For the second week in a row the side scored in the dying minutes to claim a 2-1 victory, this time against Hawke’s Bay United at Sunnyvale Park.
Garbhan Coughlan scrambled in a 90th-minute winner, taking the side to eight points five rounds into the national football league.
Frustration had been evident from the striker after missing several chances and, while this one was not pretty, he got the ball over the line.
Finding himself one on one with goalkeeper Ruben Parker, he had his initial shot saved.
However, Parker was unable to control the ball and Coughlan followed the shot, eventually tapping it across in a scramble in front of the goal.
It was the definition of a side that is finding ways to come from behind to claim points.
"It’s not good for the nerves. I suppose we are," coach Paul O’Reilly said when asked if the team was becoming a late game specialist.
"I think it’s a sign of the passion and desire in the group.
"We don’t like doing it, but we’ve found ourselves coming from behind a few times. The response week on week now has been excellence.
"It’s probably the fourth or fifth goal we’ve got past the 85th minute."
Indeed it was the fifth goal the side has scored past the 85th minute this season, but it was worth so much more thanks to an Andrew Ridden stunner.Having replaced an injured Danny Furlong in the first half, Ridden looked a constant threat.
He found the back of the net in the 71st minute, after running on to a quick heads-up throw-in from Coughlan.
With Parker off his line, Ridden was able to put the ball over him and, while at first it seemed to be too far, it fell inside the top-left corner of the goal.
That enabled Southern to draw level, after a quality second half in which it created several chances.
Earlier, it had fallen behind in the 43rd minute when Alex Palezevic delivered a brilliant strike from 25m out to give Liam Little no chance.
That came after a solid period from Hawke’s Bay, as Southern had a poor patch after losing Furlong midway through the first half.
It was a result the team was happy with and some comments from the opposition had made the win that much sweeter.
"It was a bit unusual. There was one or two of their players that put stuff in the paper up in Hawke’s Bay about how we’re not a good footballing team and we’re just physical and strong," O’Reilly said.
"To be honest with you, it really motivated a couple of our boys.
"We spoke about it at halftime to say we’ve got to go out and prove we can play good football and the second half I thought we thoroughly deserved it.
"We created a couple of good chances that we’re disappointed we didn’t take.
"When you’ve got fellow players in the league saying you’re not a good football team, that’s something that motivates you, so the lads have taken a lot of that and got the win."
Star striker Furlong picked up a hip knock and could potentially miss several weeks, although that is unclear at this stage.
Southern United plays Wellington Phoenix Reserves this Saturday.
• The Southern United youth team beat Hawke’s Bay 2-1 a Tahuna Park on Saturday.
