Qormi kept marching on in the BOV Premier League as a hat-trick by Alfred Effiong gave them a 3-0 win over Msida St. Joseph on Saturday. Qormi move four points clear of second-placed Valletta, who however have a game in hand.

Effiong put Qormi ahead after just three minutes but the Yellows had to wait until eight minutes from time to make sure of the three points with another goal by Effiong. The Nigerian striker added another two minutes in added time.

Massimo Grima was voted BOV Player of the Match.

QORMI: Matthew Farrugia, Ramon Dos Santos, Massimo Grima, Keith Fenech, Joseph Farrugia (87′ Malcolm Buttigieg), Steve Meilak (20′ Joseph Chetcuti), Ryan Deguara (80′ Kenneth Spiteri), Jonathan Bondin, Stephen Wellman, Roderick Sammut, Alfred Effiong.

MSIDA: Manuel Bartolo, Stefano Grima, Adam Spiteri, Adrian Farrugia (86′ Iro Curmi), Emiliano Lattes, Roderick Baldacchino, Matthew Borda, Lydon Micallef (Andrew Formosa), Miguel Ciantar, Windell Gabriel, Tyrone Farrugia.

Referee: Adrian Azzopardi
Asst. Referees: Alan Camilleri, Fyodor Zammit
Fourth Official: Chris Lautier
Yellow cards: L. Micallef, T. Farrugia, A. Spiteri

Meanwhile in another match, Hibernians defeated Dingli Swallows 2-1.

Rumen Galabov put the Paolites ahead on 9 minutes.

Five minutes in the second half, Joseph Okonkwo levelled matters for the Swallows but Andrew Cohen notched the winner on 72 minutes when he converted a penalty after Edward Herrera was brought down inside the area.

Andrew Cohen was voted BOV Player of the Match.

DINGLI: Jeffrey Farrugia, Roderick Briffa, Shawn Tellus, Kurt Formosa, Victor Fiteni (Clint Caruana), Christian Muscat, Dino Cachia, Etienne Farrugia (79′ Haruna Doda), Kevin Borg (Chris Azzopardi), Joseph Okonkwo, Dylan Zarb.

HIBS: Mario Muscat, Jonathan Caruana, Edward Herrera, Adrian Pulis, Aaron Xuereb, Jonathan Pearson, Chris Camilleri (69′ Yan Cauchi), Andrew Cohen, Olegs Malasenoks (Elkien Cauchi), Ben Camilleri, Rumen Galabov (69′ Triston Caruana).

Referee: Marco Borg
Assistant Referees: Philip Agius, Sammy Attard
Fourth Official: Glenn Tonna
Yellow cards: J. Pearson, B. Camilleri, J. Okonkwo, E. Farrugia