Pietà Hotspurs 1
Hibernians 2
Hibernians have all but made sure of retaining their top-flight status after easing past Pietà Hotspurs yesterday.
There was never any doubt as to who would collect maximum points from this encounter. From the moment Andrew Cohen put Hibs ahead after eight minutes, the Paolites never looked in danger of missing out on their second successive win in the Relegation Pool.
Robert Gatt's team have made a strong reaction to their failure to reach the Championship Pool as they are literally cruising towards their objective of securing Premier League safety as quickly as possible.
With four matches left, the Paolites have opened a massive 11-point gap over second-from-bottom Pietà and a victory from their next match against Mqabba would give them mathematical security of playing in the Premier League next season.
For their part, Pietà are in desperate need of points if they are to stay up. Trailing Msida by six points, the out-of-form Hotspurs will be staring relegation in the face if they fail to beat the Saints in their next fixture.
Hibs coach Gatt and Pietà's Carmel Busuttil had a contrasting build-up to the match. While the former had a full squad at his disposal, Busuttil had several first-team players missing.
Ryan Camilleri, Bernard Sciberras, Carl Pulo and Pierre Aquilina are recovering from injuries. Domenic Mifsud and Quilin Refalo were ruled out by suspension.
Hibs made a strong start, taking the lead after eight minutes. Cameroon midfielder Abada Fish sent in a teasing cross in the area where Cohen had enough space and time to flick the ball past Pietà goalkeeper Miguel Montfort.
Buoyed by this early breakthrough, the Paolites seemed content to administer their lead, thus permitting the Hotspurs to get more in the picture.
However, it was Hibs who threatened again on 18 minutes when a quick interchange between Fish and Cohen put the former through on goal but his low shot rolled wide.
Pietà's first attempt at goal finally arrived on 28 minutes when, from a Martin Deanov corner, Rumen Galabov beat his marker but his dipping header was tipped over the bar by Mario Muscat, the Hibs goalkeeper.
On 33 minutes, Pablo Doffo picked Terence Scerri in the area but the Hibs forward saw his effort diverted for a corner by Sheldon Grech.
The Hotspurs should have levelled matters seven minutes from the break when Deanov's curling cross found Daniel Gatt in ample space but the young Pietà winger fired just over with only Muscat to beat.
The last chance of the first half fell to Hibs. The clock marked 41 minutes of the game played when Adrian Pulis powered his way through on the right flank before crossing to Scerri whose shot on the turn flew just over.
After the restart, Busuttil introduced Ismael Grech in place of Gatt as he looked to strengthen his team's defensive lines.
However, the Hotspurs' hopes of getting back in the match suffered a deadly blow two minutes into the second half. Cohen regained possession and quickly served Ben Camilleri who delivered a precise right-wing cross for the towering Scerri who had little difficulty heading the ball home.
Scerri was close to hitting the target again two minutes later when he ably controlled a long throughball but his shot was too weak to trouble Montfort.
It was all Hibs now and on the hour Edmond Agius slid the ball into the path of Doffo whose shot was well blocked by Montfort.
Galabov then denied Hibs a third goal with a goal-line clearance on Camilleri's chip which had sailed past goalkeeper Montfort. On 65 minutes, the Pietà netminder effected a one-handed save to turn Cohen's curling shot away for a corner.
At the other end, Hibs goalkeeper Muscat was forced to dive to his right to keep out Deanov's piledriver.
The Hotspurs were handed a lifeline 15 minutes from time when Agius was adjudged to have floored Svetlan Kondev in the box and the Bulgarian midfielder made no mistake from the penalty spot.
At this stage, one expected Pietà to make a fightback but the Paolites stood firm. In stoppage time, Hibs could have reclaimed their two-goal advantage when Camilleri was tripped in the area by Montfort but from the resultant penalty, Cohen rifled his low shot just wide.
Pietà: M. Montfort-5.5, C. Cassar-5, D. Gatt-5 ('46 I. Grech-5), S. Grech-5.5, M. Deanov-6, R. Refalo-5.5 ('70 C. Gauci), C. Sammut-5, D. Gera-5.5, S. Kondev-6.5, G. Goodlip-5.5 ('84 F. Sulas), R. Galabov-6.
Hibernians: M. Muscat-6, A. Xuereb-6, J. Caruana-6.5, E. Agius-6.5, P. Doffo-7, A. Cohen-7.5, T. Scerri-7, U. Edafe-6, A. Fish-6.5, A. Pulis-6 ('78 C. Failla), B. Camilleri-6.5.
Referee: Kevin Azzopardi.
Scorers: Cohen 8; Scerri 47; Kondev 75 pen.
Missed penalty: Cohen (H) 90.
BoV Player of the Match: Andrew Cohen (Hibs).
Next fixtures
Saturday (National Stadium): 3 p.m. Birkirkara vs Hamrun Spartans; 5 p.m. Sliema Wanderers vs Floriana.
Sunday (National Stadium): 3 p.m. Hibernians vs Mqabba; 5 p.m. Valletta vs Marsaxlokk.