Balzan lost significant ground in their bid to make Championship Pool football when they were held to a 1-1 draw by bottom-placed Rabat at the Hibs Stadium this afternoon.
It was Rabat who drew first blood after 10 minutes when Diego Carrillas Pendas released Jose Luis Armaro Negrin who sped through and slid the ball past Balzan goalkeeper Daniel Martinez.
Balzan hit back and they managed to draw level on 36 minutes when Rabat goalkeeper Sean Mintoff was harshly ruled to have upended Conceicao in the area with referee Fyodor Zammit pointing to the spot.
Elton stepped up to take the kick and hit a low shot past Mintoff.
Balzan continued to press forward in search of a winning goal and the closest they came was midway through the second half when Ryan Darmanin turned past his marker and his low drive came off the post.
Rabat striker Diego Carrillas Pendas was voted as the BOV Player of the match.