Birkirkara-Hibernians 3-1
Birkirkara: M. Fraser, T. Paris, P. Borg (S. Zahra), R. Muscat, K. Pulo (A. Tabone), S. Bajada, P. Fenech, J. Zerafa, E. Lattes, M. Galea (R. Scicluna), A. Buhagiar
Coach: P. Zammit
Hibernians: M. Muscat, E. Herrera, M. Gauci (S. Pisani), J. Pearson, M. Clarke, B. Kristensen, R. Hart, A. Cohen, P. McManus (P. Sereno), J.P. Farrugia (W. Chircop), Z. Levnaic
Coach: M. Miller
Referee: F. Zammit; Asst.refs: A. Camilleri, J. Camilleri; 4th official: K. Azzopardi
Scorers: P. Fenech 12, 25, E. Lattes 29, S. Pisani 82
Yellow cards: P. McManus, J. Zerafa
Player of the match: P. Fenech (Birkirkara)
TMI top 3: 1. P. Fenech 2. E. Lattes 3. M. Muscat
Birkirkara are on an upward curve. They registered their second consecutive win, their seventh league match without defeat, to join Tarxien Rainbows in second place, after beating Hibernians with three first half goals.
In fact the match was over by the half hour, when the Stripes were already three up and had wrapped the points by then, capitalising on their opponents’ defensive frailties in crucial moments.
Hibernians ended the year on a low, without a win since September, that marooned them in the doldrums.
The Paolites made three changes from the previous defeat against Valletta, giving starts to Jonathan Pearson, Jean Paul Farrugia and the returning Richie Hart.
They made the more assertive start and with only seven minutes on the clock, they carved out a good opportunity. McManus chased a through ball inside the Birkirkara area but he was first blocked by the keeper Fraser and then had defender Borg blocking his second effort on the loose ball.
But the goal came on the other end five minutes later. Levnaic lost possession to Paul Fenech outside his area and after playing one-two with Galea, the Birkirkara midfielder advanced to beat keeper Muscat with a low diagonal shot.
A minute later, Lattes ran dangerously inside the Hibernians area, passed the ball to Bajada but the grounded Muscat held out.
The Paolites tried to hit back. Clarke headed Hart’s corner over and keeper Fraser blocked Kristensen’s effort on the ground.
But midway through the half, they suffered a severe setback, conceding two more goals within four minutes.
On 25 minutes, on a Bajada cross, Lattes laid the ball to Paul Fenech who beat keeper Muscat with a thunderous strike at the top corner.
Hardly four minutes later, Emiliano Lattes himself ran in from behind Gauci, on a long diagonal Paris cross, and fired the ball in from a tight angle.
Birkirkara could defend their comfortable lead with minimal difficulty in the second half as Hibernians failed to produce enough pace and penetration to disturb their backline, again bereft of Harding and Vukanac.
On 59 minutes Herrera dribbled his way from the right but Farrugia failed to put his head to the cross.
On the hour, Hibernians effected a double substitution, replacing both their forwards, McManus and Farrugia, with Warren Chircop and Paulo Sereno taking their places.
But that did little to lift the sterility which had spread among the two sides.
On 72 minutes, Cohen thumped his shot against the post but Birkirkara could have increased their advantage ten minutes from the end when Fenech ran in well for Lattes’ low cross but was thwarted by Muscat’s point blank save.
Hibernians hit a consolation goal on 82 minutes through substitute Steve Pisani, ending his run down the right flank with a low drive past keeper Fraser.
But even that failed to rouse any interest from the very few Hibernians supporters who braved the cold weather at Ta’Qali yesterday.