This time, though, it was able to finish the job.
Alex Ridsdale scored the all important third goal - his second of the game - in the 31st minute to give Southern a commanding 3-0 lead at halftime.
It held that for most of the second half, claiming a 3-1 win to keep alive its chance of a fifth-place finish.
That was in contrast to the last meeting between the two sides.
On that occasion, Southern collapsed after a fast start, having to settle for a 2-2 draw.
It was something that had not been lost on the team.
''We talked about it before the game - that if it happened to go the same way we needed to have a better level of professionalism about us,'' coach Paul O'Reilly said.
''I thought we did today. I thought we looked very solid.
''Other than their goal they didn't really have any chances, Liam wasn't tested at all.
''We can definitely do better in the attacking third. Our turnover count is as high as it's been all season.
''[But] it's a positive result with some really good elements to the performance, and the attacking stuff, we'll be looking to improve on that going into [the last game of the season against] Hawke's Bay.''
Ridsdale got Southern off to an ideal start in the seventh minute.
He received a long-range cross from Conor O'Keeffe, who picked out Ridsdale just to the left of the goal.
Ridsdale was at a tight angle to the goal, but he finished clinically to put his team one up.
Six minutes later, Garbhan Coughlan made it two, calmly slotting a penalty after Conor O'Keeffe was dragged down in the box.
At that point, Southern was completely dominant. Its defence was excellent, exhibiting a desire to push forward and pressure the Wanderers into mistakes.
Livewire Omar Guardiola stood out in that regard, as did Ridsdale.
The next goal was always going to be crucial in the outcome of the game and it was Southern that managed it.
This time it was Danny Ledwith that received it at a tight angle to the left of the goal.
He was able to cross well to find Ridsdale, who followed up well to tap it in.
From there the game became scrappy, but the Southern defence held.
It was eventually breached in the 83rd minute, Tommy Semmy finishing after a nice piece of interplay by Hamilton.
However, it was never going to be enough and Southern ran out the winner for the fifth time this season.
The side now heads to Napier, where it plays Hawke's Bay United in its final game of the season.
