Hibernians 2 Vittoriosa Stars 1
Mark Miller must have been relieved to make it third time lucky against Vittoriosa and open a five-point cushion from the relegation.
Yet, that outcome looked highly unlikely as with 15 minutes remaining for 10-men Hibernians.
And Hibernians must have been relieved to turn the tide completely in their favour in dying minutes after surviving scare when reduced to 10 men with the opponents taking the game into their territory.
The first opportunity fell to the Paolities with Edward Herrera giving Justin Camilleri a torrid time all game on the right flank as Stars skipper Jeffrey Chetcuti often pushed on that flank to offer extra cover. Vittoriosa were lucky to escape danger inside the first two minutes Herrera’s cross-cum-shot was held by Vella.
Three minutes later, Vittoriosa were still chasing shadows as cutting in from the right, Herrera drew his man but his angled drive flew across the face of goal.
In the sixth minute, Vittoriosa did manage to create some tense moments for the Hibernians rearguard but Luis Edison blazed his shot off target with an acrobatic scissor-kick following good footwork by Jorge Silva Santos.
The Brazilian duo was still combining well after 26 minutes. Jorge Silva ran to an exquisite service from Edison but with Compagnoli screaming for a ball to be played into the box, the striker went alone and blazed wide.
Just past the half an hour, Karl Sammut sent in a teasing cross but Chetcuti could not get his head on the head of it as they ramped up the pressure.
From the possibility of going a goal up, the Stars were shocked to find themselves a goal down six minutes from the interval. Defender Stephen Wellman conceded a penalty after shackling the advancing McManus who picked himself up to drive his shot past Vella.
Vittoriosa coach Winston Muscat, perhaps still livid over the penalty decision, made his feelings known to referee Alan Mario Sant at the end of the first half and ordered off the bench.
Five minutes into the second half, Santos floated in an inviting ball from a corner and Murilo Maccari darted in with a flying header which went over the bar.
The Stars kept up the rhythm and Compagnoli unleashed a drive over the bar. Panic may have induced Miller to sacrifice McManus for Brian Fairbairn.
Driven on by Jorge Santos Silva’s prowess, Vittoriosa continued to tear into Hibernians. Their growing pressure should have yielded an opener after 56 minutes when Silva’s cross from the right, fell invitingly to Edison but he tried to beat Muscat at the far post, narrowly missing the target.
Things looked brighter for the Stars when the referee brandished the red card to Fairbairn for simulation.
Sensing Hibernians’ lurking disappointment, Vittoriosa cashed in immediately when Edison had enough space to unleash a low shot past Muscat.
The Paolities could have been muted to death following that double killer blow, yet the team made a strong reaction and showed character when 10 minutes from time, Cohen’s cross from the left was met by the leaping Adrian Pulis who headed home.
In the dying minutes, Maccari connected to a cross by Compagnoli to head straight into Muscat’s hands. It was the last act of a match which ended miserably for the Stars.