HIBERNIANS -                        3

SLIEMA WANDERERS-          2

Two goals and a man down by the hour, leaders Hibernians looked heading towards  their first league defeat against energetic and well-organised Sliema Wanderers, but the Paolites held their nerves  with a remarkable comeback that saw them restore parity and even win the match in added time.

This win gives Hibernians a massive boost as the league heads into the final furlong. Hibernians, who remain nine points above nearest challengers Valletta, face a daunting set of fixtures that includes Floriana, Balzan, Birkirkara and Valletta but, on yesterday's credentials, they should be capable of wrapping the championship well before the end.

The Wanderers, with nothing tangible to play for, emerged as the superior team in a scruffy first period and caused all sorts of problems to a Hibernians' defence shorne of Rui Gomes after 18 minutes.

They were two goals up by the hour but succumbed to defeat, conceding three goals in the final 20 minutes.

Quality was in short supply  but the looseness of the game meant both sides got chances and both goalkeepers were highly involved.

Sliema were able to beef their side with the return of Mark Scerri and Pedro Calcado from suspension, although they had Marko Potezica unavailable and Andrea Pisanu was injured in the warm-up, to be replaced by Djumo Bocar.

The Wanderers' captain Alex Muscat was also forced to leave the pitch towards the quarter hour and make way for Trevor Cilia.

Sliema were already one up by then though. After eight minutes, on a Hibernians' clearance, following a Calcado freekick, Muscat hooked the ball over to Andrea Scozzese, who, standing alone inside the Hibernians area, beat keeper Bonello with relative ease as the flag stayed down.

The goal disrupted the leaders' rhythm and after Calcado again tested the Hibernians keeper with another meaty free kick, Hibernians were down to ten men on 18 minutes. Defender Rui Gomes pushed down Ribeiro with a head butt from the back to be shown the red card.

Sliema tried to exploit their numerical superiority but their bright start was betrayed by weak finishing. Keeper Bonello rushed off his line  to clear on Mifsud when put through by Calcado and past the half hour Ribeiro headed over the bar from a corner as it was all Sliema until then.

Struggling to make an impact, Hibernians only threatened on 36 minutes. Cohen's free kick from the edge of the area rebounded off the bar.

Before the break, Bonello was again tested by a Calcado low drive and Michael Mifsud was blocked by defender Soares as he made his way dangerously inside the Hibernians' area.

Hibernians' coach Branco Nisevic sought to stimulate improvement by replacing De Melo with Marcelo Dias at the break.

The move backfired as Sliema doubled their advantage towards the hour. A burst of acceleration from Michael Mifsud beat the Hibernians' defence and keeper Bonello, giving the impression that Sliema had won the match.

But after keeper Zammit was forced to pull a smart save on Cohen's close-range  powerful shot, the leaders started a remarkable comeback that earned them parity within four minutes.

On 69 minutes, Bjorn Kristensen pulled one back as he struck a powerful low shot past keeper Zammit after picking the ball from the edge of the area. Hibernians sensed the opportunity and began piling forward. Three minutes later, Gatt Baldacchino felled Cohen inside the area to earn Hibernians a penalty and Clayton Failla levelled matters.

The final 15 minutes were frenetic and keeper Zammit footed out Jorginho's  effort.

Deep into four minutes of added time, Hibernians even managed to win the game. As the ball fell loosely inside the Sliema area, from a Lima cross, Andrew Cohen pounced on it to hit it past the Sliema keeper for a delirious finish.

VALLETTA-              1

FLORIANA-               0 

A draw by Birkirkara on Friday night had given Valletta the chance to make a leap above the Stripes into second place.

Although not at their classiest, the champions obliged by beating neighbours Floriana with a Luke Dimech goal in the opening minute, enough to continue their winning run of six consecutive matches and close the gap to seven points behind the leaders.

Besides the derby pride, Floriana needed to keep up the challenge for fourth place and this defeat undermines their ambitions, leaving them a point behind Balzan who play Zebbug Rangers today.

The only snag for Floriana was that beating Valletta has become rather difficult of late. They failed to raise their game after falling behind early

Valletta had Ryan Fenech back into their side, replacing the still injured Shaun Bajada and Lateef Alliyu was back in attack, after a long absence, as Llywelyn Cremona was relegated to the bench.

Floriana coach Giovanni Tedesco was forced to tinker with his team selection due to the suspension of defender Douglas Cobo and the injury of midfielder Clyde Borg. Gary Muir and Steve Bonnici were given the nod instead. With the latter short of match practice, Floriana's rearguard never looked comfortable on the ball.

Floriana did not have the best of starts. Within one minute from kick off, Valletta won a free kick outside the Floriana area on the right. Nafti delivered a long high ball and Luke Dimech nipped in  from behind the Greens' square defence to hit past keeper Calleja Cremona.

From the outset Valletta kept their opponents pushed back in their own half, moving the ball slickly around the edge of the penalty area, and the amount of time and space Nafti was finding was ominous.

Floriana could not gain sufficient control of midfield to play the game further up the pitch and the usually alert Emanuel Briffa and Emerson Marcelina, were often outplayed by sharper opponents yesterday.

The rivality which exists between the two teams was evident when short of the quarter hour, Nafti approached the Floriana bench and exchanged some words with coach Tedesco. Tempers flared from both sides, with the Valletta bench also involved, before the referee struggled to restore order.

Midway through the half, Samb was lucky not to be sent off when he elbowed Valletta defender Ian Azzopradi in the face as both tussled for possession and Azzopardi was stretchered off, most probably with a broken nose. In the ensuing skirmish, the Valletta keeper Marino was booked.

By halftime, Valletta had not created many chances, content simply to keep possession and play within themselves after taking the lead, fairly confident that their opponents would not mount any sustained attacks while being penned back in their own half.

Although the second half was not proving quite as one-sided as the first, also because Floriana made two early substitutions, the match still lacked scoring opportunities or any excitement. On a Picciollo cross from the right, Valletta defender Borg was caught between two opponents but did well to head the ball over the bar into a corner. Fenech almost supplied the inspiration on 74 minutes when put clear inside the area on a Nafti pass, but he shot straight on the Floriana keeper.

The late introduction of Igor Coronado gave Floriana some impetus. His shot on 76 minutes was held out by keeper Marino, who also repelled Piciollo's grounder.

After a Hilary low shot narrowly missed the target, the frantic final minutes, that belied the mundanity of the match, brought some contoversy as substitute Galea was judged to have fouled Dimech, after the Valletta defender had headed Marcelina's long ball into his own net, and the goal was disallowed.

Floriana's Matteo Picciollo was also sent off for dissent in the dying minutes.