Caversham came out on top in a tight battle against Queenstown, winning 2-0 at Tonga Park.
Queenstown had the better of the opening 30 minutes but Caversham grew into the game and nearly opened the scoring when Tim Horner's through ball released Ben Wade.
Wade's shot beat Daniel Bocatios in the Queenstown goal, but hit the post and was cleared to safety by a defender.
Caversham dominated early in the second half and had a goal disallowed following a defensive error - Bocatios' goal kick clattered into the back of a defender, and Ben Kiore crossed to Connor Neil who calmly finished.
Referee Jack Henderson initially gave the goal, then overturned his decision, as the ball had not left the box from the goal kick.
With 10 minutes to go Caversham won a penalty. Neil stepped up and duly converted. Queenstown changed formation in a bid to score a much needed goal to keep them in the race for the top three, but with four minutes remaining, Kiore won the ball and fed youngster Raven August.
He drew Bocatios and a defender before unselfishly slipping the ball to Wade who calmly finished the game off. Caversham has a game in hand and can still finish second in the league.
University held on to repel Technical's challenge with a hard-fought 1-0 victory at Culling Park. Skipper Dom Scahill got the goal in the 78th minute.
The match between the students and Mosgiel this Saturday will determine the outright winner of the league.
Mosgiel made sure it will go into next week's match needing only a draw to claim the title after a 7-0 win over pointless Northern.
Riley Anderton did the damage, scoring four goals including a first half hat trick with goals inside 20 minutes.
Northern scored two own goals in the first half to make it 5-0.
Roslyn-Wakari retains a slim hope of making the top three, following an emphatic 8-1 rout of Southland at Ellis Park. It will need Caversham to lose both its final two matches to ensure progress.
Tennessee Kinghorn opened the scoring in the first 10 seconds, after he latched on to a loose pass, rounding keeper Mark Breed.
Five minutes later it was 2-0 after a Nathan Wilkie long throw caused havoc in the Southland box and Luke Clissold buried the ball into the back of the net.
A superb Wilkie header and a Kinghorn penalty made it 4-1 at halftime. Kinghorn got his hat trick with 50 minutes played.
Goals to Matt Cordelle, James Govan and Ollie Colloty gave Roslyn its biggest win of the season.
At the other end of the table, Wanaka travelled to Green Island and came away a 2-1 victor.
Wanaka opened the scoring on 29 minutes, when Steve Pleskun received the ball on the edge of Green Island's penalty area, moved the ball sideways and then slammed it past goalkeeper Christian Firth.
Green Island restored parity four minutes later, when it gained possession from a through ball and squared a pass for Blake Porteous to tap in.
Wanaka went down to 10 men when Pleskun was cautioned for dissent with 12 minutes remaining.
But a good clearance by goalkeeper Britton Dowling found Allan Carmichael.
Despite being flanked by defenders, he drove forward and chipped the ball over Firth to get the winner.
Wanaka moves to nine points with Green Island and Southland on six points.
- Neville Watson
