Neptunes Emirates were again at their best yesterday, at least for most of the proceedings, as they slickly and easily strolled past opponents who could never raise their game to acceptable levels.
With Steve Camilleri and Tamas Molnar in their usual deadly striking form, followed by Michele Stellini and playing with absolute assurance, Neptunes were the masters.
Indeed, there was only one team in it and as things appear the race for the league championship this year is again restricted between the two great rivals - Sliema McDonald's and Neptunes.
The Reds' superiority in the opening session was translated into a 4-1 lead with the first conversion coming from Molnar after under 15 seconds.
More powerful swimming from Neptunes and judicious substitutions by their coach Sergey Markoch helped the team extend their lead to 9-4 by the half-way mark.
Until then, Neptunes maintained their perfect man-up reading only to make it five from seven in the end. The team from St Paul's Bay were not so prolific in these sets, having only scored two from nine.
The Reds were definitely putting up better fare as they hit four goals without reply, one of which underlined their perfect sync which had orchestrator Vladimir Vujasinovic netting after great work by Stellini.
A significant episode midway through this third quarter was the expulsion with substitution of Tamas Varga after a feud with five-goal Steve Camilleri.
The 13-4 scoreline by the end of this session left no doubt as to the outcome and as so often was the case Neptunes could afford to put in all their units and still win the last session 4-1.
Division two
Ta' Xbiex Mermaids Paradise pulled the strings in the latter sessions to secure victory over Marsascala Solid Base.
The lead alternated in the first two sessions but six consecutive goals by Ta' Xbiex after ends were changed settled the issue for them despite five conversions from Milos Koralji for the southseasiders and a late rally from them.
For the record, Ta' Xbiex had a clean sheet from five man-ups.
Summaries
Neptunes 17
Sirens 5
(4-1, 5-3, 4-0, 4-1)
Neptunes: N. Gouder, N. Lanzon, Z. Mizzi 1, M. Stellini 3, D. Camilleri, V. Vujasinovic 2, S. Camilleri 5, J. Camilleri 1, B. Buhagiar, S. Gravina, T. Molnar 4, M. Pisani 1, I. Bugeja.
Sirens: J. Sammut, A. Attard 1, C. Mercieca 1, P. Borg, J. Spiteri Staines, R. Mock 1, T. Varga 1, D. Cutajar, J. Borg, C. Zammit, Y. Vasovic 1, D. Zammit, E. Arrigo.
Referees: A. DeRaffaele, S. Alfio.
Marsascala 11
Ta' Xbiex 12
(3-3, 3-2, 0-2, 5-5)
Marsascala: R. Sciortino, J.C. Cutajar 1, B. Zsabo 1, M. Koralji 5, M. Borg Spiteri 1, L. Grixti 1, J. Licari 2, D. Cassar, S. Micallef, T. Agius, J. Bonnici, G. Pace, S. Farrugia.
Ta' Xbiex: A. Xuereb, D. Caruana 2, A. Farrugia 1, C. Bugeja 2, J. Tabone, E. Bonello 1, D. Gabriel 2, A. Galea 3, I. Azzopardi, M. Spiteri, T. Gyrovach 1.
Referees: M. Dalli, R. Spiteri.
Next fixtures
Wednesday: 18.00 San Ġiljan vs Exiles; 19.15 Sliema vs Sirens.
Friday: 18.00 Ta' Xbiex vs Marsaxlokk; 19.15 Sirens vs Exiles.
Saturday: 17.00 Marsascala vs Otters; 18.15 Neptunes vs San Ġiljan.