Tarxien R. 2
Hibernians 4
Tarxien R. : A. Cassar, J. Wemmer, R. Rogac (M. Ciantar 69'), D. Zerafa ( L. Grech 74' ) , G. Aquilina, D. Falzon, A. Scicluna, S. Radovanovic, A. De Barros, R. Faria, A. Nilsson ( M. Brincat 75' )
Hibernians : A. Hogg, D. Vella, N. Radojevic, J. Mbong, M. Dias, J. Degabriele ( D. Xuereb 83' ), B. Kristensen ( J, Bezzina 74' ) , I. Ntow, N. Marcolino, A. Agius, A. Fonseca Tiago ( I. Blazevic 72' )
Referee: Emanuel Grech
Asst refs: Paul Apap, Theodore Zammit
4th official: Etienne Mangion
Scorers: Tiago Adan Fonseca 4', 54' (p), Jens Wemmer 18', Nicolas Marcolino 63', Jurgen Degabriele 68', Darren Falzon 93'
Yellow cards: Agius,
Player of the match: Tiago Adan Fonseca (Hibernians)
TMI Top 3: 1. N. Marcolino 2. J. Degabriele 3. T. Fonseca
Attendance: 582
Hibernians ran worthy winners over neighbours Tarxien when following a balanced first forty five minutes they dominated the second half with Marcolino, Degabriele and Fonseca running riot.
In their last match Hibernians returned to winning ways as they defeated St. Andrews 2-0 with two late goals. This following consecutive defeats against Floriana and Gzira.
Tarxien were looking to bounce back from the defeat to Sliema last week in which they ended up playing with ten players after Paolucci was sent off. Therefore the Italian was missing from this match. On the other hand Hibernians had no formation problems with Italian coach Sanderra having practically the full compliment.
It didn't take much for the Paolites to take the lead as on 4 minutes Degabriele's cross from the left found Tiago Adan Fonseca who stretched to convert from close range. Prior to this Fonseca was in the thick of action after being set by Mbong but he blasted his shot over the bar.
Tarxien replied on six minutes through a corner taken by Aquilina but Wemmer was unlucky seeing his headed effort hit the woodwork. Hibernians went near three minutes later when off a Degabriele corner Cassar saved on Vella.
Play was flowing and in the 16th minute Vella played a through ball towards Degabriele and with only Cassar to beat his shot was blocked by the Rainbows custodian. But it was Tarxien who drew level against the run of play on 18 minutes when Faria sent a deep cross from the right and in came Jens Wemmer who slotted the ball past Hogg.
The physcological aspect was now having its effect on the match and it was Tarxien who were now in control. In the 22nd minute De Barros crossed from the right and it was again that man Wemmer who tested once again Hogg. Two minutes later controversy struck as Tarxien had a goal annulled for an alleged handling infringement in the box.
Nearing the end of the half Marcolino beat Scicluna on the ball only for his final shot from an acute angle to be saved by Cassar.
On 49 minutes Marcolino's solo run ended with a shot from the edge of the area saved by Cassar. In the 54th minute Zerafa anticipated Kristensen handling in the process with the match official pointing to the penalty spot. From the resultant kick Tiago Adan Fonseca buried the ball in the net scoring his fourth goal of the season.
And Hibernians continued to dominate the proceedings with another goal in the 63rd minute when Mbong brought Nicolas Marcolino with only Cassar to beat with the Brazilian making no mistake for the Paolites third.
Marcolino was unlucky to hit the woodwork in the 67th minute but Sanderra's boys scored their fourth through striker Jurgen Degabriele finding the corner of the net following a solo run.
Ten minutes from time Bezzina found Marcolino but his low drive from an angle scraped the upright. And in the 85th minute Cassar blocked well on Mbong with Blazevic hitting the woodwork with a shot from inside the area on the stroke of time.
Tarxien made the score more respectable deep into stoppage time when Darren Falzon converted a well executed free kick.