A late Roderick Baldacchino strike on the stroke of full time, gave Hibernians a win which looked beyond them for most of the match.

Mosta might feel hard done by this result as they more than deserved a draw after twice taking the lead through their best player Chibueze during the course of the match.

However they were downed by substitute Baldacchino's goal, who had been on the pitch for hardly two minutes, shooting in Cohen's inviting free-kick.

In fact Hibernians struggled to keep up the pace with fast opponents from the lower rank of the table. Chibueze and Nwoko, together with Falzon, were a constant menace to Hibernians' rearguard. The Paolites could not get to grips in midfield either as Mosta hassled and harried them into a plethora of errors.

For Hibernians, Cohen was good at set-pieces. His free-kicks and corners brought about all his side's goals. However keeper Mario Muscat was their saviour, pulling off a string of superb saves which kept them in the game as Mosta looked capable of over-running them at times. They also nearly succeeded in strangling the life out of Hibernians' attacking options until Baldacchino pilfered all three points for the Paolites.

Mosta were off to a flying start and by the seventh minute they were already one up. Nwoko's cross fell to Ikechukwu Chibueze, whose first effort was blocked by the Hibernians defence but finally shot in the rebound.

Mosta's lead, however, was shortlived as Hibernians drew level hardly three minutes later. Cohen played a free-kick from the left and Haruna Doda ran in to head past keeper Farrugia.

Hibernians briefly took a grip on the game after that. Doda shot wastefully wide on 20 minutes until Mosta again looked menacing when Falzon sent a deep cross from the left which was picked by Chibueze who laid the ball to Bartolo, only to shoot high.

Towards the half hour a Dyson meaty free-kick forced keeper Muscat to stretch himself and save.

On 32 minutes Chibueze again found open space on another Nwoko assist and slotted the ball past the helpless Muscat.

Hibernians were again faced with an uphill task, especially after they were forced to substitute the injured Ben Camilleri with Spiteri.

The Paolites' equaliser arrived three minutes into the second half though. Cohen's header on a Vella cross was deflected into a corner and from the ensuing Cohen flag kick the lanky Adrian Pulis deflected the ball at the far post.

Mosta were very much still alive and kicking though and they kept fighting gamely, never looking inferior to their opponents.

Falzon went past Xuereb with a solo run but his lob was off target. With Mosta pressing forward, Okonkwo's firm header on Newell's cross was turned into a corner by the alert Muscat. And the Hibernians keeper again came to his side's rescue on 72 minutes as he saved full stretch into a corner Okonkwo's free-kick at the top corner.

As the match looked heading towards a draw, Hibernians scored a late Baldacchino winner which put them alone at the top of the standings, leading by three points over the chasing duo of Sliema and Birkirkara.

Hibernians-Mosta 3-2

Hibernians: M. Muscat, A. Pulis, A. Xuereb, E. Mbong, T. Scerri, A. Cohen, J. Vella, E. Agius (C. Failla), B. Camilleri (K. Spiteri), D. Camilleri, H. Doda (R. Baldacchino)

Mosta: M. Farrugia, P. Sciriha, D. Okonkwo, M. Bartolo, J. Caruana, I. Chibueze, U. Nwoko, D. Falzon, P. Camilleri, C. Attard (I. Bilocca), R. Newell

Referee: M. Borg Asst.refs: P. Agius, A. Arciola 4th official: C. Pisani

Scorers: I. Chibueze (2), H. Doda, A. Pulis, R. Baldacchino

Yellow cards: P. Camilleri, E. Mbong, I. Chibueze, A. Pulis, E. Agius, K. Spiteri, D. Okonkwo

Player of the match: I. Chibueze (Mosta)

TMI top three: 1. I. Chibueze 2. M. Muscat 3. U. Nwoko