Determined to gather the three points and reclaim the top spot, Valletta’s first arrived inside the opening ten minutes.

Denni whipped a dangerous free-kick to the far post and Tarxien’s defence stood and watched as Valletta forward Kyrian Nwoko stole to flick the ball goalwards. Christian Cassar superbly

The game effectively ended as a contest on 33 minutes, when Matteo Piciollo was allowed to run clear down the left and roll a pass that was clinically turned home by the grateful Nwoko.

One minute from half-time, the Tarxien’s defence showed the slackness and nerves that has bedeviled them at times this season. From a corner, Denni found Santiago Malano completely unmarked at the far post, pushed the ball over the line.  

Valletta began the second-half as they did the first with Piciollo putting his name on the scoresheet. Denni played a part in Valletta’s fourth goal again when terrible defending allowed Steve Borg freedom to jink inside the box and superbly connected with the Brazilian’s corner to set up the Italian striker who head home unmarked.

Tarxien’s best chance came 15 minutes from time but Ricardo Faria’s fierce shot cannoned off the crossbar and this only served to compound the misery.

Nwoko opened up the fragile centre of the Tarxien’s defence for Fenech to bury Valletta’s fifth on 79 minutes.

Nwoko rubbed salt in the wound with another quality finish, eight minutes from time. If the six-goal margin of defeat was harsh on Tarxien, it demonstrated Valletta’s awesome finishing power.