Revitalised Hibs regain pole position ahead of title duel

Birkirkara 0
Hibernians 4
Galabov 15; Cohen 49 pen; Pulis 53; Caruana 90

Valletta's slip-up to Marsaxlokk on Saturday indubitably helped to restore optimism among the Hibs clan.

The southerners' 2-1 victory over the champions ensured that the concluding encounter between Valletta and Hibs would decide the destination of this season's title but before turning their minds to Sunday, the Paolites had a match against Birkirkara to contend with.

This fixture presented them with the opportunity to open up a two-point gap on Valletta before Sunday's clash and strengthen their title quest, given that victory would leave them needing only a point to be crowned champions.

Despite missing a host of regular players, the Paolites didn't pass up the opportunity, turning in a sound performance to ease to a 4-0 win over a poor Birkirkara side.

Birkirkara started the match in third place but by no means certain of finishing the league in the same position after Sliema Wanderers and Marsaxlokk reduced the gap on the Stripes last weekend.

In this context, Birkirkara were fancied to offer Hibs a stern challenge and maybe cause an upset but for the umpteenth time, last year's FA Trophy winners flattered to deceive.

Having made a modest start, Birkirkara tried to hit back after falling behind on 15 minutes but they fell apart after Andrew Cohen, one of Hibs' better players yesterday, extended his team's advantage.

Not so for Hibs who went from strength to strength to secure a significant morale-booster ahead of Sunday's summit meeting with Valletta.

Defender Aaron Xuereb was certified fit to start yesterday's match after a sequence of injuries forced him to miss the best part of Hibs' title run-in.

His return to fitness was a tonic for coach Mark Miller who was without Terrence Scerri, out with an ankle problem, Jean Paul Farrugia (knee) and Zeferino Soares Borges, suspended. Elkien Cauchi was also assigned a starting role by Miller, the youngster taking up a wide position on the left of Hibs' midfield.

The absence of Scerri, Soares Borges and Farrugia diluted the attacking options at Miller's disposal. Rumen Galabov's renowned versatility prompted the English coach to deploy the Bulgarian in attack where he was flanked by Andrew Cohen as Clayton Failla partnered Christian Callejas in midfield.

Not for the first time this season, Birkirkara coach John Buttigieg's reaction to an abject performance by his inconsistent team was to reshuffle his formation.

Goalkeeper Omar Borg, Italian defender Mauro Di Lello and midfielder Alan Tabone were excluded from the initial formation with Bernard Paris, Ivalio Sokolov, back from suspension, and Shaun Bajada taking their places. Martin Anastasi deputised for left-back Joseph Zerafa who was serving a one-match ban.

Buttigieg settled on a two-pronged attack of Michael Galea and Kiril Dimitrov-Mihaylov.

Birkirkara fashioned the first chance of the match inside the opening two minutes. Michael Galea collected a pass inside the box and pulled the ball back for Trevor Cilia whose first-time effort drifted wide.

At the other end, Clayton Failla unleashed a fierce shot from the distance but Paris saved.

The lively opening persisted, Birkirkara's Bajada running through on the left before hitting a low drive that rolled wide of the far post.

Anticipating the presence of Valletta fans for this match, the MFA took the sensible decision of opening part of the Millennium Stand to segregate the supporters. A substantial number of spectators decided to watch the game from what was formerly known as the Valletta side.

There were times during the first half when the Birkirkara followers joined those of Hibs in teasing the City faithful on the other side of the stadium.

The Hibs fans were up on their feet after 15 minutes as their team took the lead. Cohen floated in a teasing cross from the right and the unmarked Galabov headed towards goal. Paris managed to get down quickly enough to repel the first attempt but Galabov steered the ball home from the rebound.

It took Birkirkara a while to get going after falling behind but their pressure increased as the first half moved on. A good passing move culminated with Galea slipping a pass towards the marauding Paul Fenech but Edward Herrera raced back to flick the ball away for a corner.

Eleven minutes from the end of the opening period, Hibs threatened to double their advantage. The enterprising Galabov surged past the halfway line before supplying an excellent pass behind the Birkirkara backline and into the path of Failla. The latter nudged the ball past the on-rushing Paris but in so doing ran himself into a very tight angle to the right of Birkirkara's goal. Failla did well to serve Cohen inside the box but Ron Hartvig lifted his right foot to dispossess the Hibs livewire. Down went Cohen but referee Chris Lautier was unmoved.

Three minutes after the change of ends, Hibs strengthened their grip on the match as they increased their lead. They were awarded a penalty after Hartvig, having taken a heavy first touch in an attempt to clear a deflected Failla cross, floored Cohen inside the box with a clumsy challenge. Cohen picked himself up to rifle a low into the bottom-left corner.

Hibs' job increased eight minutes into the second half when Adrian Pulis scored a brilliant goal to triple his team's lead. Having retrieved possession in Birkirkara's half, the left-back sensed that Paris had moved away from his goal and duly beat him with an audacious long-range lob.

Birkirkara were shell-shocked. Their misery might have deepened but for the woodwork as Failla's screamer hit the near post.

With six minutes remaining, Michael Galea came close to a scoring a consolation goal for Birkirkara but his point-blank attempt was partially blocked by Muscat and from the rebound the Birkirkara striker was denied by Xuereb.

Birkirkara were unlucky moments when substitute Krasen Valkov's effort hit the crossbar.

In stoppage time, two of Hibs' second-half substitutes combined to score the fourth goal as Ben Camilleri set up Triston Caruana who guided the ball home from close range.

Birkirkara
B. Paris-4.5, T. Paris-5, P. Fenech-5, T. Cilia-5.5, M. Galea-5.5, M. Anastasi-5.5 ('59 J. Holland-5), R. Hartvig-4, K. Dimitrov-Mihaylov-5 ('75 K. Valkov), S. Bajada-5, G. Mallia-5.5, I. Sokolov-4.5.

Hibernians
M. Muscat-6.5, J. Caruana-6.5, E. Herrera-6.5. A. Xuereb-6, C. Failla-7.5, C. Callejas-6.5, R. Galabov-7, E. Cauchi-5 ('46 L. Grech-5.5), J. Pearson-5.5 ('60 T. Caruana-5), A. Cohen-8 ('75 B. Camilleri), A. Pulis-7.

Referee: Chris Lautier.

Yellow cards: Callejas; Sokolov; Dimitrov-Mihaylov; T. Paris.

BoV player of the match: Clayton Failla (Hibs).

Playing today: Division One championship decider: (Hibs Ground) 7 p.m. Dingli Swallows vs Vittoriosa Stars.