Tarxien R: D.Cassar, C. Mamo, E. Silva Dos Santos, J. Grioli, R. Bajada, A. Esposito, M. Tanti (D. Meira), D. Bueno, L. De Castro (M. Caruana), D. Fenech, O. Anonam (S. Bonnici)

Birkirkara: R. Gauci, N. Vukanac, A. Mendoza, Jhonnattan, S. Shodiya (Joselito), G. Sciberrras, P. Fenech, J.P. Mifsud Triganza (Z. Muscat), J. Zerafa (R. Camenzuli), E. Herrera, R. Muscat

Referee: R. Warrington

Asst.refs: L. Edwards, D. Beckett

4th official: B. Markham Jones

Scorers: J.P. Mifsud Triganza 4, 17, 67, M. Tanti 44, R. Camenzuli 90+

Yellow cards: E. Silva Dos Santos, D. Bueno, L. De Castro, J. Zerafa, G. Sciberras

Red cards: E. Silva Dos Santos

Player of the match: J.P. Mifsud Triganza (Birkirkara)

TMI top 3: 1. J.P. Mifsud Triganza 2. G. Sciberras 3. R. Bajada

Birkirkara were back in the groove after their reverse against Sliema Wanderers the previous week as they thumped inferior Tarxien Rainbows to the tune of 4-1, with Jean Paul Mifsud Triganza notching a hat-trick. By virtue of this win and Hibernians’ defeat against Valletta, they go second, three points adrift of the leaders.

Tarxien were outplayed for long stretches, despite the industry of Roderick Bajada, David Fenech and Mark Tanti in midfield and were two goals down already by the quarter hour. They looked scrappy and tame, until they pulled a goal back before halftime, in a rare attack.

But early in the second half Orosco Anonam was injured and substituted and then other centre back Evaldo was sent off towards the hour. Birkirkara made their numerical superiority count after that with two more goals.

With Jean Paul Mifsud Triganza back in their starting line-up, to spearhead their attack, Birkirkara made an aggressive start. An early goal after only four minutes play put them firmly in the driving seat, and had Tarxien on the back foot for most of the match.

Jhonnattann advanced from the right, laid the ball back towards Herrera to cross and Mifsud Triganza head in at the top corner.

An immediate response from Tarxien had Espositio missing slightly the target with his low diagonal shot. But that was the best the Rainbows could achieve for almost the entire half.

With Birkirkara dominating possession, the second goal was in the air. That came exactly on 17 minutes. Jhonnattann delivered a cross from the right, slightly behind Mifsud Triganza who showed co ordination, flipping the ball in from behind his back.

On 38 minutes, Jhonnaattan ran dangerously through the middle with his final shot going slightly over.

Tarxien, who had been mostly bystanders, were handed a lifeline one minute before the break. Bueno’s powerful low drive was fisted out by the grounded keeper Gauci in the path of the unmarked Mark Tanti who was quick to hit in from close range.

Tarxien were forced to make two substitutions soon after the restart. On 50 minutes, the injured De Castro was replaced by Manuel Caruana and five minutes later, Anonam was also forced to leave the pitch with a groin injury.

In between, Tarxien’s keeper Cassar was late to reach on Mifsud Triganza’s cross. Jhonnattann could connect but the keeper blocked on the ground. Jhonnattann again lobbed over an unattended goal with Cassar completely out of sorts.

But the biggest setback for Tarxien came two minutes short of the hour. Their central defender Evaldo was sent off for elbowing Mifsud Triganza and Birkirkara could exploit their numerical superiority within nine minutes. Mifsud Triganza dismantled Tarxien as he completed his hat-trick, running through the middle for Jhonnattann’s pass to beat keeper Cassar for the third time.

On a positive note for Birkirkara, Joselito made a substitute appearance on 74 minutes, back from a long injury. His shot on 80 minutes, took a wicked deflection and was turned into a corner with some difficulty by the Tarxien keeper.

And with Tarxien crowding their area, Birkirkara still found space to score their fourth in added time. Substitute Ryan Camenzuli went past Grioli and Bonnici from the left before beating the Tarxien keeper from a tight angle.