Sirens joined Gzira United on the sixteen-point mark, four points behind leaders Floriana following a fine 4-2 win over Balzan at the Centenary Stadium on Sunday.

The St. Paul’s Bay side therefore bounced back from the 1-4 defeat to the leaders last week. Balzan, on the other hand, suffer their fourth defeat this season as they remain in a mid-table position.

Sirens took the lead on the 9th minute when Nenad Sljivic handed the ball inside the area as Romario Lucas Memezes tried to find his way towards goal; referee Etienne Mangion ordered a penalty and Romarinho made no mistake from the penalty spot.

One minute from the end of the first half, Balzan levelled matters thanks to a Ricardo Calixto Correa freekick which was deflected by Adeshina past goalkeeper Cassar.

However three minutes in added time, Sirens regained the lead as a long-distance freekick from the right by Thiago Espindola de Paula surprised Naumovski to end at the back of the net.

Seven minutes in the second half, Balzan restored equilibrium thanks to Andrija Majdevac who concluded a fine solo effort on the left by entering the penalty and rounding Romeu Romao before hitting past Cassar.

Sirens regained the lead on 79 minutes when Ryan Grech sent Emmanuel Okoye through on the left and the latter advanced into the area before beating Naumovksi with a diagonal shot. 

Nine minutes later, Sirens sealed the issue with a fourth goal when Romario Menezes served Emmanuel Okoye on the right and the latter beat the Balzan custodian with a diagonal shot.

Incidents between the two sets of players followed the final whistle which ended with Nenad Sljivic being shown the red card by referee Etienne Mangion. 

BALZAN Kristijan Naumovski, Aleksandar Kosoric, Nenad Sljivic, Steve Pisani, Paul Fenech, Alfred Effiong, Uros Ljubomirac, Ivan Bozovic, Ryan Scicluna (74’ Dale Camilleri), Ricardo Calixto Correa Duarte, Andrija Majdevac.
Subs not used: Sean Mintoff, Marcus Grima, Adam Bradshaw, Zachary Karl Grech, Zak Grech, Michael Johnson.
Coach: Jacques Scerri
Asst. Coach: Andrea Pisanu

SIRENS David Cassar, Ryan Grech, Wellington De Oliveira, Sergio Raphael dos Anjos Raphael, Emmanuel Okoye, Adrian Borg, Ige Abdullahi Adeshina, Romeu Pericles Romao, Romario Lucas Memezes, Thiago Espindola de Paula, Flavio Silva Cheveresan.
Subs not used: Miguel Montfort, Mustafa Elanadar, Dylan Galea, Siraj Arab Eddin, Luke Sciberras, Larken Friggieri, Russell Fenech.
Coach: Steve D’ Amato
Asst. Coach: Eamon Bugeja

Referee: Etienne Mangion
Assistant Referees: Chris Francalanza, Thomas Debono
Fourth Official: Emanuel Grech
Yellow Cards: Memezes, Kosoric, Correa, Grech, de Oliveira, Pisani, Bozovic, Cheveresan (after final whistle)
Red Cards: Sljivic (after final whistle)
BOV Player of the Match: Wellington de Oliveira