Both sides had been yet to register a point this season.
Old Boys opened the scoring in the 25th minute when a misplaced pass landed at Florence Edson’s feet. He skipped past his marker to slot into the far corner.
Jayden Dawson was having an influential game for Old Boys with his passing creating chances, and the Southlanders should have scored a second two minutes later, but with the goal begging, the shot went over the crossbar from close range.
Old Boys were made to rue that miss when Green Island got two goals in the last few minutes of the first half.
The first came when Sam Dore headed home following Quinn Mair’s excellently delivered corner, and in first half stoppage time, Green Island countered quickly with Callum Gillies scoring from close range to make it 2-1 to the home side at the break.
The opening period of the second half lacked the intensity of the first but the game burst back into life in the last 20 minutes.
Zac Tull broke from halfway with a surging run, and his low shot squared the match with 18 minutes to play.
A minute later, Old Boys had the lead again when a clever scorpion kick caught the Green Island defence out and Will Fleming buried his shot.
Fleming scored his second on 82 minutes and made sure of his hat-trick in injury time.
He regained possession, and while his initial shot was blocked on the line, he made sure he scored on the rebound to seal the 5-2 victory.
Northern Hearts emphasised they were a team to watch as the Timaru team claimed their second win on the road, beating Queens Park 4-3 in Invercargill.
Cam Johnson’s 42nd minute equaliser for Queens Park cancelled out Bailey Chambers’ opener.
However, Kowin Hancock put Hearts back in front right on halftime.
Johnson equalised again just after the hour mark but Hearts talisman Chambers scored a further two goals, completing his hat-trick in the 90th minute.
George Edwards pulled one back for Queens Park in stoppage time.
University also have two wins from their first three games following a 2-1 win over Northern.
Brad Setters scored for the students after just seven minutes, and while Harris Wilkinson quickly equalised for Northern, Blake Allison got the winner on the hour mark.
The Dunedin City Royals sit top of the table, having played a game more than Hearts, following a 2-0 victory over Roslyn-Wakari with goals in each half from Jacob Drumm and Jack Pritchard.
Southern League teams are in action today.
The Royals host Ferrymead Bays at Tahuna Park, Northern are away to Christchurch United, and Wānaka are away to Coastal Spirit.
• The Dunedin City Royals women started the defence of their South Island league crown with a 7-0 thumping of Roslyn-Wakari at Logan Park.
Georgia Nixon led the Royals with a hat-trick, Nieve Collin scored twice, and both Georgia Keen and Ruby Burgess found the back of the goal.
Ruby Braithwaite and Georgia Kennedy scored the goals to lead Otago University to a 2-0 win over Coastal Spirit yesterday.
