After 155 days and 1620 minutes of football per team, the 2022 Edition of the Southern League (SL) is set to go down to the wire on Saturday, as Cashmere Technical and Christchurch United both look to collect their 16th win of the league. If both teams win then goal difference / goals scored will determine which club is crowned champions. Technical, who currently top the table, with a plus six goal difference travel south with what looked to be the more difficult assignment taking on Dunedin City Royals at Logan Park at 1:15pm. At the same time Christchurch United are at home at the Christchurch Football Centre, hosting bottom placed Mosgiel. At 2pm, Ferrymead Park is the venue when Bays face Green Island and at 2:45pm Coastal Spirit entertain Nomads. On Sunday Suburbs square off against Selwyn at midday. 

Technical head south without, Fraser Angus due to an ACL injury sustained when Technical edged United by a solitary goal in the previous round and suspended duo, Cory Vickers and Lachie McIsaac. It will be a case of testing the strength of the bench as the defending SL champs look to make it eight wins on the bounce. The Royals have not dropped a point in their last four outings and if they are to claim third spot, will have to defeat Technical and then win their catch-up game from Round 14, against Suburbs next Saturday.   

Form:   Royals L W p/p W W W                 Technical W W W W W W         

Previous Result This Season: Technical 4 Royals 2 

On paper United will be expected to win easily against Mosgiel but The Plainsmen come north with nothing to lose and if they are to avoid the drop, they will have to cause the upset of the season. United are chasing their first major silverware in over three decades and will feel disappointed if they finish in second place after topping the table in 14 of the 17 completed rounds.

Form: United W D W W W L                      Mosgiel L L D L L L                                                                                       

Previous Result This Season: Mosgiel 0 United 4 

Bays will be out to end their league campaign on with a win after going down to Selwyn in the previous round. They bounced back midweek to knock United out of the English Cup (the historic local Christchurch KO Cup) 2 - 1. Green Island have picked up three wins in the latter part of the league to stave off any relegation worries. When the sides met back in late May Green Island came back twice to level before Bays scored in the final minutes of normal time to secure a 3 – 2 win.  

Form: Bays D L W L W L                            Green Island W W L W L L                                                                   

Previous Result This Season: Green Island 2 Bays 3 

Coastal and Nomads come into their clash both chasing just their fourth win to end their season on a  high. Coastal turned around a three-goal deficit against Nomads in Round 9 before securing a draw, with Nomads looking for a solid performance before they met Technical in their English Cup semi-final on Tuesday evening.   

Form: Coastal W L L L D W                         Nomads L W L L L L                       

Previous Result This Season: Nomads 3 Coastal 3  

Both Suburbs and Selwyn are chasing back-to-back wins, Suburbs to maintain third place on the table and if other results go Selwyn’s way a win to the Stallions could see them finish in seventh place. Suburbs were untroubled to win the reserve encounter 4 – 1. 

Form: Suburbs W L p/p W D W                    Selwyn L D L L L W                             

Previous Result This Season: Selwyn 1 Suburbs 4