A season that has taken ages to ignite has burst into life in the final weeks as three of the country’s heavyweights are gunning for the BOV Premier League crown.

The twists and turns over the past 10 days have not only ensured that the title race will go to the wire, they have enhanced the possibility of Birkirkara (39 points), Hibs (39) and Valletta (36) going into the final day of the season still in the hunt for the top prize.

Not only that but there’s also a chance that a decider may be needed as two, possibly three, teams could finish the season with the same total of points.

The permutations are various and much will depend on Saturday’s showdown between Valletta and Birkirkara.

Valletta midfielder Ryan Fenech, who turned in a man-of-the-match performance in Sunday’s 3-1 dismissal of Tarxien, is upbeat about his side’s title chances.

“We’re still three points behind but if we win our next game we will catch Birkirkara,” Fenech told The Times.

“We have no margin for error but as long as there’s a chance, we’ll continue to believe.

“Given that we’re the outsiders for the title, there is more pressure on the other two contenders and that could help us.

“There is a good atmosphere at Valletta, also vis-a-vis our rapport with the fans. You feel better knowing that the supporters are behind you when you enter the stadium.

“The results in the last two weekends have given us a ray of hope. With the quality of the players we have, I believe we can become champions again.”

Fenech admitted that the three-way tussle for the title has taken him by surprise.

“At the start of the season, I thought that we would face the challenge of another team for the title but I never expected that the race would be so dramatic,” Fenech said.

“I believe that we have the best squad but we’re also aware that names alone don’t win you games.”

Talking of reputations, Valletta have been criticised for failing to achieve the kind of consistency expected of a team replete with experienced players but their tenacious showing against Tarxien suggested that the Citizens have learnt their lesson.

“After the bad run we had, it looks like everyone has realised that there are no easy games,” Fenech said. “We bounced back, winning three games in a row, but we still have another two finals. We are working towards the same objective and the players are united.

“People said we needed a miracle to win the title and that miracle may happen after all.”

While Valletta’s fortunes have been revived over the past 10 days, Birkirkara have been left to reflect on what might have been as their 0-0 draw with Mosta came only six days after a hugely controversial penalty denied them a potentially decisive win against Hibs.

“We’ve been on a rollercoaster ride of emotions,” Birkirkara captain Gareth Sciberras said. “The goal against Hibs and that penalty episode up to Saturday’s game against Mosta... it has been a very difficult week.

“But, looking at the table, we’re still first and we do have the potential to beat anyone. On Saturday, we will do our best to answer those who have been doubting us.”

Although, at one point, Birkirkara seemed to have the title in the bag, Sciberras is not surprised at the three-tier fight for the title.

“I’m not surprised,” Sciberras said. “Granted, there have been some unexpected twists, but we had not written off Valletta. We’ve dropped points and that offered Valletta a route back into the title race.

“All games since the start of the Championship Pool have brought pressure. You can’t afford to lose in the top six because if you fail to win, the other teams will profit.

“As for Saturday’s game against Valletta, it’s a big occasion but the pressure will be the same as in the other matches.”

The setbacks in the last two games may have stalled Birkirkara’s bid but Sciberras is confident that his team will keep their composure.

“There’s an inner anger among the players because we don’t want to let the chance to win the title slip by,” Sciberras insisted.

“What happened in the last two games was disappointing but we must put it behind us and focus on our remaining two matches.

“Our determination to keep going has been evident since the start of the Championship Pool. After we lost our first game against Sliema, no-one gave us a chance but look where we are now.

“We still believe that we can win this title.”

Hibs winger Clayton Failla stressed that the three-goal fightback in Saturday’s 3-2 win over Sliema has galvanised his team’s title belief.

“The win over Sliema has given us a big confidence boost,” Failla said. “We were 2-0 down but we produced a strong reaction and the coach (Michael Woods) made a very good tactical change.

“I’m surprised that Birkirkara dropped points against Mosta, even though Mosta are not a bad side. We’re expecting a difficult game against them.

