Tarxien R: A. Curmi, S. Sadowski, M. Caruana (O. Grech), M. Buttigieg (L. Galea), E. De Lima, W. Chircop, M. Tanti, D. Camilleri, R. Schembri, D. Bueno, L. Vella Critien

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

Referee: A.M. Sant asst.refs: I. Spiteri, E. Spiteri 4th official: C. Pisani

Scorers: W. Chircop, B. Camilleri, J. Caruana, T. Scerri (5), D. Bueno

Yellow cards: M. Buttigieg, S. Sadowski, O. Grech

Player of the match: Terence Scerri (Hibernians)

TMI top three: 1. T. Scerri 2. C. Failla 3. R. Galabov

Hibernians are sitting at the summit of the BOV Premier League this morning after routing Tarxien Rainbows in a tempestuous and colourful derby at Hibs Ground.

Inspired by the league’s most lethal predator, Terence Scerri, Hibernians massacred poor Tarxien with some attacking play. Scerri took centrepiece of this exhibition with five goals to take his tally to 19 already this season.

Already struggling in the absence of the suspended Gatt Baldacchino, Tarxien produced some inept defending, especially by their central duo, they were hit by a goal riot that leaves them anchored to the bottom of the table. In the second half, it was like watching the poor infantry overrun by tanks.

Hibernians had Alex Mbongo missing after failing to return from abroad as well as the injured centre back Aaron Xuereb. Pearson played at the back, alongside Caruana, while Ben Camilleri started the match in midfield. The team was under the charge of assistant coach Edmond Lufi, deputising for the suspended Mark Miller.

Hibernians always had the ascendancy and by the first quarter hour could have easily been in front were it not for a string of fine saves from keeper Anthony Curmi. On 13 minutes Curmi again denied Hibernians their best chance with a plucky save after Scerri had caught the Tarxien defence in disarray and advanced unmolested inside the area. Failla lofted the rebound over the bar.

On 21 minutes, Scerri chased Herrera’s long ball, his pacey run took him past De Lima and tried to lob the ball over the onrushing keeper, who somehow managed to save.

The goal however came on the other end as Tarxien made the breakthrough after 27 minutes against the run of play. Warren Chircop pounced on Tanti’s penetrating pass to beat keeper Muscat with a low drive at the near post.

The goal sparked an immediate response from Hibernians who levelled matters on the half hour. Scerri, held on the edge of the area, allowed Calleja’s pass to reach Ben Camilleri, who just flicked the ball past the onrushing keeper to trickle over the line.

And Hibernians cracked in two more goals in a devastating one-minute burst, shortly before the break, as Tarxien caved in.

Failla’s powerful free kick was only parried by keeper Curmi, Galabov headed the loose ball towards goal for Jonathan Caruana to put a slight touch to it.

Then Terence Scerri again beat the keeper with an exquisite curling shot from the left on a Failla pass, to give the Paolites a two-goal cushion by halftime.

The second half belonged to Hibernians and to Terence Scerri. Hardly a minute after restart, the Hibernians’ striker advanced through the Tarxien defence on Cohen’s pass and beat keeper Curmi with relative ease.

After shrugging off two defenders and crossing for Camilleri to shoot wide, Terence Scerri himself notched the hat-trick on 63 minutes. He ran past Schembri from the left, on Failla’s pass, to beat Curmi again with a low diagonal drive.

Terence Scerri made it 6-1 on 74 minutes as he breezed past De Lima on Cohen’s pass and left keeper Curmi stranded.

Tarxien hit a goal back two minutes later. Daniel Bueno rose high to head in Camilleri’s free kick at the near post. But even that failed to raise a cheer from their disgruntled fans, some of whom made their way out early.

Scerri rubbed salt into Tarxien’s wounds ten minutes from time with another confident strike from a tight angle, after hypnotising the derailed Tarxien defence with some neat footwork, to complete the Rainbows’ misery.