Tarxien Rainbows 5
Dos Santos 25, 70; Bueno 50, 75, 90
Ħamrun Spartans 1
Sultana 83 pen.
Tarxien are making a habit of reserving their best performances for their encounters with Ħamrun.
The third meeting between these two strugglers yesterday was expected to be tight. However, it was anything but as, for the second time this season, Tarxien humiliated the helpless Reds to replace them as the leading team in the Relegation Pool.
Brazilian forwards Daniel Mariano Bueno and Denni Rocha Dos Santos were in fine fettle for the Rainbows as they struck all their five goals in what was largely a one-sided match.
Ħamrun's chances of preserving their status are still bright but a repeat of this disjointed display would have serious repercussions on their survival hopes.
Suspension deprived the Spartans of Roderick Fenech and Mano Micallef.
The early exchanges were bereft of any goalmouth action.
On 20 minutes, Ħamrun came close to taking the lead when Diego Cucciardi's forward pass released Sylvano Comvalius but the latter's effort sailed wide.
The deadlock was broken five minutes later but it was Tarxien who scored.
Receiving a pass on the right, Bueno controlled the ball before serving Rocha Dos Santos who fired home from a central position.
The Spartans would have grabbed an immediate equaliser were it not for the woodwork. Comvalius laid the ball back to Cucciardi but the latter's piledriver cannoned off the bar.
Two minutes past the half-hour mark, the Spartans threatened again through Comvalius who was denied by Tarxien goalkeeper Anthony Curmi.
The match remained evenly-poised but the Rainbows almost doubled their lead five minutes from half-time. Chircop's centre from the left flew across the face of goal where Bueno just failed to connect.
Ħamrun's afternoon took a turn for the worse less than five minutes into the second half.
A breakaway by Tarxien again exposed the frailties of the Spartans' defence. Bueno pushed forward before passing to Chircop who powered his way to the edge of the box. The latter looked to have been dispossessed but the ball broke to Bueno whose firm drive hit Bonnici on its way home.
The Spartans were in a state of chaos. Rocha Dos Santos headed wide from in front of goal after a cross from Bueno.
Sensing Ħamrun's psychological decline, Tarxien continued to apply pressure on their opponents. A goalmouth melee saw the Spartans just managing to repel Chircop's attempt away for a corner.
The woodwork then came to Ħamrun's rescue as Bueno's long-range grounder came off the far post and Chircop's strike from the rebound rattled the bar.
Right on the hour, D'Amato made his first substitution, veteran striker Stefan Sultana coming on for Bonnici.
Two minutes later, the Spartans came close to pulling one back when Spiteri jinked his way into the box but his attempt was diverted towards goal by De Lima. Luckily for the Rainbows, Clifford Gatt Baldacchino had sprinted back and hooked the ball away.
Ħamrun tried to muster a reaction but their hopes disappeared when, with 20 minutes left, Tarxien made it 3-0.
Chircop, one of Tarxien's better players, crossed towards the centre where Dos Santos easily placed the ball past Casha.
Tarxien increased their lead 15 minutes from time. Dos Santos, again, burst through the Spartans' defence before setting up Bueno who tapped in.
Sultana then headed just wide for the Spartans but, at the other end, only a brilliant save from Casha denied Rocha Dos Santos his hat-trick.
With seven minutes remaining, Ħamrun were awarded a penalty after substitute Andrew Decesare was deemed to have tripped Spiteri. Sultana drove the spot kick past Curmi.
But in the dying stages, Bueno restored Tarxien's four-goal advantage when flicking past Casha after being put through by substitute James Shead.
Tarxien Rainbows
A. Curmi-7, S. Sadowski-6, C. Gatt Baldacchino-6.5, E.A. De Lima-6.5, W. Chircop-7 ('73 A. Decesare), M. Tanti-5.5, R. Schembri-5, D.M. Bueno-8, L. Vella Critien-5 ('66 M. Caruana-5.5), D. Rocha Dos Santos-8, D. Camilleri-6 ('79 J. Shead).
Ħamrun Spartans
I. Casha-4, M.A. Bonnici-5 ('60 S. Sultana), D.A. Cucciardi-5.5, Z. Levnaic-6, S. Comvalius-5, S. Meilak-4.5, R. Fenech-5.5, R. Mangion-5, F. Anton-5, G. Spiteri-5.5, J. Bondin-5.
Referee: Saviour Tanti.
Yellow cards: Chircop, Dos Santos.
BoV player of the match: Denni Rocha Dos Santos (Tarxien).