The fixture list of week 9 in the BoV Premier League has a quite curious look about it as the top six teams face opponents from the second half in the standings.

Leaders Hibernians might have dropped their first points when held to a  2-2 draw by Sliema Wanderers but have a good chance of returning to winning ways and consolidate their primacy when they play 10th place Floriana tomorrow at the Victor Tedesco Stadium. Their two key players Ryan Camilleri and Zoran Levnaic are again available after suspension but they will have to do without their Brazilian striker Luis Edison “Tarabaj’.

Despite their limitations, Floriana have lost only one of their last five matches (against Sliema Wanderers) and caused some surprise last week when they beat Mosta 2-1. Although they still look an unsettled team, they are bound to improve as the season unfolds, now that they have recovered well from their point-deduction at the start of the new campaign. If they show more consistency and start scoring more goals, their chances of making it with top six does not look remote.

Also tomorrow, Mosta have the chance to brush aside last week’s defeat as they play Qormi (5th vs 11th in the table). For all the juggling with foreigners in their line-up, ambitious Mosta, who were the surprise team so fat, have stumbled with two consecutive defeats of late and need to regroup quickly to arrest the slump.

Qormi may offer this opportunity although the latter’s season have so far been characterized by good performances and abysmal ones.

The drubbing of Tarxien Rainbows, a narrow and unlucky defeat by Valletta and a draw against champions Birkirkara, might suggest the position in the standings belies Qormi’s  potential.But then inept performances like the ones against Balzan, Hibernians or Vittoriosa show otherwise.

Today’s programme of four league matches being played at the Centenary Stadium and Victor Tedesco Stadium includes the match between Naxxar Lions and the team below them, Balzan. Only two points separate these two sides who are struggling to find consistency. The Lions have shown better qualities of the two promoted clubs. Three wins and a draw are encouraging rewards for Winston Muscat’s side, who has still to produce a balance between defence and attack. The return of Terence Scerri, now that he looks fully recovered from a long injury, will give the side some more attacking options and ease some of the burden on Gilmar Ribeiro.

Balzan’s win against Qormi , after five winless matches, might turn a new leaf for the side under new coach Jesmond Zerafa as this fixture looks the most balanced one on paper.

Valletta and Birkirkara, in second and third respectively, keep grinding out results without playing particularly well. Valletta had to come from behind to beat Vittoriosa Stars while Shola Shodiya’s individual moment of magic earned Birkirkara a narrow victory against Naxxar Lions last week. Goals are not coming easy for both sides and today’s fixtures,  against the two sides with the worst defensive record so far, may help them improve upon their goal tally.

Birkirkara meet Tarxien Rainbows, beaten by Rabat Ajax last week. The Magpies, bolstered by their first league win in eight matches, are Valletta’s opponents.

Today’s other match at the Victor Tedesco Stadium pairs fourth placed Sliema Wanderers with other promoted side Vittoriosa Stars.

Sliema have shown in the process that they have the qualities to challenge for the top three places, two points behind Birkirkara above them and three adrift of Valletta. So this is another stern test for the Stars, who remain too over reliant on their talented Brazilian Oscar Guerrero for goals. He has scored seven league goals already, one less than Sliema’s Nigerian forward Stanley Ohawuchi who failed to find the net in his side’s last two outings.

Sliema Wanderers will be without regular midfielder Mark Scerri who serves a one-match ban but John Mintoff will again be available for a call-up.