Birkirkara started the new year in some style when they scored two goals in each half to see off Gżira United 4-0 at the Centenary Stadium.

The Stripes were in charge of the match right from the outset and took just four minutes to forge ahead.

Ryan Scicluna slid the ball into the path of Luke Montebello who turned past Souleymane Diamoutene before firing an angled drive into the bottom corner of the net.

Gżira tried to respond and on 15 minutes Haruna Garba sped into the area, rounded Kristijan Naumovski with the ball falling to Moises Avila Perez who, from a close angle, saw his effort flash across the face of goal and finish wide.

Birkirkara remained the better side and nine minutes from half-time, Montebello evaded his marker and hit a low drive that whizzed past the upright.

But Montebello was not to be denied on 39 minutes when in a swift break he was put clear by Jake Grech to stab the ball home.

Gżira should have reopened the match on the stroke of half-time when Garba found himself in space inside the area but his effort was kept out by Naumovski. From the rebound, Corbolan looked to bury the ball home but was denied by Camenzuli who cleared off the line.

One thought that Gżira would rally in the second half but it was Birkirkara who killed off the match.

On 63 minutes, Mislav Andelkovic played in Grech who beat Haber with a low drive.

Gżira looked death and buried and four minutes later, the Stripes added a fourth goal as Dimitrov’s low drive was pushed away by Haber onto the upright and from the rebound Grech was on hand to fire the ball into the roof of the net.

BOV Player of the match: Jake Grech (Birkirkara).