BALZAN 1 BIRKIRKARA 2

The Stripes chalked up their sixth consecutive league win and kept up the pace with co-leaders Hibernians at the top of the table.

Birkirkara found themselves 1-0 up in bizarre circumstances just before half-time. Scicluna’s freekick, appeared to wrong-foot Falzon who collided with the backtracking Steve Bezzina and their hesistancy was punished by Shola pouncing on the loose ball before serving Fenech who headed the ball into an empty net.

But Balzan survived and hit back in style after 54 minutes. Balzan’s formation included four Birkirkara old boys and two of those began the action that led to the equaliser. Rodrigo Pereira exchanged the ball with Joselito who showed good skills to evade his marker before setting up Negrin who escaped down the left and found Dylan Grima waiting to fire home from close-range.

Birkirkara struck the winner twelve minutes from time in sensational style. A flowing move initiated by Temile on the left flank before flicking the ball for Vella who ably tamed the ball’s path for Shola smashing the ball home from the edge of the ball with a sumptous volley of exquisite timing and techinque.

Balzan continued to push forward but they were unable to secure what would have been a deserved point.