“This is turning out to be one of the most beautiful championships and one of the most balanced as three teams are vying for the title.

“If we stay on the right track, there’s no reason why we can’t win the league.”

Failla, whose shooting prowess from the penalty spot has proved instrumental for Hibs in their last two games, believes that all three challengers have what it takes to capture the title.

“Birkirkara were leading while Valletta went through a crisis but it looks like they’ve found their feet,” Failla said.

“On the day, Birkirkara, Valletta and us can beat each other... it can go either way.”

After finishing second last season, Hibs were widely tipped to challenge for the top positions this term but they have exceeded expectations by emerging as top contenders.

“Hopefully, this will be my second league title with Hibs,” Failla said. “No-one expected us to challenge for the title because, unlike the other candidates, we didn’t make any big signings in the summer.

“In January, the club took a risk when they signed two players (Luis Edison and Obinna Obiefule) who were injured at the time but it looks like their decision is paying off.”

BOV premier league statistics – scorers and red cards

Balzan FC – Elton 14 (4 pens); Pedrinho 8 (1 pen); N’Dekre 5; Darmanin 4; Conceicao 3, Caruana 3; Licari 2, Aboulezz 2; Mendy, Deanov, Pace, Forace, Camilleri.
Red cards: Conceicao (vs Ħamrun, vs Valletta), Licari (vs Hibs), Pace (vs Sliema), Forace (vs Mosta), Camilleri (vs Rabat), Mendy (vs Hibs).

Birkirkara – Jhonnattann 14 (1 pen); Mifsud Triganza 9; Haruna 8 (2 pens); Vukanac 6; R. Muscat 4, Joselito 4; Herrera 3, Camenzuli 3; Sciberras 2, Fenech 2; Z. Muscat, Scicluna, Pereira, Zerafa.
Own goal: Mintoff (vs Sliema).
Red cards: Scicluna (vs Balzan), Fenech (vs Ħamrun,vs Hibs), Herrera (vs Qormi), Haruna (vs Sliema), Mendoza (vs Hibs).

Floriana – Coronado 12; Darmanin 8 (now Balzan); Wasiu 4, Verma 4; Cilia 3, Pisani 3; Roberts 2; Alhinho, Brown, Jeffers, Spiteri, Bugeja, Nwoko, C. Borg, J. Borg.
Red cards: Brown (vs Rabat Ajax), K. Farrugia (vs Mosta, vs Rabat Ajax), Alhinho (vs Hibs), Pisani (vs Rabat).

Ħamrun – Grima 6 (3 pens), Vella 6; Lumbilla 3, Calabretta 3, Camilleri 3 (1 pen), Fenech 3; Lattes 2, Spiteri 2; Scerri, Bozhov, Zerafa, Yoshev, Borg, Favero.
Own goal: Gribbon (vs Melita).
Red cards: Fenech (vs Floriana, vs Balzan), Cassar (vs Tarxien), Vitanov (vs Sliema), Cassar (vs Qormi), Borg (vs Qormi).

Hibernians – Failla 11 (4 pens); Lima 10 (2 pens); Cohen 7; Farrugia 6; Tarabai 4; Pulis 3, Soares 3, Ribeiro 3, Dias 3; Pisani, Levnaic, Nwoba, Kristensen, Camilleri, Bezzina, Kardeck, Pearson.
Own goals: Guga (vs Ħamrun), Giglio (vs Balzan), Vandelannoite (vs Valletta).
Red cards: Muscat (vs Balzan, vs Valletta), Dias (vs Balzan, vs Birkirkara), Pulis (vs Tarxien, vs Mosta), Nwoko (vs Melita), Soares (vs Valletta, vs Birkirkara).

