San Ġiljan Firetech, Neptunes Emirates and Sliema McDonald's picked up the points at the expense of Marsascala Solid Base Engineering, Ta' Xbiex Mermaids Paradise and Exiles Jet Services respectively as the National Championship resumed yesterday.
The Saints were able to impose their game by virtue of decisive scorelines in the first and third sessions and definitely courtesy of Hungarian Marton Toth, scorer of seven goals followed by Edward Aquilina who netted a poker.
Otherwise the southseasiders tried to battle bravely with Milos Koralji, scorer of a fine goal, and Botond Szabo netting three and two goals respectively.
But in the end it was a clear-cut victory for Marco Risso's team.
It was nothing more than a practice session for Neptunes in the second match as they easily brushed aside opponents who could offer no resistance. An 8-0 lead in the first quarter set the pattern of the match even if at times the Balluta team went into careless mode, sparked by casual play.
Meanwhile Sergey Markoch started ringing the changes in his squad, at times putting in as many as three tail-enders at one go, including youngsters Zach Mizzi and Kyle Debattista.
The talismanic Steve Camilleri, scorer of a remarkable goal, was his team's chief marksman with a naphand followed by four-goal Michele Stellini.
For the record, the Reds played without Nicky Lanzon and Sean Gravina.
A four-goal start conceded by the Blues and ably exploited by Exiles constituted a veritable fright for Sergio Afric's team who contrived a nervy take off which was extended into the third session when Joe Caruana Dingli's outfit were still 7-5 up.
The Blues were forced to grind their teeth but in so doing were guilty of more mistakes. Almost midway through the third session they made it 7-7 through new signings Arjosa Kunac, after which Bogdan Rath edged his team in front for the first time on 8-7.
That was the turning point, with the Blues' stringent press paying dividends against their mentally and physically exhausted opponents.
Meanwhile, a seven-goal spree in that third quarter swayed the game in Sliema's favour. They then went on to canter home easily with John Soler scoring five goals. Exiles replied mainly through four-goal Cosmin Bonca.
San Ġiljan 18
Marsascala 11
(5-1, 4-5, 4-1, 5-4)
San Ġiljan: D. Camilleri, C. Spiteri de Barro, M. Pace 1, K. Galea 3, C. Gialanze 1, K. Dowling, H. Nossek 1, A. Bianchi, E. Aquilina 4, R. Scerri, P. Fava 1, M. Toth 7, K. Schembri, A. Borda, K. Galea.
Marsascala: R. Sciortino, J.C. Cutajar, B. Szabo 2, M. Koralji 3, M. Borg Spiteri 1, L. Grixti, J. Licari 1, J. Cremona 1, S. Micallef 2, T. Agius 1, R. Attard, G. Pace, J. Bonnici, S. Farrugia.
Referees: Mario Dalli, Alex De Raffaele.
Neptunes 20
Ta' Xbiex 2
(8-0, 3-0, 5-2, 4-0)
Neptunes: N. Gouder, N. Lanzon, K. Micallef, M. Stellini 4, D. Camilleri 1, B. Lanzon 1, S. Camilleri 5, J. Camilleri 3, B.Buhagiar, M. Gor-Nagy 2, Z. Mizzi, T. Molnar 3, M. Pisani 1, I. Bugeja, K. Debattista.
Ta' Xbiex: A. Xuereb, S. Cachia, D. Caruana, A. Farrugia, G. Lubrano, C. Bugeja, J.J. Tabone 1, E. Bonello, D. Gabriel, A. Galea, I. Azzopardi, M. Spiteri, T. Gyrovath 1.
Referees: Peter Giordano, Ronnie Spiteri.
Sliema 17
Exiles 10
(0-3, 5-4, 7-1, 5-2)
Sliema: R. Coleiro, J. Gabaretta 1, N. Lubrano, M. Spiteri Staines, M. Meli, J. Soler 5, D. Paolella, J. Brownrigg 2, C. Debono 1, A. Kunac 4, M. Rizzo 1, B. Rath 3, A. Bianchi.
Exiles: A. Borg Cole, J. Rizzo Naudi, J. Fenech, C. Bonca 4, T. Sullivan 1, M. Calleja, J. Paris 2, K. Grixti, A. Zarb Cousin, A. Cousin 3, S. Vassallo, S. Cini, K. Lanzon.
Referees: Mario Dalli, Stefan Licari.