Hibs secure seventh title in succession

Hibernians have confirmed their status as the top team in women's football for a seventh consecutive season after an emphatic 6-0 win over Mosta at the Pace Grasso Stadium last Sunday.

Regarded as genuine title challengers for most of the campaign, Birkirkara's late decline intensified last weekend as they conceded their third defeat of the season after going down 1-0 to Melita.

Hibs gave a performance of true champions as they outclassed a limited Mosta team who rarely managed to trouble the Paolites' defence.

The stalemate was broken after only 16 minutes. The Mosta defence failed to clear a Hibs corner and Tessie Agius rifled a low shot past Mosta goalkeeper Karen Camilleri.

Six minutes later, Camilleri had to charge out of goal to block on the advancing Sarah Caruana.

It was 2-0 on the half hour when Dorianne Theuma's shot was partially blocked by Camilleri but the rebound came to Caruana who hammered the ball home from an angled position.

Theuma was again the provider on 32 minutes when she crossed the ball towards Ylenia Carabott who headed just wide.

Hibs kept up the pressure in the second half. On 53 minutes, the Mosta defence again made a mess of Theuma's corner and Francesca Debono fired the ball home.

The floodgates were now open and on the hour Dionne Tonna headed home for the 200th league goal of the season.

In the 68th minute, Theuma profited from a fortuitous rebound before directing a fierce drive which was temporarily blocked by Camilleri but Carabott quickly pounced to bury the ball home.

A minute later, Tonna curled the ball home from a free-kick to put further gloss on Hibs' 6-0 success.

In the other match played on Sunday, Melita stunned runners-up Birkirkara to strengthen their third position in the standings.

Birkirkara did the early running and after 19 minutes Vanessa Attard fired a central shot that was blocked by Simone Zammit. The Melita goalkeeper was again called into action three minutes later when turning Chantalle Demanuele's shot away for a corner.

On 28 minutes, Rebecca D'Agostino should have put Birkirkara ahead when she turned past her marker but, with only Zammit to beat, she hit the ball wide.

Melita found the target in their first attempt on goal on 42 minutes when Natasha Pace's long-range shot surprised Birkirkara goalkeeper Nina Dimech.

In the second half, Birkirkara came out determined to restore parity and on 56 minutes Demanuele headed the ball wide from an inviting position.

Fifteen minutes from time, Catherine Camilleri passed to D'Agostino who volleyed wide.

Birkirkara's last scoring chance came on 80 minutes when Stephania Farrugia sent in a dangerous drive but Zammit blocked to preserve her team's narrow lead.

Teams' line-ups

Mosta: K. Camilleri, A.M. Vella, M. Deguara, R. Gatt (J. Sammut), J. Coates, L. Piscopo (T. Fenech), K. Lia, A. Debono (Y. Fenech), F. Sammut (M. Vella), D. Pisani (V. Saliba), V. Deguara.

Hibernians: R. Tagliaferro, L.A. Galea (L. Shead), F. Debono (P. Cohen), M. Debono, D. Tonna, T. Agius, C. Grech (C. Sciberras), P. Borg, D. Theuma, S. Caruana (O. Borg), Y. Carabott (K. Saliba).

Birkirkara: N. Dimech, A. Scicluna, C. Fenech, R. D'Agostino, C. Camilleri, D. Pisani, C. Demanuele (S. Farrugia), I. Mazzitelli, V. Attard, S. Camilleri (N. Micallef), S. Sammut.

Melita: S. Zammit, J. Ellul Soler, N. Gauci, N. Pace, K. Agius Pace, M. Zammit (L. Mizzi), M. Azzopardi, D. Micallef, J. Abdilla, I. Vassallo, R. Sieerchelem (L.A. D' Amato).