Team spirit, a strong work ethic and tactical discipline are the hallmarks of Birkirkara's title success this season. Theirs is a triumph of the collective over the individual but that is not to say that the Stripes are bereft of gifted players who can influence the outcome of matches with a piece of individual brilliance.

Birkirkara dominated large swathes of possession in Friday's high-pressure game but they struggled to break the resistance of Tarxien Rainbows and their goalkeeper Anthony Curmi before Shaun Bajada took centre-stage with an excellent goal six minutes from half-time.

Picking up a loose ball just outside the box, Bajada showed great poise and composure as he glided past David Camilleri and Gianluca Calabretta before unleashing a curling shot that drifted away from Curmi and into the far corner of the net.

It was fitting that Bajada delivered the all-important goal as the Gozitan winger has been instrumental in Birkirkara's successful march to the title. His intervention crowned an excellent season for a player who has blossomed into one of the best in the Premier League since joining the Stripes from Marsaxlokk a few years back.

Bajada was part of the Marsaxlokk squad that won the club's first and only Premier League title in 2006-07 but he considers this season's championship to be his first as his role in the Blues' success had been peripheral.

"I was in the Marsaxlokk squad that won the league a few seasons ago but for me, this is my first league triumph because I played an important part in it," Bajada told The Times.

"Birkirkara were considered as outsiders but I always believed in our chances because this team is strong in every department. We have a reliable goalkeeper (Jorge Mora) and the return to form of Michael Galea coupled with the positive impact of the foreign players have really enhanced the team's potential.

"However, all the players in our squad have contributed to this success."

The versatile Malta midfielder also paid tribute to Paul Zammit, the Birkirkara coach, whose dedication and expertise turned the Stripes from a dispirited, underachieving side to championship winners.

"The coach instilled in us a winning mentality," the 26-year-old said.

"Last season, we found it hard to recover after going behind during matches but this term, things have been different. The game against Tarxien in the first round of the Championship Pool is a case in point as we came back from 3-1 down to draw 3-3.

"Paul Zammit restored the players' self-belief. After our 1-0 victory over Valletta put us four points clear at the top, we really believed that the title was there for the taking."

Bajada is justifiably delighted with his level of performance this season.

"I think I've had a very productive season but this wouldn't have been possible without the support of my team-mates," the Malta winger said.

"This year, I've played as an advanced midfielder behind the strikers and this has enabled me to be more in the thick of things but I'm prepared to play wherever the team needs me."

Win or lose against Valletta in tomorrow's final league match, Birkirkara will still lift the Premier League trophy as they can't be overhauled by their rivals.

Teams already assured of league glory tend to take it easy in subsequent matches but that is unlikely to be the case tomorrow in light of the rivalry between the two clubs.

"Ours is a winning mentality," Bajada said.

"The coach always encourages us to push for victory and that's what we intend to do in our last match. Even when we played in the Gozo Cup, we did our best to emerge on top because winning breeds confidence."

Birkirkara's title feat is indeed another significant achievement for Bajada whose success has also made many Gozitans proud.

"Knowing that I'm one of a handful of Gozitan players to win the top-flight title in Malta gives me great satisfaction but it's not a big issue to be honest," Bajada said.

"I've been coming to Malta on a daily basis since I was 11. I grew up here as a player but I know that for my family and friends in Gozo, this title means a lot. I'm glad for my parents because they have always backed me.

"I also want to say a special thank you to Reuben Gauci (the St Andrew's goalkeeper) because he really helped me a lot in the early stages of my career. Crossing over to Malta every single day is not easy when you're still very young but Reuben and his family were always there to drive me to training. Without their help, I don't think I'd coped for all those years."

As the season approaches the finish line, talk about which players deserve to be contenders for the individual accolades starts to gain momentum.

Many are of the opinion that Bajada, who has scored seven goals in the league, is a strong candidate for the MFA Footballer of the Year award along with team-mate Trevor Cilia.

"The MFA award is the top individual honour but for me, the biggest prize is the league and I've managed to win that," Bajada said.

"Obviously, claiming the MFA player of the year award would be another personal milestone but there are other players, especially from my team, who have had a very good season."

As Bajada's contract with Birkirkara expires in a few weeks' time, speculation is rife that other leading clubs are prepared to tempt the Malta midfielder with lucrative offers.

Faced with a question about his future, Bajada replied: "At the moment, I'm only focusing on our final league match. I want to savour our title success but I'm sure that Birkirkara will speak to me about a new contract once our season has finished."