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

Marsaxlokk: G. Zammit, W. Camenzuli, C. Brincat, M. Deanov, C. Mamo, P. Pullicino, G. Sciberras (C. Camilleri), R. Bajada (T. Templemann), E. Yanchev, F. Raimy, M. Licari (D. Kokavessis)

Referee: C. Lautier asst.refs: P. Agius, G. Barbara 4th official: S. Tanti

Scorers: E. Barbara (3), M. Deanov

Yellow cards: A. Cohen, W. Camenzuli, C. Brincat

Player of the match: Etienne Barbara (Hibernians)

TMI top three: 1. E. Barbara 2. J. Pearson 3. M. Deanov

Champions Hibernians were off to a good start to their title defence as they downed Marsaxlokk’s plucky challenge to register their first win in the new season. Theirs was a performance that grew more impressive as the match progressed.

Etienne Barbara, their recent addition to the squad, quickly started to pay back some of Hibernians’ trust to engage him after the Malta forward failed to find a new foreign club. He joined the Paolites after previous spells with other local clubs Floriana, Birkirkara, Marsaxlokk and Sliema.

Barbara was on the mark as early as the third minute, pouncing on Cohen’s pass from a long clearance to shoot past keeper Glenn Zammit in the Marsaxlokk goal.

He again cancelled Marsaxlokk’s equaliser on 35 minutes. Ben Camilleri steered the ball in his stride and he squeezed a shot past the keeper as he went out to block.

With ten minutes remaining, and the result still very much in the balance, Barbara sealed the issue with a piece of clinical finish, making the best of a Marsaxlokk defensive blunder to notch a hat-trick.

Marsaxlokk, with Roderick Bajada, Emil Yanchev, Florent Raimy and Martin Deanov also making their season debut among their new signings, to make up for the notable departures of Christian Cassar, Kevin Sammut, Julio Alcorse, Renato Conceicao and Marcelo Pereira made the more assertive start. They had gone close with efforts by Camenzuli and Deanov before falling in arrears.

But after a quarter hour, Martin Deanov picked Bajada’s pass and surprised keeper Muscat with a diagonal shot from the edge of the area on the left for a temporary equaliser.

The champions’ lead at halftime was a deserved one as they went close on other occasions, most notorious with a Calleja’s drilling shot on Cohen’s short free kick which keeper Zammit did well to tip into a corner over the bar.

Marsaxlokk remained very much in the game in the second period as the champions, despite all their possession, failed to finish them off.

Towards the hour, from a Deanov corner from the right, defender Yanchev advanced inside the Hibernians’ crowded area to knock the ball narrowly wide. Soon Marsaxlokk put in Kokavessis for Licari to give more impetus to their attack.

On 69 minutes, Galabov crossed for Cohen to play the ball back towards the middle. Substitute Triston Caruana’s shot was saved by the grounded keeper.

All Marsaxlokk’s flickering hopes evaporated in thin air ten minutes from time as the lethal Barbara punished the hesitation of defenders Camenzuli and Yanchev, on Triston Caruana’s pass, to finish off in style.