Paolites settle issue in six minutes

Floriana 0
Hibernians 3

Hibernians' six-minute flurry in the first half gave them an easy victory over Floriana's who were coming from a good outing against Valletta last week.

Following a good start by Jimmy Briffa's side yesterday, Floriana were struck by a lethal six-minute spell by Hibernians, during which the Paolites showed class and clinical finishing.

After starting badly the season badly with a 3-0 defeat to Sliema, Hibernians are now showing their mettle and could easily be in line as one of the contenders for the league title.

Haruna Doda, who yesterday had a good match, is improving fast and looks like to have formed a good partnership with Andrew Cohen.

Floriana on their side had another disappointing encounter, similar to the one they had against Pietà in the opening game of the season, and are still in search of their first win of the season.

Their loyal fans are surely fed up with the way their team is performing, and yesterday they also had a go at their coach Jimmy Briffa, as they hurled abuse towards him.

Doda and Cohen were an awesome duo and the Floriana defence could do nothing to cope with them.

The Greens had an Anthony Evi Parker drive punched away to safety by Mario Muscat in the 11th minute. A minute later, Floriana protested for a penalty when Aaron Xuereb looked to had touched the ball with a hand after being pressed by Evi Parker.

But from then on it was all Hibernians. After 13 minutes, a Doda first-time effort hit the crossbar and from the rebound Andrew Cohen slotted the ball home.

In the 16th minute a Clayton Failla cross found Doda, who rattled the net with a fierce drive.

Three minutes later, Robert Gatt's side made it-3-0. An Antoine Zahra cross found Terence Scerri whose low show from just inside the area gave Simon Agius, the Floriana goalkeeper, no chance.

Briffa's side did not know what had hit them but as time passed they tried to trouble the Hibernians rearguard.

Nevertheless, Hibs could have made it 4-0 when from a swift counter attack Scerri ran inside the Floriana box, squeezed the ball past Agius but somehow a posse of Floriana defenders just managed to clear the ball away.

Floriana could have had a say in the match when three minutes before the break Peter Pullicino floored his former colleague Adrian Mifsud and a penalty was given.

Andre Da Silva took the kick with the ball being finger-tipped by Muscat, hitting a post and eventually the Hibs defence hooking the ball away to safety.

Like the previous match the game died down in the second half. Floriana tried their best to cause problems to their opponents but the best chance fell to Scerri who in the 68th minute received a through-pass from Cohen, but the young Hibs striker was foiled when Agius dived at his feet to clear the danger.

In the 72nd minute, Scerri again came face to face with Agius but shot weakly and straight into the keeper.

Hibernians continued to waste chances and in the 80th minute Edmond Agius, in for Pullicino, was free in front of the Floriana goalkeeper Agius after a good counter-attacking move but the custodian thwarted his effort.

Floriana: S. Agius 7; R. Gango Rtsa 6, J. Briffa 6 (R. Darmanin 5), K. Fabri 6, C. Cassar 6, M. Micallef 6, M. Brincat 5 (M. Caruana), T. Cilia 6, A. Da Silva 6, A. Evi Parker 5 (N. Baldacchino), A. Mifsud 5.

Hibernians: M. Muscat-6, P. Pullicino-7 ('76 E. Agius), A. Xuereb-7, D. Camilleri-6, E. Mbong-6, A. Zahra-6, C. Failla-7 ('80 J. Vella), A. Cohen 7, T. Scerri-5 ('80 J. Caruana), R. Mintoff-6, H. Doda-8.

Referee: Adrian Azzopardi.

Scorers: Cohen 13, Doda 16, Scerri 19.

Yellow Cards: Cohen, Xuereb, Scerri, Briffa.

BOV Player of the Match: Andrew Cohen (Hibernians).