BOV Premier League: Effiong strikes late to win it for Balzan

St. Andrew's                0
Balzan                          1

St. Andrew's :  M. Calleja Cremona, A. Satariano (M.Woo Ling 78'), K. McFarlane, R. Martin (A. Friggieri 88'), T. Blagrove, K. Reid, J. Farrugia, K. Magro, J. Walker (D.Debono 68'), M. Davis, L. Sciberras  

Balzan :  S. Mintoff, J. Grioli, N. Sljivic, S. Pisani, S. Bezzina (C.De Fiori Mendes 75'), P. Fenech, A. Effiong (S. Cipriott 90'), U. Ljubomirac, E. Serrano Valero, R. Correa Duarte, A. Majdevac (L. Micallef 58')

Referee:  Alan Mario Sant   

Asst refs:   Mitchell Scerri, Duncan Spiteri

4th official:     Alex Johnsnon

Scorers:  Alfred Effiong 87'

Yellow cards:   Davis, Walker, Fenech, Reid, Satariano, Woo Ling

Player of the match:  Martin Davis ( St. Andrew's)    

TMI Top 3:  1.  M. Davis        2.  R. Duarte Correa           3.   M. Calleja Cremona  

Balzan registered their tenth win of the campaign when a solitary goal scored by Alfred Effiong was enough for them to defeat lowly St. Andrew's.  It was a drab encounter between two sides who have failed miserably this season.

For St.Andrew's this was their seventh defeat from their last eight matches and remained firmly in the mix to avoid the drop, just five points over Qormi. In their last three matches they conceeded ten goals without scoring.

Balzan coach Jacques Scerri had to do without Ivan Bozovic and Aleksander Kosoric both suspended. In the first round match St Andrew's had  prevailed over Balzan by two goals to nil.

The match never reached any heights and the performance of both teams was a confirmation of their dull season so far. Balzan were the better team but they rarely set any bushes on fire and ventured forward occassionaly.

After only five minutes St Andrew's had the first chance through a Joseph Farrugia free kick which ended wide. Play was restricted for long stretches in the midfield area and  thus it was only in the 28th minute that another goal mouth action materialized. A cross from the right flank was met by Alfred Effiong whose headed effort just missed the target.

On 35 minutes the Saints missed an easy chance to  break the stalemate when Martin Davis sent a low cross towards Kevin McFarlane but with the goal at  his mercy and the easiest of chances made the possible impossible and fired over the bar.

The second half was played on the same pattern as the first forty five minutes. In fact twenty five minutes had to pass to record something of interest. In the 70th minute Ricardo Correa saw his low drive partially saved by goalkeeper Calleja Cremona with the ball hitting once again the Balzan attacked but ending wide.

In the 76th  minute Balzan went near once again when off a De Fiori Mendes free kick substitute Lydon Micallef headed over the bar. And ten minutes from the end of the match Ricardo Correa made his way into the opposing area  and upon entering the area tested Calleja Cremona who in return turned onto a corner.

Finally Balzan scored what proved to be the winner four minutes from the end. A free kick by De Fiori Mendes found Alfred Effiong who headed past Calleja Cremona.

A win which put Balzan on level points with neighbours Birkirkara. On the other hand for St Andrew's this was another setback in their quest to save their Premier League status.

from The Malta Independent https://ift.tt/2Uj9qLg
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