F.Y.R. Macedonia round-up: Vardar preserve narrow lead

Defending champions FK Vardar maintained their three-point lead in the Prva Liga thanks to a 3-2 victory away to FK Sloga Jugomagnat.

Early lead
Vardar led 3-0 inside the first half-hour, with defender Aleksandar Vasovski opening the scoring in the eighth minute, before Srdjan Zaharijevski doubled the advantage five minutes later. The result seemed a formality after 29 minutes when Nikola Gjoševski scored the third, but the home team responded two minutes later through Ljubiša Savic. Savic scored a second late in the match, but Vardar held on for three important points.

Comfortable win
Second-placed FK Belasica GC stayed in touch at the top with a 3-0 win at bottom side FK Kumanovo. Robert Hristovski put the away side ahead after four minutes, before second-half goals from Sasa Jelovac and Zoran Baldovaliev sealed the result.

Pobeda win
Third-placed FK Pobeda were 2-0 winners against FK Rabotnicki, thanks to early goals in either half from Blagoje Gesovski and Nikolče Zdravevski.

Success for strugglers
At the other end of the table, FK Cementarnica 55's hopes of escaping relegation were boosted by a 1-0 win at home to FK Pelister, while FK Bregalnica Delcevo moved above Pelister with a 2-1 win against FK Napredok. Elsewhere, two goals in the final 15 minutes, from Aleksandar Konjanovski and Borče Postolov, gave FK Sileks a 2-0 victory against FK Tikves.