An 89th minute goal gave it a 2-1 win at home against the in-form Royals.
In the first half the Royals had the better chances, but found no way past Wanaka keeper Josh Shackleton.
He denied them with point-blank saves on three occasions.
Wanaka was patient in possession but lacked the opportunities in the final third to trouble the Royals.
Five minutes into the second half the Royals took the lead when a free kick by Jared Grove pinballed around Wanaka’s six-yard box and Conner Neil headed home.
The game became a battle as both teams looked for dominance.
In the heath minute Wanaka found an equaliser.
Captain Thomas Van Ewes delivered a cut back cross after a marauding run down the right flank.
But the Royals’ Frankie Goodwin could only bundle it in to his own net under pressure from Wanaka’s Alex Wright.
The match became a game of contrasting styles as Wanaka started to create more structured attacking moves.
However, a draw was looking the likely outcome.
Wanaka made substitutions with 10 minutes to play and the fresh legs proved to be vital for the home side.
In the 89th minute Toa Roode, Steve Pleskun and Ethan Arratia linked up in the attacking third and Arratia found himself one-on-one with Royals debutant keeper Chris Goodship.
Goodship parried Arratia, the ball falling into the path of the advancing Tomas Tinka, who stroked the ball into the Royals’ net to the joy of the Wanaka players and supporters.
A final five minutes of added time had Wanaka defending bravely to deny the Royals an equaliser, Wanaka holding on to get a valuable win against its top-of-the-table opponents.
Green Island was the benefactor of the top three sides all losing, cruising to a comfortable 5-0 win over Northern and moving into third place on the table.
A seventh-minute goal from Cam Anderson settled the home side.
After Matt Brazier was bundled over in the box with 15 minutes played, Tom Milton made no mistake from the penalty spot.
Anderson got his second on the half hour and Adam Hewson tightened his grip on the golden boot with the fourth right on half time.
Brazier added the fifth with eight minutes to go.
Queenstown beat Roslyn 2-1.
Queenstown opened the scoring in the second half, Jack Niven striking home with a first-time finish following a partially cleared corner.
Queenstown then doubled its lead with 20 minutes left, when another corner deflected off Roslyn’s Shay Thom.
Roslyn pulled one back through Justin Wiechens from the penalty spot with 10 minutes left but Queenstown defended resolutely to hold on for the win and take home the Blair Davidson Challenge Shield.
Mosgiel beat Otago University 7-1, a Cody Brook hat trick and a Rhys Quarrell brace doing the damage.
Late goals to Taylor Donaldson and a fantastic free kick to Kasim Ali gave the home side a flattering victory.
- Neville Watson
