Balzan FC. 1

Floriana 3

Balzan FC: M. Camilleri, B. Bondin (J. Francica), Y. Camilleri, R. Forace, M. Mendy (M. Deanov), S. Giglio, P. Calcado, J. Pace, D. Grima, M. Licari (C. Caruana), E. Da Silva

Floriana: J. Borg, A. Brown, O. Bugeja, T. Farrugia, D. Pisani, K. Farrugia, B. Farrugia, A. Verma, C. Borg (V. Alhino), R. Darmanin, S. Wasiu(T. Cilia)

Referee: M. Apap

Asst.refs: E. Spiteri, T. Debono

4th official: F. Zammit

Scorers: R. Darmanin 13, E. Da Silva 36, A. Verma 81, T. Cilia 85

Yellow cards: D. Pisani, S. Giglio, P. Calcado, M. Mendy, K. Farrugia

Player of the match: Aman Verma (Floriana)

TMI top 3: 1. A. Verma 2. T. Farrugia 3. R. Forace

Attendance: 684

Coach Mark Wright is a happier man this morning after Floriana finally won their first league match on the third attempt.

Althoughh nothing to shout about, Floriana’s three points, that take them up to fourth place in the standings, were more than they deserved as they were the more determined side yesterday.

After taking an early lead, they looked running out of ideas after Balzan equalised in the first half.

But a late rally and two effective changes, finally rewarded their efforts.

Balzan were also looking for a first win, only a point adrift of their opponents before kick-off.

Balzan fought gamely after shrugging off an early setback but created too little to deserve a win. Their new recent signing from Floriana, Christian Caruana, played only in the second half, against his former club, but their reliance on Pedro Calcado always looked to end in frustration. Balzan are badly in need of a poacher to finish the job.

Floriana made more changes to their starting line-up yesterday, following disappointing draws against Sliema Wanderers and Hamrun Spartans. They relegated Cilia, Paris and Alhino to the bench and started with Jurgen Borg in goal. The inclusion of Ryan Darmanin and newcomer Sunday Wasiu gave them more attacking options.

In fact Floriana began brightly, pressing like demons and were tactically superior to their opponents. They broke the deadlock before the quarter hour.

Ryan Darmanin, an aerial threat in the Balzan box, connected well on a Bugeja deep cross to head in past keeper Matthew Camilleri.

Balzan, who had gone close with a Calcado powerful free kick repelled by keeper Borg in the opening minutes, substituted Bondin with Francica after 34 minutes.

Two minutes later they restored equilibrium when Forace played the ball for the advancing Elton Da Silva who anticpated the onrushing keeper and steered the ball into an empty goal.

With Floriana running out of ideas and Balzan showing better resolve, play kept flowing from one end to another with little noteworthy episodes.

It was only on the stroke of halftime that the referee showed leniency sparing Elton’s retaliation on Tyrone Farrugia with a booking to both players.

The teams kept kicking the ball to and fro with less purpose in the second half. Darmanin was stopped by an offside flagging after going through on a pass by substitute Alhino.

The latter tested keeper Camilleri with a powerful drive past the hour, after a Mendy miskick as he tried to clear, almost beat his own keeper.

Balzan looked wasteful on the few occasions that they ventured into enemy territory.

Elton should have done better following his darting run on Caruana’s pass, but completely missed the target on 66 minutes.

Floriana, who increased their efforts in the late stages, made their second substitution, putting in Trevor Cilia for Wasiu.

Balzan looked likely to wilt under pressure and collapsed to concede two goals in the last nine minutes.

Aman Verma crowned a good performance with an exquisite direct free kick from outside the area, sending the ball imperiously at the top corner.

And five minutes from time, substitute Trevor Cilia sealed the issue, beating keeper Camilleri with a defiant strike after put clear by Darmanin’s square pass.