Levi Julies scored twice in the opening eight minutes to settle any pre-game nerves, and Harrison McLean had a brace, alongside captain Sam Dore, Finley Kruger, and an own goal sealed the score sheet.
Northern Hearts travelled from Timaru to take on Roslyn and came away empty handed after Rosyln produced a strong second half to win 4-0.
The Hearts held out until just before the interval, when a route one ball, flicked on into the box was stabbed home. Although credited as an own goal, it was claimed by Nathan Wilkie.
He made it 2-0, 20 minutes into the second half following some good interplay.
Nick Treadwell headed home from a Callum Smith corner after 71 minutes, and Smith made the final score 4-0 bending a free kick around the wall past the out stretched hand of keeper Hamish Fikken.
Despite the score, Fikken had a fantastic game making good reflex saves.
A double save early in the first half by Fikken, when he got down low to his right and then up to tip the second shot over the bar, would have made Gordon Banks proud.
If late goals were the theme at Ellis Park, then early goals were at Memorial Park.
Mosgiel served up a feast when league leaders and title hopefuls Northern came calling.
If Taylor Donaldson's fourth minute, cross-field, 40 yard pass to George Duncan was outstanding, then Duncan's first time control and powerful shot from the edge of the box, into the roof of the net, giving keeper Eli Urwin no time to react, was sublime.
Duncan made it 2-0 with another powerful shot after being teed up by Harvey
Stephens on 28 minutes.
Rhys Quarrell was bundled over in the box seven minutes later and he scored from the penalty, making it 3-0, his 50th appearance for the Plainsmen.
As halftime approached, Donaldson delivered the perfect ball from a corner where Javier Langley rose the highest to bury a header for 4-0.
Despite Northern having plenty of possession and territory in the second half, they were not able to get a foothold. Mosgiel leapt ahead of them — albeit on goal difference — to top a very congested table.
University and Queens Park are now in equal first place.
All four teams are level on 13 points, which include four wins, one draw and one loss each.
University retained the Blair Davidson Trophy with a hard fought 1-0 victory over Dunedin City Royals, thanks to Ashton Hudson's 65th minute winner.
Queens Park bucked the trend of home team victories when they recorded a very impressive 3-0 win on the road at Wānaka.
The home side have a very proud record at the Recreation Centre, but had no answer to Queens Parks second half showing when Michael Larsen, and then Sam Stephens, scored in the opening seven minutes of the second half.
Anton Fitzgerald made the game safe for the Invercargill team scoring in the 78th minute.
In the women's South Island qualifying league, the Royals beat Queens Park 4-0.
The Royals only had Ashlynn Scherps own goal to show at halftime as they entertained Queens Park.
However their quality shone through when two goals in two minutes, midway through the second half, to Hannah Mackay-Wright and Georgia Kennedy, made the game safe.
Charlotte Summers scored the fourth and final goal in the last minute of time.
The Royals, along with University, have four wins from four games and will meet next week to decide who takes top spot.
By Neville Watson
