Hibernians 1

Pembroke 1

Hibernians’ aspirations to maintain their positive stride at the top of the league table were jolted when they were held 1-1 by minnows Pembroke Athleta, a result which denied the Paolites the chance to widening the gap as leaders.

In the third minute, Pembroke's Shoyida spurned an early chance after Manevski robbed a ball in midfield. The former Birkirkara man opened his body and tried to place his shot inside the far post but Andrew Hogg saved with his feet. It was some time before Pembroke threatened again as Hibernians gained a grip with Jackson Lima – strong in possession and Jurgen Degabriele looking dangerous.

Johann Bezzina should have jettisoned the leaders with a goal inside the first 10 minutes when all alone he hit on the side-netting with only Matthew Calleja Cremona to beat. Three minutes later, Telles was on hand to send a sizzler from outside the box but the ball went off target.

Hibernians continued to run the show with Calleja Cremona forcing into a double save to tame first Degabriele's angled effort and then Joseph Mbong's rebound.

Luck was certainly not on the side of the Paolites who had Degabriele and Telles slotting forward more frequently. On 36 minutes, the former was stopped from scoring by the quick-thinking Attard who cleared off the line.

Artim Shakjiri should have considered himself lucky that his side kept their goal intact in a first-half utterly dominated by Hibs.

Seven minutes after the break, Hibernians drew deserved dividends at last. Degabriele robbed Attard of possession on the edge of the Pembroke area with the consequence that nippy striker caught the Reds defence square.

Calleja Cremona sprinted from his line to remediate the situation but could give away a penalty as scythed Degabriele down to the ground. The Hibs forward picked himself up to plant the penalty beyond the goalkeeper.

Hibs looked as if they were in command of the game but, out of the blues, Pembroke equalised. Paltemio Barbetti delivered a swerving free-kick from the right for Zoran Levniac only to see his looping header blocked by Andrei Agius. But the Hibs defender was adjudged to have blocked the ball with his hand and the referee ordered a spot-kick. Barbetti sent Hogg the wrong way from the spot.

Moments later, Hogg kept the Paolites in the game with a good save to push away Antoine Borg’s header from another Barbetti’s free-kick.

Hibernians, though kept probing more consistently with Jackson Lima and Bezzina, the main schemers behind Degabriele. However, the Hibs’ earlier incisiveness went missing as the game progressed with Pembroke amassing more men in midfield. Bezzina was just over and with two minutes to go, Dias sent in a teasing cross after racing to the byline but the sliding Mbong narrowly failed to make contact with the ball.

At death, Attard surprised Calleja Cremona out of position as he mustered a looping ball over his goalkeeper in a bid to blocked on Degabriele but the back-tracking goalkeeper produced a smart save to deny substitute Juan Varea to prod the ball home.

 

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