Hibernians picked up where they left off last season as the champions started their Premier League title defence with a comfortable 4-0 win over St. Andrews.

The Paolites were back in action for the first time since they clinched the club’s 12th title with the skipper Clayton Failla stealing the show from the spot.

Clayton Failla’s early penalty – an easy decision for referee Eman Grech– had the champions in cruise control, with St Andrews allowing them time and space to pass the ball around, albeit with little cutting edge.

Five minutes from half-time, Hibs doubled their lead when Jackson Lima swung in a superb cross from corner and Andrei Agius rose the highest at the far post to send a fine header into the net.

The killer blow came just before the hour mark, when Jackson Lima finished off a well-worked third from close-range as Jurgen Degabriele’s dummy from Marco Sahane’s cross fooled the Saints defence.

Fifteen minutes from time, Hibernians were awarded a second penalty when substitute Dunstan Vella fell under the challenge of Adrian Borg. From the spot, Failla sent Matthew Calleja Cremona again the wrong way.

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