Ħamrun Spartans 1
Vella 58;
Hibernians 6
Failla 4; Guga 30 og; Cohen 37, 83; Lima 75; Farrugia 90;
Hibernians continued to apply pressure on Valletta as they hit Ħamrun Spartans for six in a one-sided match as the scoreline clearly indicates.
With playmaker Andrew Cohen and Clayton Failla in fine form for Hibs, the Spartans found the going tough right from the start after they conceded an early goal.
After last week’s victory over Sliema, Hibernians were boosted with the return of defender Rodolfo Soares. Hibs also had Steve Pisani available but was only offered a role on the bench.
In their previous showing, the Spartans had ended a negative run of eight successive defeats when, inspired by Loic Lumbilla, they beat bottom-placed Rabat Ajax 3-1.
However, against Hibs was a different story as the Paolites never looked back after that early Clayton Failla opener.
Andrew Cohen’s piledriver flew just over the bar and that gave an indication of what was to follow. In fact, on four minutes Failla hit a low volley home from just inside the area following a Jackson Lima cross from the right.
Hibs held command but had to wait until the 30th minute to add to their tally.
A Failla effort from a free-kick hit the Ħamrun woodwork and from the rebound Bjorn Kristensen’s shot took a deflection off Bledjon Guga and into Andrea Cassar’s net.
Ħamrun went close when Hibs keeper Mario Muscat intercepted a Massimo Grima corner, the ball fell into the path of David Camilleri whose grounder rolled just wide of goal.
Hibernians added a third goal eight minutes from half-time courtesy of a superb Cohen strike after a move initiated by Lima.
The Brazilian throughpass found Cohen unmarked and the diminutive striker beat Cassar after his first shot had been repelled by the goalkeeper.
Luke Grech then saved his side from conceding a fourth goal when he cleared off the line after Allan dos Santos Kardeck beat the goalkeeper following an inviting ball by Failla.
On resumption, Hibernians went close again when a Lima free-kick was saved in style by Cassar.
Muscat was rarely tested but on one occasion he had to rush out of his goal to cut a Daniel Zerafa cross before Lumbilla could pose any danger.
Ħamrun did pull one back on 58 minutes though. Terrence Vella beat Muscat following a melee inside the penalty area following a Camilleri free-kick.
However, with 15 minutes to go Lima headed home from just inside the box following a Failla floating free-kick before Cohen headed home a Jean Paul Farrugia centre to make it 5-1.
Kristensen’s shot from the distance flew over Cassar’s goal but in stoppage time the Ħamrun keeper was beaten a sixth time, Farrugia turning in a Fallia delivery inside the box.
Ħamrun Spartans
A. Cassar-6, R. Fenech-5.5, G. Calabretta-5 (45 G. Azzopardi-5), A. Borg-5, L. Grech-5, D. Zerafa-5, T. Vella-6, B. Guga-5, L. Lumbilla-4.5 (50 A. Micallef-5.5), M. Grima-5 (45 R. Spiteri-5), D. Camilleri-5.
Hibernians
M. Muscat-5.5 (77 D. Balzan), A. Pulis 5.5 (84 K. Tanti), R. Camilleri-5, B. Kristensen-5.5, A. Cohen-7.5 , Z. Levnaic-6.5, C. Failla-7, J. Lima-6, A. Kardeck-5.5 (73 J.P. Farrugia-6), R. Soares-5, J. Bezzina-5.
Referee: Alan Mario Sant.
Yellow card: Levnaic.
BOV player of the match: Andrew Cohen (Hibernians).