After a slow start Sliema McDonald's swept past Ta' Xbiex Mermaids Paradise to record their fourth victory in succession before they start their real test against more accomplished opponents.
As was to be expected, Ta' Xbiex, composed in part of very ripe veterans, could not last the pace against a Blues team who did not go beyond the occasional flutter.
The champions, replacing Otto Frikk with Bogdan Rath, the Italian of Romanian stock, were also handicapped by the withdrawal through injury early in the second session of Rajmund Fodor.
That absence, though, did not have any bearing on the outcome as Sliema's superiority was never in doubt despite double figures having been reached only midway through the last session.
Sliema's scoring chart had John Soler heading the list with a hat-trick, with Jerome Gabaretta and Daniel Paolella each netting twice.
For Ta' Xbiex, goalkeeper Alex Bianchi had another fine match.
In the second match of the day, San Ġiljan Tropicana were in no way made to sweat to overcome a lightweight Marsaxlokk team who had in their 11-man squad Italian Marco Bartolocci.
The final 18-5 scoreline said it all. There was nothing to register in the way of a contest as the Saints were the absolute masters against the plucky, but inexperienced, southseasiders under the tutelage of former San Ġiljan player Ian Azzopardi.
At the close of the first quarter, Marsaxlokk were already at the deep end of the pool, having conceded four goals without reply.
Although the Saints were not on a goal-rush, in the first two sessions, their ascendancy was clearly evident mainly courtesy of Boris Popovic, scorer of five goals, and the Claudio Spiteri de Barro-Yugoslav Vasovic tandem who each netted a hat-trick.
The third session produced six goals for Marco Risso's team while in the last part of the game the Saints augmented their tally by five more conversions.
Sliema 11
Ta' Xbiex 5
(3-1, 3-1, 3-1, 2-2)
Sliema: J. Cachia, J. Gabaretta 2, N. Lubrano 1, R. Fodor, M. Meli, J. Soler 3, D. Paolella 2, J. Brownrigg 1, C. Debono, J. Valletta 1, M. Rizzo, B. Rath 1, R. Coleiro.
Ta' Xbiex: A. Bianchi, S. Cachia, M. Manara, K. Falzon, G. Lubrano, B. Szalma, P. Paolella, K. Engerer, J. Tabone, E. Aquilina 2, G. Gera, D. Pisani 1, Y. Szeles 2.
Referees: I. Sciriha, S. Licari.
San Ġiljan 18
Marsaxlokk 5
(4-0, 3-1, 6-2, 5-2)
San Ġiljan: K. Schembri, C. Spiteri de Barro 3, C. Gialanze, B. Popovic 5, M. Borg Spiteri 2, A. Bianchi 2, P. Fava 1, D. Camilleri, M. Pace, A. Borda, Y. Vasovic 3, J. Xerri de Caro 1, K. Lanzon 1.
Marsaxlokk: A. Xuereb, G. Attard, R. Calleja, A. Farrugia, M. Buttigieg, C. Bugeja, M. Bartolocci 2, E. Bonello 2, K. Grima Scott 1, R. Attard, E. Arrigo.
Referees: R. Spiteri, A. DeRaffaele.
Playing today
5.00 p.m. Sirens vs Exiles
6.15 p.m. Neptunes vs Marsascala