Djurgarden knew taking three points at Kalmar would be enough to move them a point clear of Hammarby, but that proved to be easier said than done as the home side put them under pressure in the first half, with Charles Sagoe Jr at the heart of Kalmar's most promising attacks.
But when the deadlock was broken approaching the midpoint in the second half, it was the away fans celebrating - Bo Hegland drifted in off the left side and curled a beauty from 25 yards into the bottom corner.
The visitors held on for the points, but not without controversy, as Kalmar had the ball in the net 10 minutes from time when a cross from the left evaded both sets of players in the penalty area, only to be disallowed for a push by Noah Shamoun on Max Larsson.
That meant Blaranderna now have four wins in a row without conceding, while KFF are 13th, only staying above the bottom three on goal difference.
Current Allsvenskan champions Mjallby remain at serious risk of relegation after a third successive loss leaves them just a point clear of the bottom three, while Goteborg are now six points further clear having taken seven points from their last three games.
The first goal of this five-goal game didn't arrive until just before the hour mark, though given the balance of play it was no surprise it was the visitors who went ahead, as Oliver Mansson threaded the ball through to Nino Zugelj, who steered it into the bottom corner.
They only had to wait five minutes more for the second - the Mjallby defence allowed Alexander Zimmelhack too much time and space to cut in from the left and curl the ball over the goalkeeper from the edge of the area.
And MAIF were caught napping again with 15 minutes to play when Tobias Heintz tapped a free-kick to Sam Larsson, who stole an extra 10 yards before firing in off the post from 25 yards out. And the same combination worked again a few minutes later, as Heintz sent a ball over the top and Larsson got in behind, went around the goalkeeper and tucked it into the empty net.
The home side got on the scoresheet soon after when Olle Lindberg got on the end of a Victor Gustafsson cross, but it was a dismal night for Mjallby, who have won just five league games all season. They sit 12th with Goteborg 11th, though MAIF still have a game in hand on those around them.
There was more good news for Djurgarden as Malmo and AIK played out a goalless draw that means none of the sides now sitting from third to ninth in the table picked up a win this round.
The visitors' Linus Carlstrand had the best chance of the first half, as his curling effort was tipped around the post by Robin Olsen. After the break, the home side missed a glorious chance when Jovan Milosavljevic was played through on goal, but Kristoffer Nordfeldt denied him from point-blank range.
Malmo sit seventh unbeaten in two; AIK's run of three wins in a row came to an end, and they sit two points and two places higher.
Sirius finally ending their losing streak on Saturday 5th put the pressure on Hammarby to keep pace with the leaders, but it was pressure that got to Bajen, who failed to beat relegation-threatened Orgryte on Sunday 6th.
The home side went ahead right on the 10-minute mark, when a corner ricocheted around the Hammarby box and fell kindly for the unmarked William Hofvander to tap in at the near post.
The OIS joy was short-lived, as only a few minutes later, Markus Karlsson was upended inside the area, and the in-form Victor Lind sent the goalkeeper the wrong way from the spot to register his eighth goal involvement in six matches.
But any hope the visitors had of the floodgates opening were soon dashed, as the Orgryte goal lived a charmed life either side of the break, as Noah Persson and Paulos Abraham both struck the woodwork, and not even Lind could find a way through the resolute home defence, as he saw a late effort cleared off the line, as OIS held on for a precious point.
It's a point that takes them four points behind Degerfors and Kalmar in the battle for survival, though they are now winless in five. It's just one point from their last two games for Hammarby, who are eight points shy of Sirius with two thirds of the season played.
Elfsborg lost their five-game unbeaten run on the road at Brommapojkarna, missing the chance to close in on the European places, as the home side made it three wins in the last four.
BP made an ideal start, taking the lead with just over a minute played - Wilmer Odefalk got past his man on the right side and cut the ball back for Anton Kurochkin to steer into the bottom corner.
Elfsborg were wasteful with their limited number of first-half chances, before equalising with just over an hour played in controversial fashion. Brommapojkarna goalkeeper Leo Cavallius was down injured following a collision with Leo Ostman, but play continued and Momoh Kamara turned the ball into the unguarded net.
However, the Bromma Boys finished as they started, scoring deep into added time when Lukas Bjorklund was sent through down the left, and his ball across goal caused havoc in the away defence, as Viggo Elfstrom turned the ball into his own goal. BP remain in 10th after the win, while Elfsborg slip to sixth.