Malta suffered a disappointing 19-10 defeat to Switzerland in a FIRA-AER Division 2A qualifier at the Hibs Stadium this afternoon.

Swiss Simon Perrod turned out to be the protagonists when he kicked home nine points to lift his team to the eight-point mark, just one adrift of leaders the Netherlands who however, have a game in hand.

It was Switzerland who were faster out of the blocks when they were awarded a penalty 20 metres out which was converted their scrum-half Simon Perrod.More troubled beckoned for Malta as on 13 minutes a miscued clearance by James O’Brien hit a Swiss player with the ball falling kindly to Cyril Lin who broke through to score the first try of the match.

Perrod missed the conversion to leave his team 8-0 ahead.But Malta finally made their pressure felt on the half hour when Robert Holloway found a gap in the Swiss defence before setting up Thomas Holloway who cross past the goalline. O’Brien missed the conversion and Switzerland led 8-5.

The visitors soon hit back as they won a penalty from a few metres out and the ever-reliable Perrod converted to make it 11-5.

Perrod was again on the scoresheet on the hour when he converted a penalty to put Switzerland 14-5 ahead.

Malta needed a source of inspiration to get back into the match and that arrived just past the hour mark when Robert Holloway initiated the move which saw Vince Stivala sped through before releasing O’Brien who scored Malta’s second try to bridge the gap to 14-10.

However, any celebrations were tempered by the yellow card to Luke Watts who left the hosts a man short for the rest oof the match.

Switzerland quickly capitalised as they launched an irresistible driving maul which saw Jonathan Wuullschleger score the try.