Tarxien Rainbows and Mqabba produced a hard-fought encounter but struggled to create clear scoring opportunities, sharing the spoils in a 1-1 draw at the Hibs Stadium.
Both teams were desperate to win and boost their survival hopes but Mqabba will have been happier with the draw as they maintained their three-point lead over the Rainbows.
In a low-key first half, Tarxien took an early lead but Mqabba levelled matters on the stroke of half-time.
Tarxien made the stronger start. After three minutes, Justin Grioli was first to a left-wing cross but his central header was saved by Kris Calleja, the Mqabba goalkeeper.
Carlo Mamo then had a long-range effort saved by Calleja but Tarxien broke the deadlock on 12 minutes.
Orosco Anonam supplied a throughball to Jimmy Mayasi who evaded his marker and fired past Calleja.
At the other end, Tarxien defender Everton did well to run backward and kick the ball away from the advancing John Nwoba.
After Mayasi’s opener, scoring opportunities were few and far between.
In the latter stages of the first half, David Cassar, the Tarxien goalkeeper, blocked Muscat’s long-range effort but moments later, Mqabba levelled.
Muscat’s cross-cum-shot from a left-wing corner sailed into the box and, with Tarxien keeper Cassar possibly unsettled by the ensuing scramble, the ball flew into the far corner of the net.
Three minutes into the second half, Mqabba came close to forging ahead as Muscat’s cross from the right flew towards Mauro Bonnici who headed against the crossbar.
Cassar, the Tarxien goalkeeper, then saved a long-distance effort from Claudi Calleja after good work by Muscat.
Ten minutes into the second half, Mayasi’s menacing run was stopped irregularly by Mqabba defender Branislav Timotic just outside the box. Tarxien demanded that Timotic be sent off but referee Marco Borg decided to book the Serbian defender.
Despite their hard efforts to gain the initiative, Tarxien and Mqabba cancelled each other out for the remainder of the game with the result that scoring chances were rare.
Muscat, the Mqabba striker, was named BOV player of the match.