Balzan Youths 1
Żebbuġ Rangers 0
Balzan marched relentlessly on in their bid to secure promotion after chalking up their 14th win of the season at the expense of Żebbuġ Rangers who are in deep relegation trouble.
Balzan held possession for long stretches during the opening half but struggled to find a way through the Rangers' defence with keeper Martin Pace in fine form.
Balzan had a Luke Stivala free-kick finishing just wide and the same player was denied by Pace following good work by Aaron Agius. Just before the break Balzan had an Agius free-kick which scraped against the far post.
The Youths seized the initiative after the break but Rangers held tight to close all avenues to their goal. However, their resistance fell in the 64th minute when Balzan were awarded a penalty for a foul on Trevor Thomas.
Veteran Ivan Zammit kept his cool to finally put the leaders in the driving seat.
Balzan went close to increasing their lead but Agius shot wide from a good position with Rangers seeing a Gordon Mallia free-kick saved by Joshua Galea.
Balzan: J. Galea, L. Stivala, J. Agius (Iv. Zammit) C. Sciberras, J. Francica, A. Lagana, C. Caruana (R. Farrugia) Iz. Zammit (A. Agius), B. Bondin, T. Thomas, K. Coleiro.
Żebbuġ: M. Pace, R. Bugeja (T. Farrugia), E. Calleja, B. Galea, G. Mallia, R. Attard, L. Vella, C. Tabone, G. Saliba, D. Gatt (O. Rababah), E. Cachia (R. Micallef).
Referee: Glenn Tonna.
Lija Athletic 2
Sta Venera 1
Lija enhanced their promotion prospects with a fine comeback win over Sta Venera in a match decided through second-half goals by Jean Paul Scerri and Lydon Cilia.
Lija are now second in the standings but Melita, two points behind, have a game in hand.
Carlo Leonardi had a good chance to put Lija in front early on but wasted the opportunity. Then a shot by Daniel Cremona finished just over the Saints bar and on 22 minutes Lija were unlucky as a shot by Glenn Barry hit the upright.
Lija continued to push forward but with little luck as the Lightnings hit back with a header from close in by Mark Grech which was saved by Luke Bonnici.
Lija suffered a setback just before the break when Stefan Farrugia scored from a penalty, awarded for a foul on Grech in the box.
But, Lija reacted strongly after the change of ends and deservedly got back on level terms on 51 minutes when Scerri headed in from a Cilia free-kick.
On the hour, Lija took the lead thanks to a Cilia goal following a good move between Barry and Cremona and the comeback was completed.
Sta Venera were denied by Bonnici, off a Daniel Zuccaro headed attempt, six minutes from time as late in the match Lija again went close through Andre Scicluna and Scerri.
Lija: L. Bonnici, M. Mangion, D. Scerri, D. Cremona (B. Antignolo), C. Leonardi, L. Cilia, G. Barry, J.P. Scerri, C. Grech, A. Scicluna, C. Ciantar.
Sta Venera: J. Mercieca, A. Cachia (D. Vella), A. Galea, Y.M. Law, D. Calleja (B. Cremona), A. Micallef (R. Carbonaro), S. Farrugia, M. Grech, A. Ellul, D. Zuccaro, N. Caruana.
Referee: Trustan Farrugia Cann.
Naxxar Lions 2
Birżebbuġa SP 0
Naxxar Lions are out of the drop zone as their recovery continued with a crucial win over Birżebbuġa.
The seasiders dominated the first period with Michael Ciappara shooting just wide after 11 minutes and a conclusion by Ronnie Celeste saved by David Vella. Celeste then missed a clear scoring opportunity when he shot straight into Vella when all alone in front of goal.
On another occasion a cross by Mark Ellul was headed on by Noel Tabone but Vella was on hand to save the Naxxar fort.
Naxxar took the lead against the run of play four minutes before half-time when Joseph Mercieca's shot from the distance deceived Saints' keeper Paul Celeste.
Birżebbuġa were stunned and the Lions could have added another goal to their tally had Joseph Mercieca and Victor Bellia been more accurate in their shooting.
In the 73rd minute, Naxxar practically made sure of the points when Bellia hit home from a swift counter-break.
A minute later Birżebbuġa had a good chance to get back into the match when they were awarded a penalty for a foul on Ronnie Celeste.
However, Noel Tabone's spot-kick was saved by Vella. The latter was unlucky to suffer an injury in this action and had to be replaced by Bjorn Attard.
Naxxar: D. Vella (B. Attard), J. Agius, K. Fenech, J. Sank, A. Bajada, J. Mercieca (G. Sant), M. Coleiro, A. Delnegro, M. Deguara, V. Bellia, A. Fenech.
Birżebbuġa: P. Celeste, E. Saliba, B. Farrugia, R. Baldacchino, M. Ciappara, M. Ellul, J. Cassar, N. Tabone, E. Desira (K. Muscat), R. Celeste, J. Camilleri.
Referee: Andrea Sciriha.
St Andrew's 1
Marsa 1
Marsa seem destined to Division Three football next season after failing to win this match despite taking the lead early on.
In fact, Marsa opened the score after just six minutes when Kevin Scerri hit home from a free-kick.
St Andrew's, with little pressure in a comfortable mid-table position, surged forward in attack to restore parity but it was Marsa who could have doubled their lead when they were awarded a penalty on 27 minutes for a foul on Nicholas Vassallo.
However, Scerri's shot was stopped by Tabone.
Marsa paid dearly for that miss as a minute later Luca Desira Buttigieg scored an equaliser for St Andrew's following a fine solo move.
Alan Delceppo, of Marsa, could have done better in front of goal and inside the last ten minutes Peter Cachia advanced all alone but his shot was stopped by Tabone.
St Andrew's: F. Tabone, P. Briscoe White, B. Diacono (G. Fenech), J. Briscoe White, M. Grima (A. Camilleri Kamsky), W. Camilleri, N. Vella Petroni, D. Cuschieri (M. Calleja), L. Desira Buttigieg, M. Calascione, N. Chetcuti.
Marsa: D. Grima, S. Callus, K. Scerri, B. Zammit, B. Demicoli, A. Spiteri (R. Azzopardi), J. Rizzo, E. Sciberras, N. Vassallo (P. Cachia), C. Cioffi, J. Dalli (A. Delceppo).
Referee: Mitchell Scerri.