Paolites make sure in first period

Valletta 1 Paola Hibs 3

The Paolites made sure of the three points in the first period as they built a healthy 3-0 lead.

They are now in fifth position on 15 points from 12 games while Valletta, who were saved from a heavier defeat thanks to very good saves by their keeper Luca Xerri, are in 7th position from eight on 4 points from 11 games.

The first two actions were created by Paola. Brite Ihuomah served Owden Vella in the area and from his low drive the ball hit the upright with Valletta keeper Luca Xerri beaten.

Xerri the tipped the ball over the bar to a corner from a Neill Buttigieg freekick.

In the first action by Valletta Kieran Spiteri Shaw was fouled outside the area and Paola keeper Miguel Camilleri saved the rising shot from the free kick by Sheldon Mackay.

Two more actions were then created by Paola. Buttigieg served Vella with a perfect low cross from the left flank and with an open goal at his mercy he drove out and Buttigieg dribbled past an opponent on the left edge of the area and Xerri denied him with a diving save to a corner.

Paola opened the score in the 27th minute when Buttigieg was fouled on the left edge of the area and Ihuomah scored direct from the free kick with a perfect curling shot.

Two minutes later they doubled their lead as Chetcuti pounced on a faulty pass by Valletta player Alexei Borg and, after advancing, scored with a low drive from inside the area.

The pressing by Paola resumed. Buttigieg was again fouled on the left edge of the area. Xerri saved the free kick by Chetcuti with a diving save to a corner.

In the second minute of added time Paola scored a third goal when Buttigieg was fouled on the left flank and Ihuomah scored again direct from the free kick with a rising shot in the top corner. Very few were the actions worthy of note after the resumption with the first two being created by Valletta.

A flag kick from the left flank by Mackay was partly cleared in his direction and following his high cross in the area the ball was headed away and Antheos Spiteri was fouled outside the area and Camilleri had to dive and save the free kick by Mackay, and in an action by Paola Chetcuti served Ihuomah with a through ball just outside the area but Xerri saved his rising shot.

In the 55th minute Valletta came close to narrowing the gap when Matthew Pulis served Mackay with a square pass outside the area but he missed the bar by inches from the distance.

At the other end substitue Kieron Caruana served substitute Sam Nelson with a through ball in the area who netted with a low shot but the point was disallowed for offside.

Five minutes before the end of normal time Valletta reduced the gap as Luke Galea was fouled on the left flank and Mackay scored direct from the free kick with a rising shot. The last action before the end was also created by Valletta when substitue Klose Azzopardi Conti was fouled outside the area but Mackay missed the bar by inches from the free kick.

Valletta: L.Xerri, L.Galea, Andy Borg, S.Mackay, M.Mercieca. M.Pulis, A.Spiteri, S.Tabone, D.Abela, V.Tasic, Alexei Borg Paola Hibs: M.Camilleri, N.Buttigieg, A.Camilleri, D.Caruana, M.Cassar, Z.M.Chetcuti, B.A. Ihuomah, L.Kassab, J.Musu, L.Sapiano, O.Vella

Player of the match: Zachary

Chetcuti (Paola Hibs) Referee: Gerard Zammit Young