All the top three teams registered wins at the weekend keeping a ‘Status Quo’ at the top of the Bank of Valletta Premier League.

Valletta beat Sliema, Marsaxlokk overcame Hamrun and Birkirkara had the better of Floriana. When one match still remains to be played before the end of the first round of this Championship Pool, Valletta lead the standings on 28 points, followed by Marsaxlokk on 26, Birkirkara on 24, Sliema on 19, Floriana and Hamrun on 15.

This all points out to a three-horse race for the title in the second round of this second phase as Sliema now seem to be well out of contention after having their colours lowered by Valletta on Saturday.

It was again Frank Temile who was on target for the citizens as he scored a brace to sink the depleted Wanderers.

What will Valletta do without him against Marsaxlokk the coming weekend (he will be suspended after receiving a fourth yellow card), we still have to see. What is sure is that he was greatly influential in his side’s winning the last two matches – he had also scored the winner in the match against Floriana the previous weekend.

On Saturday, Valletta deserved the points for showing more consistency. They were definitely the best team on the field of play and they fought for the points all the way.

They were a superior outfit and outplayed the Blues for most of the time. And it all points to a successful run for the citizens, possibly till the end of the competition.

If the Lilywhites maintain their current form, they will certainly remain the favourites for the title win which they have failed to win for several years now.

The Blues offered some decent opposition in the first half, but when they conceded the goal just before the whistle blew off, then it looked apparent that defeat was staring them in the face.

Without the suspended Ivan Woods, they simply did not have the means to fight back in the second half as the citizens took complete control, adding a second goal before the end to add to the Blues’ woes.

Following this defeat, Sliema remain a distant fourth in the standings, nine points behind Valletta and five below third placed Birkirkara, with whom they will probably have to fight hard to earn a place in Europe, possibly through a third placing in the League.

Marsaxlokk maintained the pace as they returned to winning form to beat Hamrun Spartans 3-1 in the first match on Saturday.

The champions seemed to be heading towards a comfortable victory when they took an early 2-0 lead, but with Hamrun reducing the deficit just before the interval, the second half had a different story before the southern seasiders eventually made sure of the three points with a penalty goal 15 minutes from the end.

Brian Talbot’s men now face leaders Valletta in a most important clash – the two sides’ last commitment in this first round of the Championship Pool.

And they are more than aware that they have to avoid defeat at all costs if they are to keep their hopes of retaining the title they won last season alive – even if that means giving Birkirkara the chance to come closer if they beat Hamrun Spartans.

The Stripes are also another team which is showing consistency. They have now registered three wins and a draw in the Championship Pool – 10 points out of a possible 12. Let us not forget that it was only in their final first phase match that they made sure of a place in this Championship Pool courtesy of a goalless draw with Floriana.

On Sunday they beat the Greens 2-0 with a goal in each half from former Floriana player Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza.

The victory enabled them to maintain the distance with the two teams in front, but John Buttigieg’s men will have to continue winning their matches to stand any chance of challenging for the title till the very end.

And perhaps Buttigieg himself might concede that although anything can happen in the game of football, his side is not yet best equipped to challenge for the title.

As for Floriana and Hamrun Spartans, it is more than evident that their interest in the proceedings has diminished almost completely already. After suffering their third defeat, their main aim now is to prepare for a good run in the U*Bet FA Trophy.