Had Green Island not entered with a three-goal buffer, it would have been a thriller.
Indeed, Mosgiel did enough to keep things interesting until just after halftime.
Howvwer, the Green Island attacking duo of Adam Hewson and Cam Anderson ensured the challengers never got within striking distance.
Green Island will keep its spot in next year’s South Island league, a 4-4 draw at Tahuna Park completing a 7-4 win over the two-leg promotion-relegation tie.
Mosgiel used the stiff breeze at its back to create the majority of the attack in the first half.
It found space up the left wing and sought to pepper the Green Island goal.
But it was a piece of brilliance from Hewson that got the scoring under way.
The Green Island livewire ran from inside his own half, split the defence and calmly finished to score a spectacular opener after 15 minutes.
Mosgiel finally turned its pressure into a goal eight minutes later when Cody Brook poked in one after a scramble in front of the goal.
It was denied a second not long after, but a superb free kick from wide to the left by Rhys Quarrell found the net to give it a 2-1 lead.
That left it 4-2 overall and had Mosgiel scored next it would have given itself a genuine chance.
But it did not.
Hewson turned provider, being put into space up the right and finding Anderson to equalise just before halftime.
They swapped roles again early in the second half, when Hewson scored his second after a superb ball cross-field ball from Anderson.
A scuffle followed not long after, after which Quarrell and Tom Milton were both shown red cards to leave each team with 10 men.
It took both teams time to adjust following that, as the defences leaked a goal each.
Hewson set up Anderson for his second, before Brook responded with a far too easy a goal minute later.
Rahan Ali got on the scoresheet to equalise for Mosgiel in the 76th minute.
At that point the overall deficit was going to be too much to pull in.
Green Island closed out the game to protect its spot in next year’s South Island league, which will move to a stand-alone full double-round league.
It joins Otago University and the South City Royals as the southern teams in that competition.
