Spoils shared in entertaining match

Mqabba 1
M. Briffa 32
Hibernians 1
Doffo 69

Mqabba and Hibernians won a point each from their final Premier League assignment of the season. With no particular pressure on either side, the two teams entertained the sparse crowd present in a match that saw both sides adopting attacking tactics in a bid to wrap up their campaign in style.

Hibs were the more adventurous team with Terrence Scerri a constant threat to the Mqabba defence. But the lanky forward was constantly frustrated by Mqabba keeper Kris Calleja. He distinguished himself with a series of excellent saves, including two from penalties.

All in all, the stalemate should have satisfied both teams. While Mqabba signed off from their brief stay in the Premier League with a positive result, Hibs will be encouraged with the performance of various interesting youngsters among whom Bronwen Bugeja, Triston Caruana and Gary Inguanez.

Hibs made all the early running in the opening 15 minutes of the match with Scerri twice close to breaking the stalemate. First he fired over from a good position and then deflected the ball just over the bar after being well set up by Bugeja. The latter saw his fierce drive on 12 minutes turned to a corner by the alert Calleja.

Hibs should have taken the lead four minutes later when Scerri's run into the area was illegally halted by the onrushing Calleja.

Referee Clayton Pisani immediately pointed to the spot but Scerri's grounder was stopped by the Mqabba keeper.

The Paolites were again frustrated by the Mqabba no.1 on the half-hour when Scerri's firm header seemed destined to hit the back of the net but Calleja produced a stunning leap to palm the ball away to safety.

The stalemate was finally broken two minutes later but it was Mqabba who scored against the run of play when in a swift break Perreira stormed into the area and squared the ball towards the unmarked Marlon Briffa who had little difficulty in tapping the ball inside an empty net.

Seven minutes from the break, Hibs were unlucky when Timothy Fleri Soler was first to a Pablo Doffo corner but his header was stopped by the bar. Hibs were going in full force now but their attacking impetus was inevitably leaving them exposed at the back.

Two minutes into the second half they almost found themselves two goals behind when Perreira slid the ball into the path of Briffa who saw his shot stopped by Hibs' stand-in keeper Daniel Balzan.

Hibs coach Robert Gatt strengthened his forward-line when he withdrew Jonathan Pearson and drafted in Andrew Cohen.

On 62 minutes, Triston Caruana made inroads on the right before sending a dangerous cross in the area towards Scerri who, however, failed to make contact with the ball.

Hibs were awarded a second penalty on 69 minutes when Mqabba defender Lee Galea was adjudged to have handled Scerri's ball in the area.

Doffo stepped up for the spot-kick but his shot was parried by Calleja. The Argentine, however, was first to the rebound to stab home the equaliser.

Mqabba should have regained the lead on 75 minutes when Perreira breezed into the Hibs box and immediately squared the ball towards Briffa who hit over in front of a gaping goal.

At the other end, Inguanez almost marked his day with a goal when his shot came off the bar with Calleja beaten. The Hibs substitute was again denied by the woodwork ten minutes from time when his chip flew over Calleja but bounced off the bar before finishing out of play.

Mqabba
K. Calleja-7.5, M. Bonnici-6, A. Busuttil-6, I. Nogueira-6.5 ('83 J. Fenech), M.A. Psaila-5.5, M. Briffa-7, F. Silva-6 ('52 J. Mintoff, '73 R. Briffa), M. Pereira-7, M. Cocks-6, L. Galea-5.5, E. Navarro-6.

Hibernians
D. Balzan-6, T. Fleri Soler-6, J. Caruana-6.5, J. Xerri-6, C. Failla-6, J. Pearson-5.5 ('50 A. Cohen-6), E. Agius-6, P. Doffo-6, T. Caruana-6 ('73 G. Inguanez), T. Scerri-6.5, B. Bugeja-6.5 ('63 A. Xuereb-6).

Referee: Clayton Pisani.

Yellow card: Nogueira.

Missed penalties: Scerri (H) 16, Doffo (H) 69.

BoV Player of the match: Kris Calleja (Mqabba).