Tarxien Rainbows returned to winning ways as a penalty just before the end of the first half handed them a narrow win over Balzan.
The Rainbows remain third from the bottom but the gap with Balzan has been narrowed to just four points.
Much more was expected from Balzan after they returned to winning ways last week. This game provided them an opportunity to move to a more comfortable mid-table position but this defeat leaves them in the red zone.
Throughout the first half, it rained constantly, making it difficult for the two teams to play good football. Balzan dominated the first half but in fact, there were only a couple of soft attempts at goal.
However, two minutes in added time, against the way of play, Tarxien Rainbows managed to break the deadlock when they were awarded a penalty. Vito Plut was brought down inside the area by Michael Johnson and from the penalty spot, RAPHAEL KOOH SOHNA made no mistake.
The game improved during the second half as Balzan sought the equaliser.
In the 55th minute, a free-kick taken by Ivan Paz free-kick from the right was parried without difficulty by goalkeeper Sean Mintoff.
From then onwards, it was almost one-way traffic with Balzan constantly on the attack.
In the 57th minute, following a corner taken by Steven Pisani, goalkeeper Jurgen Borg saved with difficulty the shot directly address to the goal.
In the 63rd minute, Weverton Gomes Souza was unlucky to hit the upright with a shot from the edge of the area. From the rebound, the same player saw his conclusion partially saved by goalkeeper Jurgen Borg but then was the ball was cleared into safety by a defender.
Three minutes later a shot by Steven Bezzina finished just over the cross-bar.
In the 72nd minute, Balzan were again unlucky when Uros Ljubomirac delivered another cross from the right and Alfred Effiong tried to head home, with the ball being deflected by defender Carlos Conceicao Filho onto the upright.
In the 82nd minute, substitute Moussa Sanoh had a fine effort from outside the area which was partially saved by Jurgen Borg. Alfred Effiong took the rebound but his attempt was blocked by goalkeeper Jurgen Borg with the ball hitting the foot of the post before being cleared into safety by a defender.
Finally, Moussa Sanoh once again tested the goalkeeper with a corner from the left but Tarxien goalkeeper Jurgen Borg tipped the ball into another corner.
Balzan: Sean Mintoff, Augustine Loof, Milan Duric, Paul Fenech (Alfed Effiong 59’), Steven Pisani, Steven Bezzina (Gary Camilleri 82’), Michael Johnson, Uros Ljubomirac, Stefan Dimic (Sean Cipriott 78’), Weverton Gomes, Aleksa Andrejic (Moussa Sanoh 59’)
Tarxien R: Jurgen Borg, Ccarlos Conceicao Filho, Brandon Muscat, Edison Bilbao Zarate, Daniel Zerafa, Darren Falzon (Luke Sciberras 89’), Vito Plut, Eduardo Rosado, Ivan Edgardo Paz, Kyle Gatt (Leonardo Henrique Ferreira 70’), Raphael Kooh Sohna
Referee: Eteinne Mangion
Player of the match: Raphael Kooh Sohna