Birkirkara: S. Sullivan, M.A. Bonnici, P. Monye, R. Sammut, W. Camenzuli (J. Holland) (A. Spiteri), E. Barbara, R. Briffa, C. Micallef, J. Zerafa, G. Mallia, A. Ciantar

Msida SJ: O. Borg, L. Micallef, P. Sciriha, J. Mifsud, S. Grima, K. Ebejer (T. Farrugia), D. Cachia, P. Fenech, S. Bajada, O. Zongo (A. Farrugia), G. Ancilleri (I. Babatunde)

Referee: A. Azzopardi Asst.refs; K. Borg, E. Spiteri 4th official: M. Borg

Scorers: S. Bajada, J. Holland, J. Zerafa

Player of the match: Adrian Ciantar (Birkirkara)

TMI top three: 1. D. Cachia 2. L. Micallef 3. J. Zerafa

Birkirkara staged a second half comeback to win this match with the odd goal in three and stay firmly in third place.

But victory looked well beyond them in the first half as they were outfought by Msida’s more direct and organised approach, only to cancel Msida’s first half lead and clinch a late winner in an improved second half.

The Saints were thus left seeking their first win in the Championship Pool, despite deserving a better outcome.

Msida had a patched-up look as is customary these days. With Baldacchino suspended and Stacey Vella relegated to the bench, Babatunde,Tyrone Farrugia and Adrian Farrugia all went in as second half substitutes as coach Patrick Curmi’s race against time to get a fully fit side for the FA Trophy semi-final continued. There were starts for youngsters Ebejer and Ancilleri.

Birkirkara were not at full strength either. Scicluna was missing in defence through suspension while Larrosa, Holland, Michael Galea and Lino Galea were only named as substitutes. They looked utterly devoid of penetration as Barbara and Briffa were paired in their attack.

It was not hard to understand why they laboured so much to recover from Shawn Bajada’s eighth minute goal, as he surprised keeper Sullivan, deputising for Bledzewski in goal, with a thunderous shot, some 25 metres out on the left flank, at the top corner.

The goal apart, the only noteworthy episode of an otherwise uneventful first half, lacking quality and pace, was Birkirkara’s close shave on 37 minutes. Barbara ran in well from the right, when put clear by Camenzuli, beating the onrushing keeper Borg from near the byeline but his goalbound effort was blocked by Micallef on the line.

Luckily, play improved slightly in the second period.

Msida kept their grip in midfield but Birkirkara showed more urgency. Keeper Borg was called to repel Camenzuli’s rasping shot from outside the area, before the Birkirkara captain was substituted by Jonathan Holland.

The latter soon made his impact on the match, beating the static keeper Borg with a well taken direct free-kick from the edge of the area to draw level on 62 minutes.

Before the goal, Msida had effected a double substitution, putting in Tyrone Farrugia and Babatunde.

But Birkirkara kept up the pressure. Borg footed out Barbara’s effort when put through by Briffa.

Msida also pressed hard on the throttle and went close to regain the lead within a minute. Fenech tested keeper Sullivan with a blistering shot and then, as the Birkirkara defence failed to clear a Bajada corner from the right, Babatunde, well placed in front of goal, hit the ball weakly for Sullivan to block.

With 12 minutes remaining, Birkirkara delivered the fatal blow as the promising young Joseph Zerafa showed all the confidence of a veteran with a defiant strike from the edge of the area to beat keeper Borg and give his side a hard fought win.