Melita – Armario Negrin 5 (now Rabat), L. Micallef 5; Galea 4; Cabanillas 2, Tufegdzic 2; Vukanic (pen), Sammut, Sierra Camacho, Borg Olivier, Attard.
Own goal: Pace (vs Balzan).
Red cards: Vukanic (vs Valletta), Sierra Camacho (vs Tarxien Rainbows, vs Qormi), Valenzia (vs Valletta), Sammut (vs Balzan), Caruana Scicluna (vs Mosta), Vella Petroni (vs Qormi), Borg (vs Qormi).

Mosta – Mitev 12 (1 pen); Obiefule 11 (1 pen); Bogdanovic 5 (1 pen); Apap 3; Aboulezz 2, Zongo 2 (1 pen), Campagnoli 2; Bajada, Chiemeka, Maia Dos Santos, Mbonu, Micallef, Vignaroli.
Own goal: Bello-Osagie (vs Qormi).
Red cards: Grech (vs Sliema), Aboulezz (vs Floriana), Dimech (vs Balzan), Mitev (vs Birkirkara).

Qormi – Effiong 10 (2 pens); Bello-Osagie (now Valletta) 8, Avila Perez 8 (1 pen), Chetcuti 5, Zarate 5; Pisani 4; Spiteri 3, Siritto 3, Thackray 3 (1 pen), Grech 3; Sciberras, Cassar, Bondin.
Own goal: Tufegdzic (vs Melita).
Red cards: Bondin (vs Rabat), Sciberras (vs Floriana).

Rabat – Armario Negrin 12 (4 pens); Fuster 4; Licari 3; Astrauskas 2, Felice 2 (1 pen), Azzopardi 2; Smeir, Carapic, Borg, Cauchi.
Red cards: Borg (vs Floriana), Brincat (vs Sliema), Felice (vs Floriana).

Sliema – Woods 11 (3 pens); Muchardi 6; Faccini 4, Ciantar 4; Ruggiero 3; A. Muscat 2; El Ghaouti, Barbetti, Timotic, Gatt Baldacchino, Laudisi, Mifsud, Martinelli, Ohawuchi, Zammit, Bajada.
Red cards: Scerri (vs Floriana), Bonello (vs Floriana), Martinelli (vs Hibs), Zammit (vs Birkirkara).

Tarxien – Bueno 18 (2 pens); Danilo 8; Andrezinho 7; Evaldo 5; Tanti 3; Anonam 2, Leandro 2; Pulo, Bonnici, Bajada, Tulio, Mamo.
Red cards: Danilo (vs Sliema), Evaldo (vs Birkirkara), Andrezinho (vs Hibs), Caruana (vs Sliema).

Valletta – Mifsud 18 (2 pens); Denni 9; Barbosa 8 (4 pens); Toure 6 (1 pen); Gabriel 5, Fenech 5; Caruana 3; Leandro 2, Briffa 2, Zammit 2 (1 pen), Bello-Osagie 2; Ricardo, Borg, Ogunnuppe, Vandelannoite, Dimech, Falzon.
Own goal: Tufegdzic (vs Melita).
Red card: Vandelannoite (vs Hibs).

Next fixtures

Friday (Hibs Stadium): 6pm Qormi vs Balzan; 8pm Melita vs Rabat.
Saturday (National Stadium): 3pm Tarxien vs Sliema; 5pm Birkirkara vs Valletta.
Sunday (National Stadium): 3pm Floriana vs Ħamrun; 5pm Hibs vs Mosta.

Standings

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Birkirkara	30	17	9	4	60	22	39
Hibernians	30	19	4	7	64	33	39
Valletta	30	17	8	5	69	26	36
Sliema	30	14	6	10	40	28	30
Tarxien	30	14	6	10	50	46	29
Mosta	30	11	2	17	44	62	18
Floriana	30	12	10	8	44	37	34
Qormi	30	14	4	12	56	47	31
Balzan	30	9	9	12	46	51	23
Rabat	30	4	9	17	29	59	16
Ħamrun	30	6	5	19	35	80	15
Melita	30	3	8	19	25	71	10