Birkirkara are now within touching distance of a slot in the Championship Pool after a resounding 5-0 victory over direct rivals Hamrun Spartans last weekend.
The Spartans disintegrated in the second half after Birkirkara had taken the lead on the stroke of half-time when Hamrun defender Roderick Fenech headed into his own net in an attempt to clear a cross-shot by Davy-Amed Sylla.
A quick double from Alan Tabone inside the first 15 minutes of the second half jolted the Spartans who were guilty of some woeful defending.
Sylla and Michael Galea added to the Spartans' misery as Birkirkara moved up to fifth in the standings, two points ahead of Hibs and one behind Floriana.
As for the Spartans, their season is in danger of falling apart as Saturday's was their third loss in a row. In their previous two outings, they lost to Msida and Valletta.
Further up the standings, Marsaxlokk joined Valletta at the top on 32 points after their match with Sliema Wanderers ended goalless. The stalemate between these two title aspirants surely pleased Valletta who hung on to first place despite not playing last weekend.
For their part, Sliema missed the chance to increase the pressure on the Citizens, moreso when consideration is given to the fact that they had an extra man on the pitch for a 22-minute period after Marsaxlokk striker Julio Alcorse was sent off for making an obscene gesture.
Sliema also finished the game with 10 men after Brazilian Andre Rocha Da Silva was dismissed for two bookings, 14 minutes from the end.
On Sunday, Floriana were expected to gather the three points they needed to make sure of a top-six berth but their plans were foiled by the resurgent Msida.
In a match that came to life in the second half, Floriana and Msida traded four goals in 16 minutes but the Saints, now unbeaten in their last three games, had the final say with an excellent strike by their Cameroon stalwart Priso Doding.
Ryan Darmanin had opened the scoring for Floriana a minute into the second half. But, goals from Tyrone Farrugia and his uncle Adrian Farrugia turned the result in favour of Msida. Zoran Levnaic then headed home to level the score before Doding's scintillating strike.
Pietà Hotspurs collected three useful points after an easy 5-0 win over bottom team Mqabba. Two goals each for Bulgarians Martin Deanov and Svetlan Kondev and one by substitute Quilin Refalo gave Pietà their first victory after seven defeats.
Mqabba had goalkeeper Paul Psaila sent off on 66 minutes for flooring Clyde Pulo who was going for goal.
Premier League statistics
Birkirkara: M. Galea 4, Tabone 4 (1 pen.), Hartvig 4; Mifsud Triganza 3, Bajada 3; Sylla 2; Tamboulas, Yanchev, T. Paris, Fenech, Anastasi. Own goal: Rod. Fenech (vs Hamrun).
Floriana: Darmanin 8; Micallef 4; C. Caruana 3, Mifsud 3 (moved to Hibs), Krsteski 3 (1 pen.); Brincat 2, Cilia 2, Cassar 2, Bolasie 2; M. Caruana, Sevasta, Levnaic. Red cards: M. Brincat (vs Mqabba); Krsteski (vs Sliema); Gauci (vs Hibs); Cassar (vs Mqabba); Bugeja (vs Marsaxlokk). Missed penalty: Mifsud (vs Msida).
Hamrun: Spiteri 7; Sultana 6 (2 pens); Effiong 5; Ryan Fenech 2, Mangion 2; Briffa, Roderick Fenech, Cucciardi. Own goals: Conceicao (vs Marsaxlokk); Scicluna (vs Valletta). Red cards: Ryan Fenech (vs Pietà); Timotic (vs Birkirkara); Briffa (vs Pietà).
Hibernians: Scerri 6; Cohen 5 (1 pen.); Agius 2, Alcorse 2 (moved to Marsaxlokk); Doffo, Edafe, Chukunyere, Failla, Mifsud. Own goal: Said (vs Sliema). Red cards: Failla (vs Floriana), Edafe (vs Floriana), Edafe (vs Marsaxlokk).
Marsaxlokk: Licari 7 (1 pen.); Barbara 6; Alcorse 4, Frendo 4; Sammut 3 (1 pen.); Gomes 2, Pace 2; Pullicino, Da Silva, Camenzuli, Templeman. Own goals: Borg (vs Msida); Agius (vs Floriana). Missed penalty: Gomes (vs Sliema). Red cards: Conceicao (vs Pietà); Alcorse (vs Sliema).
Mqabba: Pereira 6 (1 pen); Zarb 2, Silva 2 (2 pens); Gatt Baldacchino, Calleja, Nogueira. Red cards: Pereira (vs Birkirkara); M. Psaila (vs Birkirkara); P. Psaila (vs Pietà).
Msida SJ: Doding 7 (2 pens); Pedrinho 5; A. Farrugia 3; T. Farrugia 2, Borg 2; Baldacchino, Ogbonna, Magri. Red cards: A. Farrugia (vs Birkirkara); Brincat (vs Hibs); Pedrinho (vs Mqabba); Spiteri (vs Marsaxlokk); Doding, Cachia, Grima (all vs Sliema); Bartolo (vs Valletta). Missed penalties: Doding (vs Hibs); Pedrinho (vs Marsaxlokk).
Pietà Hotspurs: Herrera 5, Deanov 5; Kondev 4 (3 pens); Q. Refalo 2, Deliminkov 2; Galabov, Goodlip. Red cards: Aquilina (vs Valletta); Kondev (vs Marsaxlokk); Montfort (vs Msida); Q. Refalo (vs Hamrun). Missed penalties: Kondev (vs Msida), Herrera (vs Hibs).
Sliema: Barbara 6 (1 pen.); Woods 6 (3 pens), Madzar 4, Said 3; Briffa 2; Milovanovic, Muscat, Bajada, Anonam, Bartolo, Da Silva, Turner. Own goal: Bonnici (vs Mqabba). Red cards: Bajada (vs Hamrun); Pace (vs Birkirkara); Da Silva (vs Marsaxlokk). Missed penalties: Woods (vs Birkirkara); Barbara (vs Floriana).
Valletta: Monesterolo 13 (2 pens); Zammit 8; Giglio 3 (1 pen.), Temile 3; Scicluna 2, Agius 2, Backhaus 2; Mattocks, Bondin, Mifsud, Camilleri. Red cards: Zammit (vs Pietà); Mattocks (vs Mqabba); Monesterolo (vs Floriana); Bezzina (vs Hibs). Missed penalties: Monesterolo 2 (vs Pietà).
Next fixtures
Saturday (Hibs Ground)
Msida vs Hibernians 13.30
Sliema W. vs Pietà H. 15.30
Sunday (National Stadium)
Hamrun S. vs Floriana 14.00
Valletta vs Birkirkara 16.00