FLORIANA -             0

BALZAN FC-             2

Floriana: M. Calleja Cremona, A. Scicluna, A. Monticelli (M. Piciollo), E. Pepe, S. Pisani (Conor Borg), J. Cabral, S. Bonnici (F. Aboulezz) , E. Briffa, N. Chiesa, M. Fontanella, E. Marcelina

Balzan: I. Janjusevic, J. Grioli, P. Fenech, S. Bezzina, D. Grima, A. Effiong (B. Kaljevic), C. Brincat, P. Calcado, L. Micallef (A. Vujacic), E. Serrano, A. Souza (M. Focsa)

Referee:  C. Pisani

Asst.refs: E. Spiteri, J. Spiteri

Additional refs: T. Farrugia, M. Apap

4th official: T. Debono

Scorers: A. Effiong 8, E. Serrano 49

Yellow cards: D. Grima, E. Serrano, A. Monticelli, N. Chiesa, J. Cabral, A. Vujacic

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

TMI top 3: 1. P. Calcado  2. D. Grima  3. P. Fenech

Attendance: 894

A goal in the opening stages of each half gave Balzan a deserved victory against lacklustre Floriana, who showed deficiencies in defence, lacked creativity in midfield and were inexistent in attack yesterdat at Hibernains stadiumj.

Balzan capitalised on their opponents’ sluggish performance and were always in control as they stretched their unbeaten run to 11 matches to move into second place, one point above Hibernians, who have a game in hand. They showed in the process that they are full of running with the championship race getting properly under way.

Floriana, who were also beaten by Balzan three weeks ago, now drop to fifth place as they lose further ground w2ith the top four.

The Greens coach Luis Oliveira made only one change, dropping Matteo Piciollo to the bench, making way  for Juninho Cabral, the hero in their win against Birkirkara in midweek.

Balzan made two changes from the side that drew with Tarxien Rainbows. They had defender Samir Arab suspended and Clive Brincat played in central defence instead. Kaljevic started on the bench, with Alan Souza back in the starting line-up after missing the previous match.

They could not have dreamt for a better start when taking the lead after only eight minutes on the clock. The Floriana rearguard was caught square on a long ball forward. With Calcado standing behind them but making his intentions clear not to intervene with play, Alfred Effiong raced in through the middle to beat keeper Calleja Cremona with an unerring finish.

Balzan seemed content to contain their opponents, with some physical endeavour, for the rest of the half.

Floriana huffed and puffed and their inability to create real chances made frustrating viewing for both their  supporters and an increasingly animated coach Oliveira  on the touchline.

The Greens only went close in added time, with a Pepe header that went narrowly wide.

But whatever pep talk Oliveira made at halftime, Floriana were two goals down within four minutes of the second half and their defence was mostly to blame. Calcado’s cross from the byeline on the right cut the entrire defence and found the unmolested Elkin Serrano to thump the ball in.

Floriana were unnerved and continued to be let down by lack of quality with the final ball. Piccione and Conor Borg substituted Monticelli and Pisani but Balzan almost put the match to bed, going close to scoring the third goal short of the hour.

Effiong hit the foot of the post on another erratic defensive clearance and keeper Calleja Cremona stretched himself to hold out Calcado’s effort from the rebound.

Oliveira’s final throw of the dice saw Firas Aboukezz go in for Bonnici but Floriana’s delivery remained disappointing.

Balzan could defend their lead with minimal difficukty even introducing Alexander Vujacic and Bojan Klajevic. The substitutes combined well five minutes from time as Kaljevic crossed from the left but Vujajcic arrived fractionally late and failed to make contact.

Still the better team won on the day.

