Hibernians 1
Lima 55;
Floriana 0
Valletta’s second partial slip-up in eight days presented Hibs with an opportunity to make up ground on the leaders, also knowing that victory would snap a depressing run of three defeats and a draw in their last four outings.
The prospect of taking on an embattled Floriana team ravaged by injuries to two key players, the departures of Aaron Brown and Sunday Wasiu and the absence of the exit-bound Francis Jeffers, can only have lifted Hibs’ optimism.
Having collected only one point from their last four games, the Greens were also desperate to halt their negative streak but that didn’t materialise as it was Hibs who left the Tedesco Stadium with three points in the bag.
The win for the FA Trophy holders is unlikely to have taken many by surprise, in light of Floriana’s troubled build-up, but Hibs’ task had been anything but easy.
Showing courage and commitment in the face of adversity, Floriana put on a spirited performance while Hibs were bereft of inspiration in the first half.
The bold endeavours of the young Floriana players went some way towards boosting the flailing morale of their fans and coach Stephen Azzopardi but the second-half events only served to deepen their frustration.
Jackson Lima’s headed goal proved decisive but it was what came after that inflamed the Floriana players and their supporters as their comeback hopes were shattered by what the Greens claimed was the unfair dismissal of Valdo Alhinho for a second booking.
This episode increased tension in the final 20 minutes but Hibs, despite not showing their best, did well to keep their composure and, more importantly, their one-goal lead to join Mosta and Birkirkara on the 19-point mark.
While Glen Tonna’s final whistle brought relief to Hibs, not so can be said for Floriana as a dejected Azzopardi appeared to seek explanations from the referee who had to endure a torrent of abuse from the supporters of the losing side.
Floriana’s line-up showed three changes from the 3-2 defeat to Tarxien. The departure of Brown paved the way for Carl Tremarco’s recall to the first team while Alhinho replaced Jeffers who was only conspicuous by his absence amid growing rumours that the English striker wants out of Floriana after only two appearances.
Brooke Farrugia deputised for the injured Trevor Cilia. Faced with a dearth of forwards, Azzopardi reshaped his tactical strategy as Ryan Darmanin was deployed as lone striker with Alhinho probing behind and Clyde Borg and Aman Verman taking up advanced midfield positions.
Anderson Ribeiro was given a rare start by Hibs coach Michael Woods as the Brazilian striker was preferred to Jean Paul Farrugia.
Goalkeeper Mario Muscat, dropped for the match against Birkirkara, regained the no.1 jersey at the expense of Daniel Balzan while Adrian Pulis, back from suspension, came in for Steve Pisani.
The presence of Ndubisi Chukunyere overseeing Hibs’ warm-up will have delighted the Paolites’ faithful as the Nigerian is regarded highly at the club after his stint as assistant coach to Mark Miller last season.
Ribeiro played at the apex of Hibs’ 4-1-4-1 formation with Andrew Cohen, Lima, Marcelo Dias and Clayton Failla, pushed to left midfield following the inclusion of Pulis, forming an attacking midfield quartet.
Lima tested waters with a rising drive which soared over the bar. At the other end, Verma’s low cross-shot from a wide free-kick was deflected away for a corner.
Muscat did well to anticipate Alhinho and, on nine minutes, Hibs’ winger Dias burst forward on the right before crossing low towards Ribeiro but the Greens cleared away for a corner.
Tremarco’s outing was cut short by injury after just 11 minutes. The Englishman, who had started at left-back, made way for Sacha Borg.
Nineteen minutes into the game, Muscat produced a top-drawer save as he leapt into the air to palm away Alhinho’s swerving cross-shot.
Despite the absence of a host of players, Floriana showed admirable fighting spirit in the early stages.
Alhinho did well to intercept a pass by Camilleri but an inviting opening was spurned when the Portuguese misplaced his pass towards Darmanin. The Floriana striker still retrieved the ball before pulling it back for Verma whose grounder was easily saved by Muscat.
Tony Warner emulated Muscat’s earlier save as the veteran goalkeeper tipped away Pulis’s dipping effort from the left.
The willingness of the Floriana players to run and harry their opponents all over the pitch was making life uneasy for the uninspired Hibs.
Floriana came close to take the lead when Alhinho’s progression into the box unsettled Hibs as their defenders stood off before partially clearing the ball. Thomas Paris was first to the loose ball but his grounder was pushed away by Muscat.
Warner did likewise from Lima’s free-kick. In first-half stoppage time, the Floriana goalkeeper effected another good intervention when stopping Lima’s low strike.
The second half was five minutes old when Lima hit wide from outside the box. Woods instructed Dias and Cohen to move further upfield to improve support for Ribeiro.
Hibs broke the stalemate 10 minutes into the second half when Dias angled a teasing cross from the right and Lima stole in the near post to head past Warner.
The explosive Dias was the driving force behind Hibs’ improved showing after the change of ends. On one occasion, the Brazilian powerhouse darted through three Floriana players but his run was ended by Kane Farrugia whose late challenge earned him a booking.
Floriana manufactured their first opportunity of the second half when Paris lofted an intelligent pass towards Darmanin but his volley was an anti-climax.
Confusion enveloped the game midway into the second half when referee Tonna fetched for his red card to dismiss Alhinho after ruling that the Portuguese’s challenge on Failla warranted a second booking.
Alhinho vociferously protested his innocence with the referee who was suddenly surrounded by a host of irate Floriana players, especially Paris who seemed to tell the official that it was he who had floored Failla.
On the sidelines, Azzopardi was seen remonstrating with the fourth official before Alhinho left the field.
Despite their numerical handicap, Floriana pressed for an equaliser in the dying stages.
They went close in stoppage time when Darmanin found himself unmarked in the box but skied his attempt over the bar, to the evident disappointment of the Floriana faithful who rightly applauded their players at the final whistle.
Hibernians
M. Muscat-7, B. Muscat-6, R. Soares-6.5, R. Camilleri-8, B. Kristensen-7, M. Dias-6.5 (74 Z. Levnaic), A. Cohen-6.5 (90 S. Pisani), C. Failla-6, A. Ribeiro-5 (79 J.P. Farrugia), A. Pulis-6.5, J. Lima-6.5.
Floriana
T. Warner-7.5, D. Pisani-5.5, T. Farrugia-7, K. Farrugia-6, C. Tremarco (12 S. Borg-5.5), T. Paris-7, B. Farrugia-6.5 (82 M. Spiteri), C. Borg-6.5, V. Alhinho, A. Verma-5.5, R. Darmanin-5.
Referee: Glenn Tonna.
Yellow cards: Dias; Darmanin; Alhinho; K. Farrugia; C. Borg; Failla; Paris.
Red card: Alhinho (F) 67.
BOV player of the match: Jackson Lima (Hibs).
Attendance: 644.
Standings
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Valletta | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 26 | 7 | 24 |
| Mosta | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 23 | 12 | 19 |
| Birkirkara | 9 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 19 | 9 | 19 |
| Hibernians | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 19 | 15 | 19 |
| Tarxien | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 18 | 15 | 17 |
| Sliema W. | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 18 | 9 | 16 |
| Ħamrun | 9 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 19 | 13 |
| Balzan | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 15 | 12 |
| Floriana | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 13 | 17 | 9 |
| Qormi | 9 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 12 | 20 | 7 |
| Melita | 10 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 10 | 33 | 4 |
| Rabat Ajax | 10 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 21 | 3 |