Cashmere Technical and Napier City Rovers have become the latest clubs to secure their places in football's National League Championship (NLC).
Technical ended Christchurch United's two-year run as Southern League champions on Saturday and Rovers locked up a top-three finish in the Central League on Sunday, leaving just one place in the 10-team league to be decided.
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Irish striker Garbhan Coughlan reached 200 goals for the Christchurch club with two in the 3-0 victory over Ferrymead Bays at Garrick Memorial Park, taking them clear for their first Southern League title since 2021.
Coughlan found the back of the net in the 41st and 69th minutes, his league-best 24th and 25th goals of the season, seven ahead of Coastal Spirit's Alejandro Steinwascher and Christchurch United's Joel Stevens.
The second Southern League berth for the NLC will come down to Coastal and United in the final round this weekend.
Coastal retook second spot with a 2-0 win over last-placed FC Twenty11 at Christchurch's English Park on Wednesday night to move two points above United. Joe Hoole and Apisai Rabuka scored within 60 seconds of each other in the second half.
Coastal can secure their place with a win over UC Football on Sunday, while United face Technical at Christchurch Football Centre in a repeat of last week's English Cup semifinal, won by the league champions 2-0.
Napier City left no doubt as they stamped their ticket to spring's championship phase with a 6-1 victory over North Wellington at Bluewater Stadium on Sunday.
Ben Stanley scored two goals in three minutes in the second half, his first of the season, before the home side pumped in two more stoppage-time goals for their 12th victory in 17 matches.
Rovers moved five points above Miramar Rangers, who drew 1-1 with Waterside Karori on Saturday, with one round remaining. With the fifth-placed Wellington Phoenix Reserves automatically qualifying for the NLC, Miramar are the unlucky ones to miss out.
Recently crowned Central League champions Wellington Olympic got a hat-trick from captain Ben Mata in a 6-0 win over Petone at Wakefield Park on Saturday, while Island Bay United confirmed Stop Out's relegation with a 4-3 victory at Hutt Park.
Auckland City suffered just their third loss of the season but it did not have consequence as the Navy Blues secured a third straight Northern League title with a round to spare.
City fell 2-1 to Manurewa at War Memorial Park in Round 21 on Saturday, but Birkenhead United, the only club that could overtake them, also lost, 3-2 to Tauranga City at Links Ave Reserve.
With City, Birkenhead, Eastern Suburbs and Western Springs locked into the league's four NLC slots, the intrigue in the Northern League was at the other end of the table.
Hamilton Wanderers were confirmed for the drop with a scoreless draw at home against Suburbs, while Manurewa and East Coast Bays head into Round 22 just one point ahead of Melville United in the battle to avoid relegation.
NZF NATIONAL LEAGUE RESULTS
NORTHERN LEAGUE - ROUND 21
Melville United 2 East Coast Bays 0
Manurewa 2 Auckland City 1
Hamilton Wanderers 0 Eastern Suburbs 0
Tauranga City 3 Birkenhead United 2
Auckland United 3 Bay Olympic 2
West Coast Rangers 2 Western Springs 2
CENTRAL LEAGUE - ROUND 17
Island Bay United 4 Stop Out 3
Wellington Olympic 6 Petone 0
Waterside Karori 1 Miramar Rangers 1
Napier City Rovers 6 North Wellington 1
SOUTHERN LEAGUE - ROUND 17
Cashmere Technical 3 Ferrymead Bays 0
UC Football 2 Nomads United 1
Coastal Spirit 6 Dunedin City Royals 0
Nelson Suburbs 1 Christchurch United 1
NRFL WOMEN'S PREMIER - ROUND 20
West Coast Rangers 5 Fencibles United 2
Auckland United 1 Eastern Suburbs 0
Ellerslie 1 Hibiscus Coast 0
Hamilton Wanderers 2 Western Springs 1
WOMEN'S CENTRAL LEAGUE - ROUND 13
Wellington United 2 Palmerston North Marist 0
Victoria University 3 Seatoun 0
Waterside Karori 4 Petone 2
Taradale 4 Moturoa 2
WOMEN'S SOUTH ISLAND LEAGUE - ROUND 9
Dunedin City Royals 5 Nelson Suburbs 0
Otago University 2 Roslyn Wakari 0
Cashmere Technical 4 Coastal Spirit 2