Birkirkara 2
Mosta 0

The focus in the lead-up to Birkirkara's 'easy' fixture against Mosta centred on Bojan Arsic, the 27-year-old Yugoslav forward who landed in Malta on Monday with a view of earning a contract with the Stripes.

Jaroslav Marx is the player who, according to the Birkirkara officials, will be making way for Arsic or any other new foreign recruit but yesterday, it was the Czech midfielder and Lucian Dronca, a by-word for consistency, who stood head and shoulders above their team-mates with their decisive performances.

Undeterred by news that Birkirkara will not be extending his contract, Marx pulled the strings in the middle and was even named player of the match.

Dronca was also prominent with his sound defending and his late penalty goal that secured Birkirkara three important points which helped them reduce the gap on leaders Sliema to seven points.

With William Camenzuli, Matthew Calascione and Chucks Nwoko warming the substitutes' bench, the team put out by Stephen Azzopardi suggested that Birkirkara went into this match with an eye on Saturday's clash with rivals Valletta.

A Jura attempt bounced wide after four minutes before Birkirkara's Marx delivered a defence-splitting pass to Mark Anthony Bonnici whose cross-shot was blocked by Charles Sciberras, the Mosta goalkeeper.

Mosta coach Vince Carbonaro had plenty of selection problems ahead of yesterday's clash as Pio Sciriha and Paul Zammit were both unavailable while Albert Busuttil and Clive Mizzi have fallen out of favour at Mosta.

Arsic, named in the starting line-up, could and should have opened his and Birkirkara's account after 19 minutes but he nodded wide after he was perfectly supplied by Michael Galea. Roderick Briffa also fluffed a good opportunity, firing wide as Birkirkara embarked on a spell of sustained pressure.

Midway into the first half, Bonnici made headway inside the right channel and dragged the ball back for the well-placed Michael Galea. Mosta defender Mark Galea, an early replacement for Frank Ellul, dashed to beat Galea to the ball but his rushed clearance nearly ended into his own net but for the woodwork.

It was then Bonnici's turn to spurn a fine opening, lifting the ball over the bar after connecting with a pass from Arsic.

The Stripes remained the more offensive side but they discovered that the task of breaking down the patched-up Mosta rearguard was not as plainsailing as they may have been tempted to think.

What Birkirkara failed to do in 45 minutes, they did in the second minute of first-half injury time. The Mosta defence was caught square at the back when George Mallia retrieved possesion near the middle, lofted the ball towards the steaming Michael Galea who took a couple of paces before chipping the ball past the stranded Sciberras.

Arsic did not reappear at the start of the second half as Azzopardi elected to withdraw him in favour of Calascione. Michael Galea could have augmented his team's lead early in the second half but his flick flew across the face of goal after he was teed up by Briffa.

The complexion of the game remained the same after the change of ends, Birkirkara subjecting Mosta to a pummelling but not getting the goal to put their minds at ease. The Stripes' blunt attacking will have lifted Mosta's hopes of punishing them on the counter and they nearly achieved their aim on 66 minutes.

Alex Chetcuti, a second-half substitute for Jura, created space for himself with a darting run, squaring the ball towards Roderick Asciak who steered the ball towards Kevin Loughborough. Justin Haber, the Birkirkara goalkeeper, threw his body in the way to repel the former Rabat midfielder's first drive but Loughborough was allowed a second bite at the cherry but this time, he blazed high.

On 73 minutes, Azzopardi was forced to take off Calascione, who had only been on the pitch since the start of the second half. The place of the Birkirkara forward, hampered by back pain, was taken by Nwoko.

Despite their welther of possession, Birkirkara could not apply the killer touch and 12 minutes from time, they nearly conceded an equaliser.

Dyson Falzon, the up-and-coming Mosta midfielder, scurried through the middle and forced his way into the area. Haber parried Falzon's attempt, the ball swirled into the air where Duncan Cuschieri nodded tamely towards goal but Dronca headed away to safety.

Four minutes from the end, Birkirkara's pressure finally produced a second goal.

Briffa's cross from the right was nodded towards the far post where the unmarked Michael Galea stooped to head home only for his goalbound attempt to be kept out by Ryan Newell's stretched hands. Referee J.R. Attard pointed to the spot, expelled Newell and Dronca made short work of the penalty.

Birkirkara: J. Haber, M.A. Bonnici, L. Galea (W. Camenzuli), J. Marx, M. Galea, B. Arsic (M. Calascione(C. Nwoko), R. Sammut, L. Dronca, K. Scicluna, R. Briffa, G. Mallia.

Mosta: C. Sciberras, S. Farrugia, C. De Oliveira, R. Newell, F. Ellul (M. Galea), M. Agius, K. Loughborough, D. Cuschieri, R. Asciak, D. Falzon, J. Da Silva (A. Chetcuti).

Referee: J.R. Attard.

Scorers: Galea 45th; Dronca 86th.

Yellow Cards: Scicluna; Marx; Briffa; Agius

Red Card: Newell 86th.

Player Of The Match: Jaroslav Marx (Birkirkara).