BoV Premier League highlights

Modern-time rivals Valletta and Birkirkara are the joint leaders in the Premier League standings following the last round of fixtures which was spread over four days.

Valletta-Qormi was the only match programmed for Saturday afternoon. Despite the inclement weather, a bumper crowd filled the enclosure of the National Stadium.

In the end it was the City fans who sang louder after a 1-0 victory even though the Qormi followers should not be downhearted with the partial setback after a fine display by their team that could have yielded a goal, particularly in the opening half.

Njongo Priso failed to score from a penalty after 26 minutes but midway through the second half team-mate Terrence Scerri headed home the goal that mattered.

Football fans were treated to another entertaining match on Monday night when Hibs and Birkirkara shared the spoils in a thrilling 2-2 draw.

The Stripes looked heading to a victory that would have propelled them to sole leadership but Adrian Pulis, who had earlier cancelled Branko Nisevic's opener, scored a last-gasp equaliser with a glancing header.

Hibs had a first-half penalty in favour, taken by Chris Camilleri, saved by keeper Jorge Mora.

Karl Pulo had put Paul Zammit's Birkirkara 2-1 in front seconds after Pulis's first goal on 61 minutes.

Meanwhile, the race for Championship Pool places continued to intensify as on Friday evening Ħamrun stunned Sliema 3-0 while Floriana and Tarxien continued with their stance in search of a place in the top six.

Sliema are living dangerously as they are now in fifth place level on points with Floriana, one ahead of Tarxien and two better off than the revitalised Ħamrun who scored three times without reply in the first half to secure a comfortable victory over the Blues.

Ten-man Floriana, who had Brian Said sent off soon after the restart, eased past bottom-placed Dingli 2-0 as Tarxien were the masters on the pitch in a 3-1 win over beleaguered Msida.

Premier League statistics

Scorers

Birkirkara: Comvalius 11 (2 pens); Galea 5; Cilia 4; Mallia 3, Bajada 3, Pulo 3; Fenech, Buhagiar, Vukanac, Nisevic. Own goal - Wellman (vs Qormi). Red cards: Paris (vs Hibs), Zerafa (vs Qormi).

Dingli: Okonkwo 8 (2 pens); Borg. Own goals - Tabone (vs Birkirkara); Bonnici (vs Ħamrun). Red cards: Fiteni (vs Ħamrun), Cachia (vs Tarxien).

Floriana: Darmanin 6; Wasiu 3; Anonam 2, Caruana 2; Simmonds, Ciantar, M. Briffa. Own goal - Herrera (vs Hibs). Red cards - J. Briffa (vs Hibs, vs Qormi); Said (vs Dingli).

Ħamrun Spartans: Pereira 7 (2 pens); Spiteri 3, Mawete 3; Cucciardi 2, Micallef 2; Fenech. Own goal - Magro (vs Tarxien). Red cards - Micallef (vs Birkirkara), Pereira (vs Floriana), Fenech (vs Tarxien).

Hibs: Malasenoks 4, Cohen 4 (2 pens.); Galabov 3, Pulis 3; Herrera 2, J. Caruana 2, Callejas 2, Barbara 2; Cauchi, B. Camilleri. Own goals - Conceicao (vs Dingli), Fenech (vs Ħamrun). Red cards - Grech (vs Msida SJ), Muscat (vs Tarxien), Barbara (vs Qormi).

Msida SJ: T. Farrugia 2, Spiteri 2, Lattes 2; Aganun.

Qormi: Camilo 17 (1 pen.); Effiong 7; Grima 2, Farrugia 2 (1 pen.); Chetcuti, Deguara, Wellman. Red card - Fenech (vs Hibs).

Sliema: Mifsud Triganza 7; Woods 3; Bartolo 2, Dronca 2 (2 pens); Failla, Isaac, Mintoff, Pedrinho, Alcorse. Own goal - T. Farrugia (vs Msida). Red card - Gatt Baldacchino (vs Floriana).

Tarxien Rainbows: Ribeiro 9; Denni 7; Calabretta 2; Shead, Everton, Tanti, Decesare. Own goal - Gatt Baldacchino (vs Sliema). Red cards - Ribeiro (vs Dingli, vs Ħamrun), Camilleri (vs Sliema).

Valletta: Scerri 9; Priso 6 (3 pens); Cruyff 4; Pace 2, Sammut 2, Agius 2, Zammit 2; Den Ouden, Briffa. Red card - G. Agius (vs Sliema).

Next fixtures

Friday: Tedesco Stadium - 7.30 p.m. Ħamrun vs Msida SJ.

Saturday: National Stadium - 2 p.m. Floriana vs Birkirkara; 4 p.m. Hibernians vs Valletta.

Sunday: Hibs Stadium - 2 p.m. Qormi vs Tarxien; 4 p.m. Sliema Wanderers vs Dingli.