Birkirkara 2
Nisevic 20; Pulo 61
Hibernians 2
Pulis 61, 90
Hats off to Birkirkara and Hibernians for conjuring up an extraordinary game of football.
These two teams tore into each other from the outset in pursuit of a victory that would bolster their position in the upper part of the table.
With Valletta having climbed to the top after their 1-0 win over Qormi on Saturday, Birkirkara knew that only a victory would send them clear of their rivals at the summit.
The well-oiled Stripes thought they had the points in the bag when, with only stoppage time left to play, they led 2-1 after Karl Pulo had restored their lead only seconds after Adrian Pulis had levelled matters for the gallant Hibs.
But, Pulis had the final say as he hit the target again in injury time to rescue a point for Hibs and put the seal on a thrilling match that had kept the crowd on the edge of their seats.
The drawn outcome sent Birkirkara back to the top, level with Valletta on 30 points, while Hibs, who had also figured in a 2-2 draw in their previous outing against Qormi, stay fourth on 25 points.
Injuries to first-choice players prevented Mark Miller and Paul Zammit, the respective coaches of Hibs and Birkirkara, from picking their best teams.
With Etienne Barbara (suspended) and Christian Calleja (injured) out of the equation, Hibs suffered a further blow in the lead-up to the match as Andrew Cohen, failed to recover from a back problem and started on the bench.
Zammit, the Birkirkara boss, had two first-choice players among his substitutes, namely Trevor Cilia and Angus Buhagiar who were not fully fit.
The start of the match was brisk as Hibs forced a corner inside the opening minute thanks to Ben Camilleri's persistence. After clearing the ensuing corner, Birkirkara mounted a swift counter-attack as Alan Tabone released Michael Galea but the latter's shot ended wide.
Hibs posed problems to Birkirkara's defence every time they roared forward. On one occasion, Edward Herrera's run down the inside-right channel went unnoticed by the unsteady Birkirkara defence.
Herrera stormed into the box but opted to pass towards the centre instead of shooting. The sliding Nisevic deflected the ball away but only as far as Chris Camilleri whose volley drew a fine save from Mora.
Birkirkara's riposte was immediate. Tabone's outswinging cross from the left sailed towards Michael Galea who was unmarked at the far post but his glancing header flashed against the side-netting.
In Cilia's absence, Karl Pulo was deployed on the left side of midfield in a flexible 4-4-2 formation that had Comvalius and Galea at its apex and Tabone pushing up the right wing.
Miller opted for 4-4-2 with Malasenoks and Bem Camilleri forming a two-way attack.
On 19 minutes, Tabone rolled the ball to Pulo from a free-kick and the latter's deflected effort flew against the outside of the near post.
Tabone's cross from the resultant corner arced towards the goalmouth where Nisevic rose well to head past Muscat and give Birkirkara the lead.
It took Hibs a while to regain their composure. Ten minutes from half-time, Ben Camilleri dispossessed Paul Fenech on the right and produced a firm shot from an angled position but Mora saved.
The optimism of the Hibs supporters rose when, with three minutes of the first half remaining, referee Adrian Azzopardi whistled a penalty after his assistant Philip Agius had signalled a handball by Bajada. There seemed no danger when Bajada stopped a cross inside the Birkirkara box but the ball swirled up and came off his left hand.
Chris Camilleri assumed responsibility for the penalty but his shot was parried away by Mora before Nisevic belted the ball away.
At the start of the second half, Miller withdrew Ryan Camilleri in favour of Elkien Cauchi who took on a wide position in Hibs' midfield.
Cauchi was soon in evidence as his run got him into the box where his initial cross-shot was blocked by Mora. The young wing-back was first to the loose ball and crossed for Malasenoks who laid to Ben Camilleri but the latter fired over.
As they had done in the early stages of the game, Hibs attacked with intent after the change of ends.
The champions broke Birkirkara's resistance just past the hour. Ben Camilleri floated a good cross into the area and Pulis stooped before despatching a low shot past Mora. Birkirkara claimed that Pulis had touched the ball with his hand but the match officials were unmoved.
The drama continued as, within seconds of Hibs' equaliser, Birkirkara moved back in front. Pulo got on the end of a long ball, rounded Pulis and rifled the ball into the roof of the net.
The flurry of chances showed no signs of abating in this flowing, absorbing game. With 21 minutes left, Birkirkara had the Hibs defence on the backfoot as Comvalius burst clear on the left and pulled the ball back for Galea inside the box but the latter's first-time effort was pawed away by Muscat.
Nine minutes from time, Birkirkara would have applied the killer blow were it not for a defiant save from Muscat who warded off Galea's point-blank header from Comvalius's perfect assist.
With the game drifting into stoppage time, Hibs snatched an equaliser. Pulis capped a towering performance with another goal as he guided Cohen's cross past Mora.
Birkirkara
J. Mora-8, P. Fenech-6, N. Vukanac-7, B. Nisevic-7, K. Pulo-6.5 ('72 T. Cilia), A. Tabone-7.5, R. Muscat-6.5, S. Bajada-5.5, T. Paris-6, M. Galea-6 ('83 A. Buhagiar), S. Comvalius-6.5.
Hibernians
M. Muscat-7, R. Camilleri-5 ('46 E. Cauchi-5 ('80 T. Caruana), A. Xuereb-7, J. Caruana-6, A. Pulis-7.5, R. Galabov-5, J. Pearson-6, C. Camilleri-6, E. Herrera-6, O. Malasenoks-6 ('77 A. Cohen), B. Camilleri-7.
Referee: Adrian Azzopardi.
Missed penalty: C. Camilleri (H) 42.
Yellow cards: Fenech; Tabone.
BoV player of the match: Jorge Mora (Birkirkara).