Hibernians 3
Cohen 8, Lima 15, 30;
Melita 1
Galea 52;

A clinical first-half display saw the Paolites chalk up a comfortable 3-1 win over Melita with Brazilian midfielder Jackson de Lima Sequira in lively form and illuminating play, particularly in the first half.

With Ryan Camilleri, Marcelo Dias and Andrew Cohen also in support, Melita’s defence struggled to cope.

Lima was allowed time and space by his accommodating marker Karl Vella Petroni who was outpaced at random, before Martin Gregory threw on defender Ivan Tufegdzic after 31 minutes.

The Amateurs started to cope better with the new Serb signing in the team but by then damage had already been done.

In fact, by that point, Hibernians were 3-0 in front with Lima scoring two goals besides producing other neat touches.

Martin Gregory’s Melita performed admirably against Rabat Ajax last week but the loss of George Gribbon, Michael Martin and Manuel Ramon Sierra Camacho left him with an arguably inferior side this time.

Jose Luis Armaro Negrin was positioned at the apex of a 4-1-4-1 formation with Julian Galea, Luke Micallef, Luke Sammut and Kane Micallef handed instructions to break forward whenever the team had possession.

Michael Woods continued with his policy of rotating selection, dropping Johann Bezzina and Zoran Levniac to the bench in favour Adrian Pulis and Anderson Ribeiro.

The Hibernians mentor selected Brazilian Ribeiro as a lone striker in a 4-4-1-1 formation with Marcelo Dias and Steve Pisani deployed wide and Cohen just behind.

It was a combination between Camilleri and Pisani that created space for Cohen to strike his 100th goal for the club, breaching Karl Zahra’s resistance for the first time in the eighth minute.

Lima’s first telling contribution was to collect a pass from Cohen just outside the Melita box before tipping the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper.

That was the 15th minute and Hibs did not have too wait long for a third.

Picking up the ball in space, Kristensen’s brilliant ‘no look’ pass was weighted perfectly down the right channel into which Lima scampered. The Brazilian left himself no margin of error in hitting past Zahra.

Tufegdzic lifted Melita’s play but Hibs continued to enjoy spells of pressure.

Soon after the break, Camilleri overlapped down the right and his shot from the edge of the area landed on the roof of Zahra’s net.

Camilleri again went dashing down the flank soon after with Dias darting behind him in the middle to receive the ball but the Brazilian’s lopping shot bounced off the bar.

The Amateurs scarcely merited a way back into the game but on 52 minutes Julian Galea beat the offside trap to deposit the ball behind Mario Muscat.

Melita started to pose some threat now with swift counter-attacks launched by Galea.

Jovan Vukanic did well to dispossess Pulis on the right flank but dragged his effort just wide of Muscat’s goal.

Hibernians substitute John Nwoba wasted a good chance to increase the score late on when, despite being sandwiched between two defenders, he outjumped his marker but hit over the bar with the goal at mercy.

Hibernians
M. Muscat-6, R. Camilleri-7.5 J. Pearson-6 (77 Z. Levnaic), A. Pulis-6, S. Pisani-5.5 (46 J. Bezzina), R. Soares-6, M. Dias-6, A. Ribeiro-6 (71 J. Nwoba), A. Cohen-6.5, B. Kristensen-6.5, J. Lima-7.5.

Melita
K. Zahra-5.5, K. Vella Petroni-3 (31 I. Tufegdzic-6), D. Gravino-4.5, R. Alhinho-5.5, J. Vukanic-7, L. Sammut-6.5, J. Galea-5, K. Micallef-5, L. Micallef-5.5 (76 T. Terpougoff), J. Armaro Negrin-6, A. Caruana Scicluna-5 (83 M. Valenzia).

Referee: Andre Arciola.

Yellow cards: K. Micallef, Caruana Scicluna, Tufegdzic, Camilleri, Cohen.

BOV Player of the match: Ryan Camilleri (Hibernians).