Birkirkara missed the chance to open a two-point gap on Hibernians at the top and Msida St Joseph completed a rare double over Floriana but the main talking point last weekend was the exciting clash between Ħamrun Spartans and Marsaxlokk on Saturday.
Needing a win to keep their Championship Pool hopes alive, Ħamrun and Marsaxlokk traded six goals in the space of 24 minutes either side of half-time before the Spartans, having recovered from a two-goal deficit, hit the killer blow with 14 minutes remaining.
Marsaxlokk had drawn first blood through Brazilian striker Marcelo Pereira eight minutes from half-time and when Malcolm Licari doubled their advantage with a thumping drive six minutes into the second half, the game looked as good as over. But back came the Spartans who narrowed the deficit within a minute of Marsaxlokk's second goal, courtesy of Stefan Sultana.
In no time, the Spartans had made it 2-2, Manolito Micallef punishing more chaotic defending by Marsaxlokk as he finished a fine one-two with Sultana by drilling a low shot past Saviour Darmanin, on as a half-time substitute for Reuben Debono who picked up a groin injury.
The avalanche of goals persisted as barely two minutes after Micallef's equaliser for the Spartans, Marsaxlokk went back in front, Pereira beating Ivan Casha with a grounder. Any thoughts Marsaxlokk might have had of holding on to their slim advantage vanished immediately as Ħamrun took only a minute to level at 3-3, new signing Sylvano Comvalius crowning an excellent debut with a well-taken goal.
With Marsaxlokk's slow-moving defence looking increasingly vulnerable, the Spartans completed their amazing fightback when Gaetan Spiteri, on for Sultana in the second half, struck what proved to be the winner after receiving a through-ball from man-of-the-match Ryan Fenech. In the dying stages, Ħamrun defender Roderick Fenech was red-carded for use of abusive language.
Ħamrun's nailbiting win, their second on the trot after their 3-0 defeat of Sliema Wanderers last month, propelled them above Marsaxlokk and into seventh place with 11 points from 12 matches, one ahead of the stuttering Blues.
Saturday's victory also revived the Spartans' chances of earning a top-six slot but the next day, Msida St Joseph showed no signs of cracking under their rivals' pressure as they obtained a 1-0 win over Floriana.
Pedro Dos Santos Calcado scored the winner after 25 minutes as Floriana were left to bemoan their bad luck after hitting the woodwork on no fewer than four occasions.
Sunday's second game also produced a mini-surprise as relegation strugglers Qormi struck a 70th-minute equaliser to hold title hopefuls Birkirkara to a 1-1 draw. Danish defender Ron Hartvig gave Birkirkara a deserved lead early in the second half but Massimo Grima, a top performer for Qormi so far this season, earned his team a potentially precious point with a perfectly-hit free-kick.
Statistics - scorers, red cards
Birkirkara: Mifsud Triganza 4, Galea 4; Buhagiar 3, Mallia 3; Tabone 2 (2 pens), Hartvig 2; Bajada, Fenech. Red cards - Bajada (vs Marsaxlokk); Zerafa (vs Hibs); Holland (vs Msida).
Floriana: Darmanin 5; Anonam 4; M. Briffa 2, Madzar 2; Brincat (penalty), Doffo, Caruana. Red cards - Bugeja (vs Ħamrun); Caruana (vs Valletta); Borg (vs Birkirkara).
Ħamrun: Cucciardi 4 (1 pen.); Spiteri 3, Micallef 3; Kokavessis 2; Ortega (penalty), Levnaic, Sultana, Comvalius. Red cards - Spiteri (vs Floriana), Spiteri (vs Msida), Spiteri (vs Floriana); Roderick Fenech (vs Marsaxlokk).
Hibernians: Scerri 10 (1 pen.); Failla 5; Cohen 4 (2 pens); Galabov 2, J. Caruana 2, Farrugia 2, Mbongo 2; Grech, Callejas, Pulis. Own goals - Micallef (vs Ħamrun); Bonnici (vs Ħamrun). Red card - Mbongo (vs Valletta).
Marsaxlokk: Alcorse 5 (3 pens), Pereira 5; Licari 3 (1 pen); Said, Mattocks, Barbara, Cassar. Red cards - Camenzuli (vs Birkirkara); Said, Wellman (vs Msida SJ).
Msida: Calcado 10 (2 pens); Aurelio 4; Magro, T. Farrugia, Da Silva, Camilleri. Red cards - Da Silva (vs Ħamrun); T. Farrugia (vs Marsaxlokk).
Qormi: Effiong 4; Da Silva 3; Chetcuti 2, Grima 2; Farrugia. Red cards - Chetcuti (vs Hibernians); Nwoko (vs Ħamrun).
Sliema: Woods 5 (1 pen.); Bjedov 3; Bajada 2, Muscat 2; Severino, Azzopardi, Nisevic, Briffa. Red card - Bjedov (vs Ħamrun).
Tarxien: Bueno 9 (1 penalty); Chircop. Red cards - Carapic, Decesare (vs Qormi).
Valleta: Priso 7 (3 pens.); Zammit 3, G. Agius 3; Falzon 2; Dimech, Bondin, Frendo, Tolomeotti.
Next fixtures
Tomorrow (National Stadium): 7.30 p.m. Valletta vs Hibernians.
Sunday (National Stadium): 2 p.m. Marsaxlokk vs Sliema Wanderers; 4 p.m. Hibernians vs Ħamrun Spartans.
Saturday, Jan. 17 (National Stadium): 2 p.m. Marsaxlokk vs Floriana; 4 p.m. Sliema Wanderers vs Hibs.
Sunday, Jan. 18 (Hibs Ground): 12.45 p.m. Qormi vs Msida SJ; 2.45 p.m. Tarxien Rainbows vs Valletta.