Birkirkara-Hibernians 0-6

Birkirkara: O. Borg, T. Paris, P. Borg, P. Fenech, J.P. Mifsud Triganza (J. Holland), M. Galea, W. Sander-Ladim (T. Cilia), M. Anastasi (A. Buhagiar), R. Hartvig, J. Zerafa, G. Mallia

Hibernians: M. Muscat, J. Caruana, E. Herrera (J. Xerri), A. Pulis, A. Xuereb, A Mbongo, C. Failla, C. Callejas (Y. Cauchi), T. Scerri, A. Cohen, R. Galabov (L. Grech)

Referee: M. Borg asst.refs: K. Borg, C. Micallef 4th official: A. Azzopardi

Scorers: T. Scerri (3), A Mbongo, A. Cohen, C. Failla

Yellow cards: G. Mallia, P Fenech, M. Muscat

Red card: J. Zerafa

Player of the match: Terence Scerri (Hibernians)

TMI top three: 1. T. Scerri 2. A. Pulis 3. C. Failla

Hibernians are once again standing on top of the BOV Premier League this morning after the demolition of defenceless Birkirkara with a 6-0 win.

This may sound a surprising result, considering that Birkirkara had only conceded seven goals in their previous eight games. Yesterday, against the Premier League's most lethal attack, they showed frailties in defence. Their rearguard was almost always caught off the pace against the more direct Hibernians after a lively start.

For the first 20 minutes Birkirkara did more of the running but then faded out completely after conceding two goals before halftime. Birkirkara played with ten men for the last half hour, After defender Zerafa was sent off, when they were already trailing by four goals. This defeat ended their six-match unbeaten run since the end of August.

Inspired by the deadly finishing of their best scorer, Terence Scerri, Hibernians ran the show from the time they forged ahead on 23 minutes. Scerri, ably assisted by Failla, Cohen, Pulis and Mbongo hit a hat-trick, scoring four goals in two matches.

Hibernians coach Mark Miller kept faith in the same eleven who beat Msida SJ on Sunday, while Birkirkara, back in action after more than two weeks, were bereft of the suspended Shaun Bajada. Their coach John Buttigieg was not allowed on the bench after a two-match sideline ban.

In very wet conditions, after a heavy downpour, Birkirkara made the more assertive start with Mifsud Triganza very mobile up front. His diagonal shot after three minutes was blocked by the grounded keeper Muscat in two attempts as the ball skidded over the slippery artificial surface of the Centenary Stadium. On the quarter hour, Mifsud Triganza went past two opponents from the left but then shot wastefully wide after Sander-Landim had also missed the target when well positioned inside the Hibernians area.

With Birkirkara pressing more forward, the goal came on the other side though as Hibernians forged ahead with their first genuine attack after 23 minutes. Terence Scerri stretched his foot to steer the ball past the helpless keeper Borg on Cohen's cross from the left.

Birkirkara were shell shocked and lost much of their early flair although towards the half hour, Mifsud Trigana headed another Sander-Landim cross wide.

Hibernians gradually started to claw their way into the game as Birkirkara were back pedalling. And five minutes before the break, the Paolites doubled their lead with a solo effort by Alexis Mbongo who, after avoiding two opponents, drilled an unstoppable shot from outside the area, leaving keeper Borg stranded.

Any hopes Birkirkara might have harboured to pull themselves back into the game, were all dashed within the hour.

Two minutes into the second half, Pulis played a long ball forward from the left flank for Terence Scerri to outpace the Birkirkara slow defence and score with a well placed shot, the ball hitting the inner side of the upright before ending behind Borg.

Hibernians made them 4-0 on 58 minutes. Andrew Cohen lobbed the ball over the onrushing keeper, on Scerri's cross, as the Birkirkara defence looked completely in disarray.

The Stripes suffered a further setback past the hour, when they were reduced to ten men after defender Joseph Zerafa's tackle on the advancing Scerri just outside the area was judged by the referee to have stopped a scoring opportunity, thus showing him a straight red card.

Hibernians exploited their numerical superiority with another goal on 73 minutes. Terence Scerri completed his hat-trick when he foraged from the right to score with a diagonal drive.

With ten minutes remaining, Scerri again went close when he flicked the ball low past the keeper on Failla's through pass, but substitute Holland cleared into a corner on the line.

Scerri turned provider on the stroke of time for Clayton Failla to volley Hibernians' sixth goal on the stroke of time and complete Birkirkara's miserable evening.