Dunedin City Royals went into Sunday's clash with Cashmere Technical at Forsyth Barr Stadium knowing that the South Island Women's League title was theirs to lose. Six points clear, all they had to do was avoid defeat - a feat they'd fulfilled in every fixture they'd played this season bar the Kate Sheppard Cup semi-final - and the silverware was theirs. Second-placed Cashmere had other ideas, however. Knowing that only a win would keep their title hopes alive, they set about achieving it under the iconic Dunedin roof, with Anna McPhie's eighteenth minute strike clinching a 1-0 win for "Tech", who also missed a first half penalty. They now need to win at Nelson Suburbs - the fixture hasn't yet been scheduled, but presumably next Sunday at Saxton Fields - to edge ahead of "The Royals" on goal difference and retain the title. McPhie joined Mel Cameron at the top of the Golden Boot stakes - both have eight goals for the season. But Coastal Spirit's goalscoring machine didn't take the chance to add to her tally for the campaign at Linfield Park, her team-mates overpowering Roslyn Wakari 3-0 in her absence. How Spirit has missed the firepower of Britney-Lee Nicholson this season! She continued her comeback from a lengthy injury absence with two goals in three first half minutes - one from the penalty spot - while Laura Newman added the extras on the stroke of half-time. The biggest win of the round saw Otago University score four times in the final quarter of the contest as they nullified Nelson 5-0 at Logan Park, where a first half own goal by Gabrielle Walton separated the teams at the interval. Charli Marvin doubled the students' advantage halfway through the second spell, before Aynsley Martin made sure of the points fifteen minutes from time. An Alisa Tuatagaloa double in the last ten minutes saw the scoreline blow out. Nelson's clash with Cashmere is the only game still to be played in the South Island Women's League, while "Tech" also have the Morrison Mitsubishi Reta Fitzpatrick Cup Final on their agenda, with Halswell United their opponents at English Park on a date yet to be confirmed, but likely to be a midweek affair. Details: Coastal Spirit 3 (B. Nicholson (7, 10 pen), L. Newman (45)), Roslyn Wakari 0  HT 3-0 Dunedin City Royals 0, Cashmere Technical 1 (A. McPhie (18))  HT 0-1 Otago University 5 ("oggie" (22), C. Marvin (67), A. Martin (76), A. Tuatagaloa (84, 88)), Nelson Suburbs 0  HT 1-0

This Saturday's winner-take-all encounter between Waterside Karori and Wellington United at Martin Luckie Park will decide the destiny of the Central Region Premier Women's League title, after "The Diamonds" regained the lead in the competition with an emphatic triumph over Taradale. 6-1 was the tale of the tape at Newtown Park, Natalie Olson leading the charge with a hat-trick on a day Hannah Pilley gave United the perfect start, scoring inside the opening sixty seconds. Hope Gilchrist and Milla Green also chimed in with second half strikes after Hollie Gee brought it back to 2-1 before the half-hour mark. "The Magpies" had already played their game in this round a fortnight ago, so this result confirmed the situation going into Saturday's title showdown - the reigning champions won't "three-peat" unless they win, while any other result will see Wellington add the Central Region title to the Capital Premier Women's League title won by their reserve team, "The Sapphires", last week. Elsewhere in the top flight, Kelly Cup winners Petone confirmed a third-placed finish after easing by Victoria University 3-0 at Petone Memorial Park, thanks to second half goals from Pepi Olliver-Bell, Phoebe Gray and substitute Emily Yates. Meanwhile, Marist Palmerston North headed home with a fifth-placed finish after sinking Seatoun 3-1, the fourteenth loss from as many matches for the Seatoun Park outfit, who were on level terms before the half-hour when Amy Foster equalised Isabella Yarwood's opener for the visitors. Alas for "The Seagals", their hopes of avoiding the dreaded double bagel in the wins and draws columns on the table were dashed by goals either side of half-time from Kate MacPherson and first half substitute Ruby-Aroha Gurnick. The title decider is the last remaining league fixture, but there's also a two-legged promotion play-off scheduled over the next two Sundays to determine the make-up of next season's Central Region Premier Women's League, with Central Federation champions Palmerston North United very much looking forward to kicking a ball in anger again, having finished their league campaign on the last weekend in July! Details: Petone 3 (P. Olliver-Bell (48), P. Gray (58), E. Yates (87)), Victoria University 0  HT 0-0 Seatoun 1 (A. Foster (26)), Marist Palmerston North 3 (I. Yarwood (19), K. MacPherson (41), R. Gurnick (51))  HT 1-2 Wellington United 6 (H. Pilley (1), N. Olson (12, 90, 90), H. Gilchrist (54), M. Green (77)), Taradale 1 (H. Gee (28))  HT 2-1