Balzan Y-Gozo FC 7-1

After just five minutes Balzan’s agile striker Aaron Agius was very close with a strong shot which just missed the vtarget and in the 12th minutes Kurt Coleiro missed a glaring opportunity. Balzan continued to push forward with Agius being denied by Vella.

In the 26th minute a good move by Clayton Caruana allowed AARON AGIUS to put Balzan in front and three minutes later CLAYTON CARUANA increased the lead when he managed to beat Vella from close-range.

The Gozitans were never in the match and they went further behind in the 32nd minute through an opportunistic goal scored by CLINT MICALLEF. Four minutes before the change of ends Vella denied Balzan’s schemer Clayton Caruana.

Three minutes into the second half Balzan increased their lead through CLAYTON CARUANA from a direct free-kick, the ball hitting bthe post before ending in the back of the net.

In the 50th minute a good move by Kurt Coleiro allowed AARON AGIUS to beat Vella for a fifth goal but six minutes later the Gozitans pulled a goal back through JASON PORTELLI from a well-taken free-kick.

Then Balzan had a goal scored by Luke Gregory which was disallowed for a foul on Vella but it was 6-1 for Balzan on 64 minutes through an own-goal by Gozitan defender Daniel Farrugia. In the 78th minute Balzan sealed their comfortable win through a KURT COLEIRO first-timer following good work by Gregory.

Balzan had to play with ten players in the final twenty minutes as Trevor Thomas was injured at a stage when Balzan had already made their three substitutions.

Referee: Trustan Farrugia Cann.

Zebbug-Lija Ath 0-0

Lija did the attacking throughout the first 45 minutes with the Zebbug custodian Martin Pace denying Lija’s schemer Lydon Cilia after just three minutes.

Cilia was again close in the 9th minute through a dangerous free-kick and four minutes later Christian Grech hit just wide from the edge of the penalty area.

On another occasion Beppe Antignolo had a strong shot which finished just high over the bar and in the 26th minute Pace brought off a difficult save to stop a Cilia free-kick. On the half-hour Lija created another dangerous opportunity through Jean Paul Scerri with Zebbug wasting a clear opportunity through Elton Calleja.

Zebbug were again close through George Saliba and in the closing stages of the first-half Lija were denied by Pace off efforts by Martin Borg and Lydon Cilia.

Zebbug played the better football during the second half and they were twice denied by Lija’s goalkeeper Luke Bonnici off strong shots by Donald Gatt and George Saliba.

They created other close opportunities through Gatt and Christian Tabone with Lija’s striker Carlo Leonardi failing to take advantage from an indecision in the Zebbug defence as he shot straight into Pace from a few metres out.

On another occasion Lija’s striker Beppe Antignolo shot just high over the bar from close-range but the best chance belonged to Zebbug in the 86th minute when an attempt by Rangers’ substitute Jonathan Sapiano was somehow cleared off the goal line.

Referee: Paul Caruana.

Mgarr-Marsa 1-0

Mgarr took just 12 minutes to open the score through a NEIL BUSUTTIL corner-kick with Marsa disputing the goal.

Mgarr sustained the pressure and were denied by Demis Grima off a Malcolm Bugeja free-kick with the Marsa keeper bringing off another difficult save in the 31st minute as he saved an angled shot by Josef Micallef.

Three minutes later Micallef hit just wide following a good move by Alex Portelli with Marsa replying through Joseph Rizzo who shot wide from the edge of the penalty-area.

On the stroke of half time Mgarr were given a penalty for a foul on Steve Aquilina but Malcom Bugeja’s shot from the spot was well saved by Demis Grima.

Four minutes after the restart Marsa were denied by Grech off a Kevin Scerri free-kick with Mgarr responding through attempts by Josef Micallef and Steve Aquilina which just missed the target.

In the 62nd minute Grech brought off another excellent save to deny Kevin Scerri with Marsa again going very close through Scerri and Adam Spiteri. Just before the final whistle Marsa created another opportunity through George Cutajar whose shot was saved by Grech.

Referee: Sandro Spiteri.