Marsaxlokk 2 Tarxien 4

Tarxien hit four goals past Marsaxlokk to climb into second place. Having secured four victories and a draw from the last five matches, and outclassed a potent Marsaxlokk, Noel Coleiro’s men are fully deserving their placing.

In contrast, Marsaxlokk have won only one of their last five, that victory coming against Hamrun, three weeks ago.

The Southseasiders did not have to wait much longer for the opening goal when Lee Galea sensed the danger for the Rainbows outside the box but he could only hack down Effiong. The striker however handed over duties to Martin Deanov who curled in a delightful direct free-kick as the ball flew into the net off the underside of the bar.

The stage seemed set for Marsaxlokk for another dominant display when the Bulgarian midfielder opened the score in the eighth minute.

But the Rainbows answered immediately and only six minutes later they were level when Manuel Caruana got up above Emil Yanchev to head home a Sergio Pacheco de Oliveira free-kick.

After 24 minutes, Tarxien went ahead when Anonam’s effort was only blocked into the path of Pacheco who cut in the left flank and unleashed a superb shot from 20 metres which flew into the top corner of the net.

And things got even better for the Rainbows when Ricardo Costa crossed for Cristiano dos Santos Rodrigues who gleefully blasted a shot that battered the underside of the bar and flew into the net.

At this point, Tarxien dropped off the pace and Ruben Gravata Guerreiro accepted the invitation to pull one back when he fired in an angled drive after 44 minutes.

Three minutes from time when Pacheco dazzled around the Marsaxlokk defence before playing in substitute Daniel Mariano Bueno for the simplest of tap-ins.