Hibernians claimed another three points thanks to a most comfortable 5-0 win over Mosta to stay eight points clear of second-placed Birkirkara and move another step closer to the title.
While for Hibs, this was the twenty-fourth win in twenty-eight matches, for Mosta, this defeat was the fourth in five matches. They stay six points ahead of bottom-placed Tarxien and five ahead of Pietà and Zebbug.
The Paolites managed to take the lead on the 25th thanks to a fine curved shot by Jorge da Silva Pereira from the left which gave goalkeeper Omar Borg no chance.
Six minutes from the end of the second half, Jackson di Lima Siqueira was unlucky to hit the crossbar.
Hardly a minute later, Hibs doubled the score when off a cross by Clayton Failla, Jean Paul Farrugia chested the ball down on the right before hitting hard and the shot was too strong for the Mosta goalkeeper to save.
One minute from half-time, the Paolites scored the third goal when off a cross from the left, Rodolfo Soares headed the ball into the direction of Luis Andre de Melo Lima who scored from close range.
In a swift counter-attack for Hibernians, on the 68th minute, consecutive shots by Jorginho and Jean Paul Farrugia were blocked with Luis Andre hitting just wide off the rebound.
Seven minutes from time, Jurgen Degabriele, served by Cohen, beat Omar Borg with a diagonal shot from the right.
But it was not over yet as Jorge da Silva Pereira sealed the issue with a fifth goal on the 87th minute following a pass by Jurgen Degabriele from the right.
HIBS Henry Bonello, Rui da Gracia Gomes, Jackson di Lima Siqueira, Rodolfo Soares (69′ Jonathan Pearson), Andrew Cohen, Bjorn Kristensen, Clayton Failla, Luis Andre de Melo Lima (74′ Jurgen Degabriele), Andrei Agius, Jorge da Silva Pereira, Jean Paul Farrugia (79′ Marcelo Dias).
Subs not used: Jurgen Borg, Keith Tanti, Johann Bezzina, Joseph Mbong.
Coach: Branko NisevicMOSTA Omar Borg, Ryan Grech (68′ Zak Brincat), Ian Zammit, Ousman Koli, Tyrone Farrugia, Udo Fortune, Mark Brincat, Dyson Falzon, Kurt Magro (86′ Kyle Frendo), Mickael Nicoise Dawood (46′ James Brincat), Haruna Babangida.
Subs not used: Kyle Gerada, Karl Pulo, Adrian Borg, Alieu Darbo.
Coach: Peter SmithReferee: Trustin Farrugia Cann
Assistant Referees: Roberto Vella, Jurgen Spiteri
Fourth Official: Sandro Spiteri
Yellow Cards: Bonello
Scorers: 25′ Jorge da Silva Pereira, 39′ Jean Paul Farrugia, 44′ Luis Andre Melo de Lima, 83′ Jurgen Degabriele, 87′ Jorge da Silva Pereira
Attendance at the National Stadium: 883
Meanwhile Qormi collected another precious point in the battle against relegation after holding Sliema Wanderers in a goalless draw.
Qormi now lie two points ahead of Zebbug and Pietà and three ahead of Tarxien. Sliema, on the other hand, lie in a rather comfortable mid-table position on 22 points.
The two teams had their fair share of scoring opportunities. Michael Mifsud had a shot partially saved by Farrugia on the 14th and on the other side of the pitch, Effiong served Ryan Micallef whose shot was blocekd by Zammit. A Jonathan Bondin effort, deflected by a defender, hit the posts on 32 minutes.
Andrea Pisanu went close with a direct freekick which just missed the target early in the second half. Glenn Zammit then performed good saves on Villalobos and Effiong. Finally on the 90th, a diagonal shot by Leighton Grech hit the foot of the upright.
SLIEMA Glenn Zammit, Alex Muscat, Filippo Andrea Scozzese, John Mintoff (66’ Aidan Jake Friggieri), Michael Mifsud (89’ Beppe Muscat), Andrea Pisanu, Clifford Gatt Baldacchino, Marko Potezica, Trevor Cilia, Djumo Bocar, Stefano Biancardi (76’ Mateus Ribeiro dos Santos).
Subs not used: Sam Bartolo, Luca Martinelli, Joseph Borg, Peter Xuereb.
Coach: Stephen AzzopardiQORMI Matthew Farrugia, Christopher Edafe Uzeh (73’ Marcelo Roberto Lima de Mattos), Alejandro Mendoza, Alfred Effiong, Clifford Gauci, Ryan Micallef (88’ Emerson Vella), Zoran Levnajic, Duncan Pisani, Jonathan Bondin (71’ Leighton Grech), Gustavo Villalobos, Billy Berntsson.
Subs not used: Mario Muscat, Jurgen Cilia, Bjorn Bondin, Karl Sciortino.
Coach: Mark MillerReferee: Fyodor Zammit
Assistant Referees: Mitchell Scerri, Luke Portelli
Additional Assistant Referees: Chris Lautier, Philip Farrugia
Fourth Official: Peter Abela
Yellow cards: Mintoff, Bocar, Potezica, Micallef
BOV Player of the Match : Glenn Zammit
Attendance at the Hibernians Stadium: 606
Renato Vella reporting from the Hibernians Stadium