Balzan 6
Zabbar St Patrick 0
Bojan Kaljevic provided an instant reminder of his scoring prowess as he hit four goals on his debut for Balzan yesterday.
Making his first start in more than four weeks after completing a three-match ban, Kaljevic produced a typically clinical performance which summed up the gulf in quality between Balzan and Division Two hopefuls Zabbar.
Atanas Marinov, St Patrick’s coach, had set his players up in a 4-1-4-1 formation but Balzan’s attacking acumen proved too much for the Żabbar outfit.
Balzan had a good chance to open the scoring inside the opening five minutes. Samir Arab’s cross soared into the box but Ryan Darmanin’s header flew over the crossbar.
Kaljevic, who completed his move to Balzan from Mosta earlier this month, had a low shot saved by James Pisani.
Darmanin hit the jackpot at the third time of asking, guiding the ball home from close in after getting on the end of Guerrero’s corner.
Three minutes later, Kaljevic scored his first goal as his glancing header sailed into the top corner.
Guerrero was proving a handful for St Patrick. He was unlucky not to add his name to the scoresheet as his volley cannoned off the bar.
Two minutes into the second half, Kaljevic cut the ball back to Darmanin whose central effort was blocked by Pisani.
St Patrick’s difficulties to deal with set-pieces was evident seven minutes into the second half when Kaljevic again headed home from Guerrero’s inswinger.
The Montenegrin forward completed his hat-trick two minutes later, this time with a stooping header from Darmanin’s assist.
In a rare counter-attack, Jean Claude Cesare, on as a second-half substitute, came face to face with Christian Cassar but the Balzan goalkeeper stood his ground.
Balzan extended their advantage in their next attacking foray, Guerrero prodding home from Darmanin’s pass.
Kaljevic scored his fourth and Balzan’s sixth with a perfect grounder from Steve Bezzina’s pass.
Pisani then denied substitute Lydon Micallef who, minutes later, looked certain to score but his lob came off the inside of the far post.
Balzan: C. Cassar, C. Brincat (67 G. Mckay), S. Bezzina, E. Serrano, E. Zarate, O. Guerrero, S. Arab, B. Kaljevic, D. Grima (57 G. Piccioni), T. Agius, R. Darmanin (67 L. Micallef).
Zabbar: J. Pisani, N. Filipov, J. Farrugia, D. Fava, S. Buhagiar, C. Camilleri, C. Magro (70 R. Galea), D. Pace, L. Vella (46 D. Micallef), J.R. Vella, S. Diacono (46 J. Cesare).
Referee: Clayton Pisani.