With Ilves not participating in domestic matches this midweek, Inter Turku understood that a victory would return them to the top of the table, but it was no simple task against an SJK team that was on a six-match unbeaten streak in the league.
However, Inter made it seem effortless - they took the lead just a minute into the game when an Axel Kouame shot from a difficult angle hit the post and bounced back for Dimitri Legbo to convert.
The hosts were up 2-0 in the 27th minute when Legbo's cross from the right found an open Jean Botue, who made no mistake with his header.
SJK's defense struggled against the relentless Turku offense, which tore through their ranks with seven minutes remaining in the half - a superb one-touch play that started on the right wing concluded with Florian Krebs setting up Kouame, who calmly slotted home the third goal.
However, the Seinajoki team gave themselves a flicker of hope in first-half stoppage time, when Samuel Chukwudi assisted Kasper Paananen to make it 3-1 at halftime.
Nonetheless, the day clearly belonged to Inter, who capped off their performance in the 95th minute - Jasse Tuominen pursued Kouame's ball over the top, rounded the onrushing goalkeeper, and slotted in the fourth for the home side.
The victory ensured Inter rebounded from a disappointing draw with KTP last time, and they have qualified for the Championship Round with five regular season matches still remaining. A first league defeat in six leaves SJK in fifth place, three points behind KuPS, who did not play this weekend.
On Monday, HJK sought to avenge their earlier defeat, winning the Helsinki derby 4-2 away against 10-man Gnistan to move up to third in the standings, one point ahead of last season's champions.
Gnistan's hopes of achieving a league double over their rivals took a significant hit 21 minutes in, when Evgeniy Bashkirov was sent off. The 10 men held firm for another 17 minutes, before Georgios Kanellopoulos set up Benji Michel to break the deadlock.
Nine minutes after halftime, Kanellopoulos provided his second assist of the match, finding Santeri Hostikka, who cut inside and fired a shot from the edge of the area, which took a wicked deflection and trickled past the wrong-footed goalkeeper.
The home side made a contest of it three minutes later, when Gabriel Europaeus pulled one back, only for HJK to restore their two-goal cushion with 25 minutes remaining, thanks to Michel's second goal of the match, nodding in Hostikka's cross.
Kai Meriluoto secured the victory shortly thereafter, and although Artur Atarah netted a consolation goal, it was mission accomplished and a third consecutive league win for HJK, while Gnistan remains in seventh after two straight losses.
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