It is hard to believe the impressive University side, under coach Darren Hart, has earned only one competition point this season after four games.
Normal student excuses apply, that many players disappear over the Easter holidays, but considering the depth of talent in the Varsity club it must be a disappointing situation for Hart.
Last time out, against Green Island, the students dominated for 20 minutes, then conceded a goal, and slithered to an eventual 4-0 loss, admittedly to a young Island side that is keen to expose defensive frailties.
Coach Hart's task is to balance the undoubted strengths of his side with a stable defence while continuing to stoke a fast-breaking attack.
Technical has a more consistent team shape, with a hard-nosed triangle in defence, featuring Tom Batty in goal and centrebacks Matt Joy and Andrew Douglas, who take no prisoners.
Yet, compared to last year's tight defensive figures of conceding only one goal per game on average, keeper Batty has picked the ball out of his net seven times in four games this season.
However, the Technical attack that hit 69 goals in 21 matches last season is still firing on all cylinders and averaging three goals per game this season.
Technical's attack has similar frontrunners in Alistair Rickerby and Taylor McCormack, feeding on crosses from Tim McLennan and Justin Flaws, but usually the craft comes from player-coach Aaron Burgess when he takes the field.
Roslyn-Wakari is still bemused by its 3-0 Chatham Cup loss to Mosgiel, despite coach Colin Thom's assessment that his team played well.
This week, Ben O'Farrell and Patrick Ebanda should return to give Thom more options against Caversham.
Sitting third in the FPL table, Roslyn will need a disciplined effort to stop the second-placed Caversham side that hit 11 goals last week in a cup tie.
Caversham has been electrifying in attack, and more volts might be in evidence with the probable return of Tom Jackson, after playing in Oceania competition for Wellington.
However, the flamboyant attack and classy midfield is masking a gap left by keeper Liam Little, who has moved to Australia.
Veteran Darryl Putt has taken over the gloves, and has not made many mistakes, but opposition attacks are sure to seek gaps in the goalmouth, especially during set plays.
Green Island might also have goalkeeping problems after regular Josh Dijkstra was clattered in last week's dramatic cup tie with Mosgiel.
Fans are still savouring last week's contest, and will get a virtual action replay when Mosgiel and Green Island meet again, this time in a league game at Sunnyvale.
Green Island played lung-bursting football for about 50 of the 120 minutes played. Coach Malcolm Fleming had used all three substitutes, and there was another injury.
In defiance of arithmetic, many teams have played better after being reduced to 10 men, but the Island will hope to keep 11 players on the field this week.
Mosgiel is undefeated at the top of the FPL, and keeper Zane Green is pretty grumpy about the single goal he has conceded.
Going forward, coach Andrew Brook's side is always dangerous when it establishes width, gets wingers flying and pours forward in attacking support.
Having said that, it was a brilliant Morgan Day solo effort that got Mosgiel back into the cup tie last week, and Cody Brook is a similarly individualistic marksman.
Northern was due to play the Milk Cup squad tomorrow, but has opted out, possibly still trying to forget last week's 2-1 Chatham Cup loss to West End in Timaru.
Northern made many chances, but hero of the day was West End's 48-year-old keeper-coach, Trevor Johnston, who was defiant until the end.
The Football South Premier Women's League is in action tomorrow, when Roslyn-Wakari hosts Dunedin Technical, and Queenstown hosts University.
