BALZAN          0

NAXXAR         0

Premier League leaders Balzan dropped precious points as they could only manage a goalless draw against Naxxar Lions.

Balzan could not find a way through the Lions defence, the closest they came was from a first-half drive from Bojan Kaljevic which produced a smart save from Christoph Nicht.

Balzan made all the early running and should have taken the lead on the first quarter of the hour mark, when  Kaljevic threaded a pass into the path of Alfred Effiong who side-footed wide of the far post.

By the half hour mark, Oliver Spiteri was already forced to make two substitutions as Daren Falzon came on for Ryan Grech, who looked to have picked up an injury, while Joel Ellul stepped in for Yuri Messias who suffered a back injury after landing awkwardly.

Kaljevic was involved in Balzan’s two best attacking moves of the end of the half, firstly forcing keeper Nicht into a low save following a long-range shot and then  Justin Grioli provided a superb pin-point cross from which the Montenegrin striker headed straight at the Naxxar goalkeeper.

Naxxar responded with Falzon heading over the on-rushing Mintoff but too high above the bar.

The incentive of further exteding their lead over nearest rivals Valletta at the top of the table sparked Balzan to pour forward with Milos Lepovic heading over.

But they could not break down a resolute Naxxar defence, whose hard work deserved a clean sheet and a share of the points.