Nadur Youngsters beat champions Għajnsielem 1-0 to open a four-point lead at the top of the GFA Division One standings.
This clash between two strong contenders for the major honours on the sister island this season lived up to expectations with fine attacking play and action at both ends of the pitch.
Nadur were the better side in the first half and scored the goal that mattered most on 41 minutes when Dewide Dos Santos fired an unstoppable drive past the Blacks’ goalkeeper from outside the box.
Għajnsielem hit back strongly after the break as they looked to maintain their unbeaten run in the league.
But the Youngsters held tight in defence and the closest the Blacks went to scoring was after the hour mark when a headed attempt by John Camilleri beat the keeper but was cleared off the goal-line by the well-positioned Ronaldo Da Silva.
Xewkija Tigers recovered from the unexpected setback in their previous match with a 2-1 win over Victoria Hotspurs.
This was a lively match with various scoring opportunities for both teams and the outcome undecided until the very end.
The Hotspurs were more offensive in their play in the initial stages of the match even though they were rather erratic in their finishing as the first half ended goalless.
However, on 68 minutes the deadlock was broken when Shaun Attard put the Hotspurs in front after placing his shot beyond the keeper’s reach.
The Tigers were stunned but soon regrouped and levelled the scores thanks to Manwel Xerri who tapped the ball home following a melee inside Hotspurs’ penalty area.
Both teams threw caution to the wind.
In the end, though, it was veteran Daniel Bogdanovic who gave Xewkija all points after finding the opponents’ net following a fast break deep into stoppage time.
Kerċem Ajax also ended the first round on a positive note after a 2-0 win over bottom-placed Xagħra United.
The Ajax’s goals came through Andrew Mizzi (32) and Trayo Grozev (63). Kerċem’s match finished on a bad note though as they had Ognjen Rolovic sent off for retaliation.
In another match from the Gozitan top-flight last weekend, SK Victoria Wanderers and Oratory Youths, both hovering in the bottom half of the league standings, returned home with a point each following a one-all draw.
Ian Xuereb put the Wanderers ahead on 20 minutes but the Youths, who had striker Everton Felipe Da Silva Santos missing due to an injury, equalised midway through the second half when a Keith Farrugia effort took a deflection on its way past the goalkeeper.
Late on, Oratory Youths had Borja Polo Longarela sent off for elbowing.