Tarxien R: D. Cassar, C. Mamo, E. Silva Dos Santos, J. Grioli, R. Bajada, D. Meira, A. Esposito, K. Pulo (M. Tanti), D. Bueno, D. Fenech, O. Anonam

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

Referee: A.M. Sant

Asst.refs: I. Spiteri, P. Apap

4th official: C. Pisani

Scorers: P. Calcado 12, Evaldo 37, D. Bueno 90+

Yellow cards: S. Giglio, D. Bueno, P. Calcado

Player of the match: P. Calcado (Balzan FC)

TMI top 3: 1. D. Meira 2. M. Camilleri 3. C. Mamo

A late strike by Daniel Bueno in added time, gave Tarxien Rainbows their first league win that rewards them for all their efforts throughout the 90 minutes yesterday.

The Rainbows won because they simply showed more determination than their opponents.

That left Balzan feel only misery as they failed once again to shrug off their sluggish start of the season with three consecutive defeats and only one point to show in four matches.

There were starts for Martin Deanov, Christian Caruana and the returning Conceicao after suspension in the Balzan line-up, following their 3-1 defeat against Floriana. Licari and Forace were exiled to the bench as Francica is still injured.

Mark Tanti and Luis Castro did not start for Tarxien, and were replaced by Danilo Meira and David Fenech.

The Rainbows fell behind before the match was a quarter hour old. With Balzan harassing the Tarxien defence and having a couple of shots blocked, Pace was fouled outside the area and Pedro Calcado stepped up to beat keeper Cassar with a low hard free kick at the near post.

To their credit, Tarxien were not demoralised and rolled up their sleeves to assert some authority.

The overlaps of Mamo down the left and his delivery of crosses, caused some embarassment to the Balzan rearguard who struggled to deal with high balls. The lanky defender Evaldo Silva Dos Santos often joined in the Tarxien attack, especially from set pieces, and he tested keeper Camilleri with his header on a Mamo free kick after 18 minutes. Evaldo again headed just over on an Esposito cross three minutes later.

Shortly before the half hour, on a quickly taken Tarxien free kick, Meira ran down the left and unleashed a powerful rising shot which keeper Camilleri turned into a corner with difficulty.

Tarxien’s efforts were rewarded on 37 minutes. Evaldo curled his direct free kick from outside the Balzan area at the far post where the outstretched keeper Camilleri was late to reach.

And when Tarxien won another free kick from the edge of the area four minutes later, Evaldo again forced the Balzan shot stopper into a smart save, tipping the ball over the bar.

On the other end, keeper Cassar was forced to turn Giglio’s effort into a corner with the half ending all square.

Tarxien still looked the more determined side in the second half although goalmouth action became less frequent, as sterility spread at bothe ends.

Meira persisted inside the Balzan area, only to be blocked by Conceicao and towards the hour an Esposito free kick was cleared in the path of Meira, who forced keeper Camilleri into an instinctive save.

Calcado’s set plays had caused the Tarxien defence anxiety all afternoon. On 61 minutes the Brazilian played a deep free kick that hit the bar with the keeper turning into a corner. Cassar held out Caruana’s header from the corner.

Tarxien kept raking long balls inside the Balzan area but none proved productive, with Camilleri up to task, blocking another Meira grounder.

Balzan almost won the match in the late stages with a fortuitious long distance effort from Conceicao that thumped against the bar.

Keeper Camilleri denied Fenech with another elastic save and when the match looked heading towards a draw, Daniel Bueno ‘s strike in added time gave the Rainbows the points they deserved after good work by the industrious Meira.