BoV Premier League highlights

Hibernians stayed on course to win the Premier League title after a hard-earned 2-0 victory over Birkirkara on Monday night restored their six-point lead over Valletta at the top.

Jean Paul Farrugia was the toast of Hibs after coming off the bench to head the leaders in front with 12 minutes remaining.

In the dying stages, Terrence Scerri secured the points for Hibs with a strong shot from just outside the penalty area.

Defeat for Birkirkara on Monday all but extinguished their title hopes. Valletta kept theirs alive after ending a two-match winless streak with a 1-0 victory over Marsaxlokk on Saturday.

Dyson Falzon hit Valletta's winner with a superb drive from the distance on the stroke of half-time. Marsaxlokk had the chance to punish their opponents for their wastefulness in front of goal when they were awarded a late penalty but Nicky Vella, the rookie City keeper who was filling in for the suspended Andrew Hogg, saved Malcolm Licari's shot. Vella's intervention secured a potentially vital win for the Citizens who will be involved in a direct clash with Hibs on Monday.

Sunday's Old Firm clash between Sliema Wanderers and Floriana ended one-all, Orosco Anonam cancelling out Ivan Woods's opener for the Blues.

In the Relegation Pool, Ħamrun Spartans boosted their hopes of avoiding the drop with a 2-1 win over Qormi.

Gaetan Spiteri and Sylvano Comvalius gave the Spartans a 2-0 lead inside the opening 24 minutes and Alfred Effiong pulled one back for Qormi in the second half.

The other Relegation Pool match last weekend finished as it started as Tarxien Rainbows and Msida St Joseph figured in a goalless draw. Both teams finished with 10 men after Tarxien defender Clifford Gatt Baldacchino was sent off in the 66th minute and Msida's Brazilian forward Pedro Calcado suffered the same fate four minutes from time.

Statistics: scorers, red cards

Birkirkara: Mifsud Triganza 7, Galea 7; Hartvig 4; Bajada 3, Buhagiar 3, Mallia 3, Dimitrov-Mihaylov 3; Tabone 2 (2 pens); Fenech, Sokolov, Anastasi, Cilia. Own goal - Caruana (vs Hibs). Red cards - Bajada (vs Marsaxlokk); Zerafa (vs Hibs); Holland (vs Msida).

Floriana: Darmanin 7; Anonam 5; M. Briffa 2, Madzar 2; Brincat (pens), Doffo, Caruana, Zarb. Red cards - Bugeja (vs Ħamrun); Caruana (vs Valletta); Borg (vs Birkirkara); Doffo (vs Hibs); Eboh (vs Tarxien).

Ħamrun: Comvalius 8 (1 pen.); Spiteri 6; Cucciardi 5 (1 pen.); Micallef 3; Kokavessis 2, Levnaic 2, Sultana 2 (1 pen.); Ortega (pen), Ryan Fenech. Red cards - Spiteri (vs Floriana), Spiteri (vs Msida), Spiteri (vs Floriana); Roderick Fenech (vs Marsaxlokk, vs Msida SJ); Bondin (vs Valletta).

Hibernians: Scerri 26 (3 pens); Cohen 7 (2 pens), Failla 7; Soares Borges 4, Farrugia 4; Camilleri 3, Caruana 3, Mbongo 3; Galabov 2; Grech, Callejas, Pulis. Own goals - Micallef (vs Ħamrun); Bonnici (vs Ħamrun). Red cards - Mbongo (vs Valletta), Scerri (vs Valletta), Galabov (vs Birkirkara).

Marsaxlokk: Pereira 10; Alcorse 9 (5 pens); Licari 3 (1 pen.); Cassar 2, Said 2; Mattocks, Barbara, Pullicino, Sammut, Kokavessis. Red cards - Camenzuli (vs Birkirkara); Said, Wellman (vs Msida SJ).

Msida: Calcado 11 (2 pens); Aurelio 4; Da Silva 2; Magro, T. Farrugia, Camilleri. Red cards - Da Silva (vs Ħamrun); T. Farrugia (vs Marsaxlokk), Vella (vs Valletta), Calcado (vs Tarxien).

Qormi: Effiong 8; Da Silva 4, Chetcuti 4, Farrugia 4; Grima 2. Red cards - Chetcuti (vs Hibernians); Nwoko (vs Ħamrun), Fenech (vs Msida).

Sliema: Woods 7 (1 pen.); Muscat 4; Bjedov 3, Dronca 3 (1 pen.); Coto 2, Bajada 2; Severino, Azzopardi, Nisevic, Briffa, Turner, Ciantar, Mintoff. Red cards - Bjedov (vs Ħamrun), Scerri (vs Hibs).

Tarxien: Bueno 21 (2 pens); Chircop 2, Vella Critien 2, Rocha Dos Santos 2; Buttigieg, Tanti. Red cards - Carapic, Decesare (vs Qormi), Gatt Baldacchino (vs Msida).

Valletta: Priso 12 (3 pens.); Zammit 6, G. Agius 6 (1 pen.); Falzon 5; Frendo 2, Pace 2; Dimech, Bondin, Tolomeotti, Monesterolo, Grioli. Red cards - Giglio (vs Msida); Priso (vs Qormi).

Next fixtures

Saturday (National Stadium): 15.00 Tarxien Rainbows vs Qormi; 17.00 Marsaxlokk vs Floriana.

Sunday (National Stadium): 15.00 Msida vs Ħamrun Spartans; 17.00 Sliema Wanderers vs Birkirkara.

Monday (National Stadium): 19.30 Valletta vs Hibs.