Week Five of the 2018 Sepak Takraw League (STL) Premier season did not begin well for the Penang Black Panthers as they crashed to a 0-2 loss to the PDRM Defenders on Friday.

The defending champions, who had just returned to the top of the league table on Sunday, started without star players Syahir Rosdi and Azlan Alias, which backfired on them as they trailed 6-11 in no time in the first set.

Syahir was brought on to change the game flow, but he failed to prevent a 11-21 loss.

In the second set, the Penang side fared better and led 18-17 at one point but they eventually ran out of steam and lost 19-21.



Their defeat allowed the ATM Guardians to regain the top spot after they beat the Terengganu Turtles 2-1 in an earlier game.

After two tense sets of exchanging points 19-21, 22-20, the Guardians prevailed 21-9 in the rubber set.



It was double joy for the new league leaders, as third-place Kuala Lumpur Thunder fell further behind in the title loss after losing 1-2 to the Perak Bison.

The Thunder, now four points behind albeit with a game in a hand, lost 20-22, 21-17, 19-21.



Outside the involvements of the current top three, the Johor Tigris and the Kelantan Warriors served up a nail-biting treat for spectators at the Gem In Mall, Cyberjaya.

The southern team grinded a 21-17, 25-23 win to seal their fourth straight win.