Tarxien R: N. Vella, S. Sadowski, M. Caruana, J. Grioli, D. Meira, A. Esposito, K. Pulo (R. Bajada), R. Sammut, D. Bueno, D. Fenech (L. De Castro), O. Anonam

Hibernians: M. Muscat, R. Camilleri, A. Pulis, Z. Levnaic, R. Soares, B. Kristensen, M. Dias (A. Ribeiro), A. Azzopardi (U. Nwoko), C. Failla, J. Lima, J.P. Farrugia (S. Pisani)

Referee: K. Azzopardi

Asst.refs: I. Spiteri, C. Francalanza

4th official: E. Azzopardi

Scorers: D. Meira 14, J.P. Farrugia 56, J. Lima 75 pen, A. Esposito 90+

Yellow cards: D. Bueno, Z. Levnaic, M. Dias, J. Grioli, A. Pulis, A. Esposito, R. Soares, M. Caruana

Red card: A. Pulis

Player of the match: M. Dias (Hibernians)

TMI top 3: 1. M. Dias 2. D. Bueno 3. A. Esposito

Attendance: 1164

Playing with ten men, Hibernians looked heading towards a much needed win against neighbours Tarxien Rainbows, as they lead through a controversial penalty.

Hibernians had cancelled out Tarxien’s first half lead with two goals in the second half. But a late stunning strike from Adrian Esposito , commonly known as Andrezinho, deep into added time, brought Tarxien some justice, enabling them to level matters and take a point that they richly deserved.

Those were the most noteworthy episodes that stirred this heated derby which although never offered great thrills, reached its climax in the second period, as Hibernians also had Adrian Pulis sent off ten minutes from normal time.

Tarxien’s vein of good form continues, as they have now collected 11 points from their last six matches.

On the contrary, Hibernians remain winless in their last three matches, although yetserday they broke the goal drought after failing to score in th eprevious two outings.

Hibernians made several changes to their line-up, following their previous drubbing against Sliema Wanderers. Andrew Cohen, Johan Bezzina and Udo Nwoko started on the bench. Jason Vandelannoite was not included in the squad while Clayton Failla made his return after a three-month suspension.

Levnaic played in central defence alongside Soares with Failla in central midfield, flanked by Lima on the left and Ayrton Azzopardi, who was given his firts start, on the right. Jean Paul Farrugia was Hibernians’ main striker.

Tarxien were bouyed by their win against Mosta before the international break but coach Clive Mizzi still deemed it fit to make some changes.

The most notable absentees were Carlo Mamo and Roderick Bajada, who made a substitute appearance past the hour, while David Fenech and Orosco Anonam returned in the startting line-up. Defender Evaldo Dos Santos is still suspended.

Tarxien took the lead towards the quarter hour, courtesy of a Hibernians defensive lapse.

Levnaic slipped when trying to clear a threough ball inside his area only for the chasing Danilo Meira to beat keeper Muscat with a low drive.

The goal sapped all of Hibernians’ confidence as Tarxien were in the driving seat and threatened again on 19 minutes. Meira headed Buenos’ cross narrowly off target.

The Paolites again lacked sharpness in front of the opposing goal. Midway through the half the inoperative Tarxien keeper Vella rushed off his line to block Farrugia’s incursion.

With halftime looming, Lima’s inswinging free kick from the left was tipped over the bar into a corner by keeper Vella.

Nwoko’s inclusion for Azzopardi at the start of the second half gave Hibernians more attacking options. It did not take long for them to end the goal drought and draw level. On 56 minutes Dias made progress on the left flank and sent a testing cross which Sammut failed to cut and Jean Paul Farrugia was at hand to knock the ball over the goal line.

Tarxien tried to react. On the hour a Bueno headed effort was saved by keeper Muscat after a Meira free kick was blocked by the Hibernians’ defence.

On 75 minutes Hibernians were awarded a controversial penalty after the referee judged Sammut to have pushed Lima on a high ball inside the Tarxien area.

Jackson Lima himself tucked it away to put his side in front.

Tempers flared as Tarxien looked frustrated and hard done by that decision, with some club official even dismissed from the bench.

Hibernians were reduced to ten men for the last ten minutes. Their defender Adrian Pulis was sent off for a foul on Espositio that earned him a second caution.

Substitute Ribeiro arrived late on a Nwoko cross and the chance went to waste.

Tarxien put in De Castro in the late stages. His grounder on the stroke of time, narrowly missed the target.

But as Hibernians looked heading towards a win, deep into added time Andre Esposito sent a curling shot imperiously towards the top corner from the edge of the area on the right to salvage a most merited point for Tarxien and send their supporters in raptures.

It was a most dramatic end to an evenly balanced derby.