BALZAN-2, PEMBROKE-1
Balzan made it seven wins in a row after edging Pembroke Athleta 2-1 in an entertaining match.
The title hopefuls, who finished the game with 10 men after Pedrinho's dismissal, needed a late Rennie Tanti own goal to keep their championship bid on track as Pembroke were unlucky not to take a point.
Pedrinho fired high after being released by Lydon Micallef but Pembroke created the better chances in the early stages.
Close to the 10th minute mark, Alex Cini burst forward on the right before passing to Manolito Micallef whose rising shot was pushed over by Christian Cassar, the Balzan goalkeeper.
Pembroke would have taken the lead but for another brilliant save from Cassar who dived to his right to keep out Laudisi's chipped flick after Micallef had freed the Argentine in the box.
Balzan made the most of Cassar's intervention as they opened the scoring in their next attack on 16 minutes.
Da Silva Souza's strong run on the right took him into the box before he supplied a pass to Micallef who drove home from close range.
Pembroke came close to an equaliser but Zoran Levnaic headed wide from Barbetti's free-kick.
The game remained entertaining, Pedrinho shooting against the side-netting from Effiong's cross. In their next foray, Pembroke equalised.
Micallef played a key role as he advanced on the right before hitting a fine cross towards Laudisi who stroked home despite Cassar's intervention to keep the ball out.
With nine minutes of the first half remaining, Pedrinho was wide with a curling free-kick.
There was a good chance for Balzan when Da Silva Souza skipped his way past a host of red shirts before passing to Effiong who powered into the box but the Nigerian-born striker fired wide with only Muscat to beat.
It was now Balzan's turn to apply pressure on the Pembroke defence with Da Silva Souza producing a powerful shot that was pawed away by Muscat.
Balzan's optimism rose when with 12 minutes remaining, referee Philip Farrugia deemed that Levnaic had pulled Bojan Kaljevic's shirt and pointed to the spot but Bojan Kaljevic hit wide from the spot.
More drama followed as, moments later, Balzan ended with 10 men after Pedrinho was shown a straight red card for elbowing Arab. From the ensuing free-kick, taken by Barbetti, Laudisi headed wide.
Vujacic had a dangerous effort deflected over the crossbar as Balzan stuck to their attacking approach.
Their efforts paid off as, with three minutes left, Tanti headed into his own net from Da Silva Souza's swinging cross, from a corner.
Cassar denied Pembroke an equaliser when saving Laudisi's header from Micallef's cross. Pembroke came close again when Micallef's header, from a corner action, was cleared off the line by Fenech and, from the rebound, Villalobos hammered wide.
Da Silva Souza, the Balzan forward, was named BOV player of the match.