The 7-Up championship will go through its most delicate programme of fixtures this summer as there could be a clear indication of this year's eventual winner at the end of the two matches scheduled for the weekend. These will be the penultimate matches before the league comes to an end next week.
Neptunes Vodafone are definitely out of the running and Marsascala Breakers have the slightest of chances to be there in the final reckoning as mathematically they can complete their commitments on equal points with Sliema Burger King and Go Mobile Sirens.
For if Marsascala win today against Neptunes and next week against Sliema, they would end up on 20 points. Meanwhile, if Sliema and Sirens, currently both on 19 points, draw again tomorrow and Neptunes beat the St Paul's Bay side next week, the three teams in contention could finish level on points. Again a remote possibility.
Marsascala have a score to settle with the Balluta Bay side of Neptunes. In their previous two encounters the Reds twice registered emphatic wins, the first, in the preliminary round which also rewarded the winners with the Sportswriters' Cup, Neptunes won 14-7 while in the first round of the league Dirk Dowling's boys also emerged winners 9-3.
The south seasiders of Pierre Borg hope to make it third time lucky, now with the return of starlet Clint Mercieca. Both Division One matches this weekend start at 6 p.m.
The national youths and Marsaxlokk Freeport will set the ball rolling today at 4 p.m. and this match is followed by Exiles RMF vs Ta' Xbiex Mermaids Paradise at 5 p.m.
But beyond any doubt the match of the weekend is that between the leading duo Sirens and Sliema. Both teams experienced different fortunes in their matches last week.
Sirens contrived to lose a five-goal advantage over an initially hapless Marsascala to finish on the losing end of a 7-6 scoreline and also miss the luxury of continuing to enjoy sole leadership.
Last week, Sliema maintained their winning sequence over a luckless Neptunes side who found the goalposts in their way on many an occasion before losing 6-5. Former Neptunes' stalwart John Paris scored five of the Sliema goals as the Reds only scored once from seven man-up sets.
Guzi Attard's side beat Sliema 7-5 in the preliminary round match, winning the President's Cup in the process, and the first round encounter ended in a 7-7 draw.
Sliema, on their part under the guidance of Sergio Afric, will be eager to register their third championship in a row and a win for them tomorrow is a must.
The Division Two match between San Giljan and Otters precedes the top match at 5 p.m.