougoff).

Birżebbuġa: J. Verbina, R. Micallef, D. Baldacchino, J. Briffa, R. Zammit, G. Caruana, G. Favero (K. Borg), C. Calleja (F. Peplow), P. Grima, G. Goodlip (R. Celeste), P. Cataldi.

Referee: Marco Borg.

Man of the match: Paolo Cataldi (Birżebbuġa).