TARXIEN RAINBOWS-   1

BIRKIRKARA -                  2

Tarxien R: A. Cassar, E. Baker, B. De Oliveira, T. Tabone Desira (L. Montebello), T. Caruana (C. Hevia Menendez), B. Muscat, A. Nilsson, A. Azzopardi, S. Prendes, D. Zerafa, J. Pedro (J. Mintoff)

Birkirkara: M. Kopric, G. Sciberras, C. Bubalovic, R. Camenzuli, E. Agius (J. Zerafa), M. Guillaumier(V. Plut), R. Scicluna, G. Mujanovic, F. Temile, M. Smrekar (K. Zammit), I. Seyda

Referee: G. Tonna

Asst.refs:  C. Francalanza, R. Aquiina

Additional asst.refs: A.M. Sant, M. Borg

4th official: A. Camileri

Scorers: A. Nilsson 48, F. Temile 78, G. Mujanovic 80

Yellow cards: J. Zerafa, D. Zerafa

Red card: S. Prendes

Player of the match: A. Azzopardi (Tarxien R)

TMI top 3: 1. A. Azzopardi  2. E. Baker  3. G. Mujatovic

Birkirkara managed to bounce back from their midweek defeat against Floriana, which had triggered a sense of crisis and it was easy to see how the nervousness of the players made for a damaging combination.

This win enabled the Stripes to move three points above Floriana and comes as some relief after an ineffective spell which saw them collect seven points from the previous six matches.

Tarxien produced tireless workrate with defensive discipline and organisation and even led through Alex Nilsson but they were reeled in by two goals in quick succession from Frank Temiel and Goran Mujatovic, after Birkirkara produced a remarkable comeback in the final half hour.

In the absence of the suspended Cain Attard and Edison Zarate, Ryan Scicluna retreated as wide right back. Matthew Guillaumier and Edmond Zammit were given starts to provide cover to the defence and Frank Temile replaced Andelkovic, playing wide on the right.

Alex Alves was starting a three-match ban for Tarxien Rainbows, who also dropped John Mintoff to the bench and coach Jacques Scerri gave starts to Timothy Tabone Desira and Sergio Prendes instead. Two other foreigners, Carlos Hevia Menendez and Claudio Frances were named among the substitutes.

The first half had been largely a featureless affair, notable only for Azzopardi’s powerful shot from the edge of the Birkirkara area after the half hour. It was smartly tipped over the bar into a corner by keeper Kopric, back in goal after serving a one-match ban. From the ensuing inswinging corner by the same Azzopardi, Kopric again did well to turn the ball into another corner.

Otherwise, both teams struggled to bring some cohesion to their play. Birkirkara managed even less than that on target and Tarxien keeper Andrea Cassar remained mostly inoperative.

Tarxien introduced Hevia Menendez for Caruana in the second half and it took them only three minutes to make the breakthrough. The industrious Azzopardi played a long ball forward, Sciberras headed out short ands Alex Nilsson was quick to shoot low past the helpless Birkirkara keeper.

Tarxien played with more confidence as Birkirkara became more ragged. But after effecting a double substitution on the hour, sending in Vito Plut and Joseph Zerafa, the Stripes regrouped and responded with a burst of affronted energy.

Camenzuli was unlucky, having his thunderous shot being driven by keeper Cassar against the bar soon after. They were winning several corners. From one, on 78 minutes, Plut, inside Tarxien’s crowded area, laid the ball in the path of Frank Temile to shoot past the unsighted keeper.

Birkirkara did not have to wait long for the cushion of a second goal. Hardly two minutes later, Goran Mujatovic cut towards the middle from the left and unleashed a powerful drive at the top right hand corner that left keeper Cassar helpless.

Sensing that the points were there for the taking, Birkirkara maintained the pressure and ended up the stronger team with Camenzuli going through, but he was blocked by the onrushing Tarxien keeper before substitute Mintoff cleared the danger.

Prendes’ dismissal two minutes from time, for threading on the grounded Camenzuli after he fell in a tussle with Menendez near the corner flag, added further misery for Tarxien.

Their hesitant approach, was neatly summed up.