Valletta keep grinding out results without playing particularly well. This was another routine win for the citizens, with an Edmond Agius early goal, this time against Tarxien Rainbows who found it desperately hard to make real progress.

Valletta now open a ten-point lead over nearest challengers Floriana, with five matches remaining, as they move closer to their title win.

The match was devoid of excitement, mostly because of Tarxien’s laid back approach and Valletta’s incapability to add more goals after taking an early lead.

Truly, Valletta’s cutting edge was blunted with the absences of offensive players like Denni Dos Santos, as well as Terence Scerri, Omonigho Temile and Kevin Sammut who were only involved as second half substitutes. Roderick Briffa played in midfield, alongside a strong complement of Jamie Pace, Edmond Agius and Ryan Fenech.

Gilbert Agius was allowed to play in a very advanced role with Andrade Anderson in support.

Valletta had more of the possession but rarely looked like creating anything from their pretty passing and they were often frustrated by the goalkeeping of David Cassar, besides wasting other chances from promising situations.

Gilbert Agius engineered the move that gave Valletta an early lead, and eventually the winner, after only two minutes play. His through pass put Edmond Agius clear inside the Tarxien area to beat keeper Cassar.

Tarxien, who again opted to leave Cristiano Rodriguez on the bench, knew that it was always going to be laborious to break the meanest defence in the Premier League. They put the leaders’ rearguard to test however before the quarter hour with a Pacheco looping header that landed on the cross bar from Vella Critien’s long cross.

On 18 minutes Vella Critien lost the ball to Gilbert Agius, who set Fenech inside the area but the Tarxien keeper was not to be deceived by his lob.

With Valletta firmly in the driving seat, they went in search for a second goal. Gilbert Agius had his shot turned into a corner by the keeper and past the half hour Anderson headed the captain’s cross over. Before halftime, Anderson provided the cross for Gilbert Agius, but keeper Cassar tipped the ball over into a corner from his header.

Valletta were not required to raise their game after the restart as Tarxien remained mostly bystanders.

Keeper Cassar was called to repel Anderson’s shot on a Fenech cross after two minutes before Bueno tested keeper Hogg for the first time in the match with a low shot towards the hour.

On 68 minutes Valletta threatened with an Azzopardi cross from the left, headed by Gilbert Agius but saved by keeper Cassar who kept foiling Valletta time and again.

On the other end, Costa failed to connect on Grioli’s cross by a whisker before being substituted.

Valletta tried to up the tempo in the final ten minutes. They even put in Terence Scerri and Temile. A Fenech free kick was saved by the keeper before Tarxien created the biggest scare on substitute Hili’s cross, headed by Pacheco towards other substitute Rodriguez to connect with his outstretched leg but keeper Hogg was up to task and saved.

That was too little too late, though, as Valletta preserved another clean sheet for the third consecutive match.

Tarxien R D. Cassar, M. Caruana (S. Hili), E. Pereira, R. Costa (C. Rodriguez), S. Pacheco, D. Bueno, L. Vella Critien, J. Vella (G. Calabretta), O. Anonam, R. Mintoff, J. Grioli

Coach N. Coleiro

Valletta A. Hogg, S. Borg, I. Azzopardi, R. Dos Santos, J. Caruana, G. Agius (T.Scerri), E. Agius, J. Pace, A. Anderson, R. Briffa (K.

Sammut), R. Fenech (O. Temile)

Coach J. Zerafa

Referee A. Arciola

Asst.refs K. Borg, W. Debattista

4th official P. Caruana

Scorers E. Agius 2

Yellow cards G. Calabretta, A. Hogg

Player of the match G. Agius (Valletta)

TMI top 3 1. G. Agius 2. D. Cassar 3. R. Fenech

Attendance 2,786