Balzan Youths obtained their first win on the pitch as they beat Tarxien Rainbows in a match between two struggling teams in the lower end of the table. Both were coming from defeats against Floriana and Marsaxlokk and were looking for points to help them move out of the danger zone.

With every passing week, Tarxien seem to slip further behind to what they aspire.

The Rainbows were without their suspended Brazilian forward Daniel Bueno and other foreigner Garcia Suguino was given a rare start.

But Julian Vella and Lee Galea were relegated to the bench.

Balzan also had defender Clifton Ciantar suspended. Yessous Camilleri was drafted as right back with Francica and Giuga their two central defenders. Brazilian Pedro Calcado was back in Balzan’s starting line-up after his two-match suspension, as Bernardes was named among the substitutes.

The first half was utterly unremarkable, devoid of any goalmouth action and served as a good cure for insomnia.

Luckily, things brightened up a bit in a more eventful second half during which the teams had a player each sent off in the space of two minutes.

It says something that the first shot on target came after 24 minutes on a Tarxien attack when Suguino’s scisors kick on a Grioli cross fell straight in the hands of keeper Camilleri.

And it was only towards the end of the first half that the Rainbows put some sustained pressure on the Balzan rearguard, with Costa and Galvao failing to hit the target. On 42 minutes Costa played the ball to Pulo inside the area and after beating an opponent, he shot low against the foot of the post.

The goal came on the other end though three minutes later, practically in Balzan’s only genuine attack. Calcado advanced inside the area but Tarxien’s keeper Cassar stretched himself to turn the ball into a corner. From the resultant Calcado corner, Nikola Tasic rose unhindered to beat the keeper with a firm header to put his side in the lead at halftime.

Tarxien went into the second half in search of an equaliser. On 54 minutes Galvao did all the work on the left. His low cross from the byeline was missed by both Costa and Pulo and the chance went to waste.

Tarxien were punished three minutes later. When Mintoff failed to head out Ciantar’s deep cross from the right, the unmolested Kris Bright chested the ball and then beat the keeper with a low strike.

Tarxien were quick to hit one back on the hour. From a corner on the left, keeper Camilleri fisted the ball in the path of Orosco Anonam who could not contrive to miss from the edge of the area.

As Costa caught the ball inside the Balzan goal to hurry things up, he came into contact with keeper Camilleri and a skirmish ensued. Both players were booked, with the consequence that Costa’s second yellow card demanded an expulsion.

But two minutes later numerical parity was restored as Balzan’s defender Forace was also sent off for a second caution after a crude tackle on Grioli.

Tarxien increased their efforts in the last quarter hour, although Balzan could have scored their third.

Galvao headed a Suguino free kick out before Bright fluffed two good chances for Balzan.

He first ran through inside the Tarxien area, only to be thwarted by the onrushing Cassar and later he ran down the left flank but sent his low drive tantalisingly wide.

Tarxien went closest seven minutes from time. Galvao’s shot was superbly turned over the bar by keeper Camilleri into a corner to deny them an equaliser.

Tarxien R D. Cassar, S. Sadowski, M. Caruana (A. Carabott), E. Pereira, R. Costa, R. Galvao, K. Pulo (R. Saraiva), O. Anonam, R. Mintoff (S. Giglio), G. Suguino, J. Grioli

Coach N. Coleiro

Balzan Y M. Camilleri, Y. Camilleri, R. Forace, B. Giuga, J. Francalanza, D. Grima, N. Tasic, L. Micallef (D. Fenech), M. Ciantar (R. Farrugia), P. Calcado, K. Bright (L. Bernardes)

Coach I. Zammit

Referee K. Azzopardi

Asst.refs C. Francalanza, M. Scerri

4th official A. Arciola

Scorers N. Tasic 45, K. Bright 57, O. Anonam 60

Yellow cards R. Forace, G. Suguino, N. Tasic, R. Costa, D. Fenech, M. Camilleri, J. Francica, R. Galvao

Red cards R. Costa, R. Forace

Player of the match Nikola Tasic (Balzan Y)

TMI top 3 1. P. Calcado 2. D. Grima 3. R. Galvao