The match was an entertaining one at Tahuna Park and Mosgiel did well, considering it played more than half the game with 10 men.
Mosgiel did better than keep Caversham honest, with a hard-working effort from the team of youngsters, which included six 17-year-old players, coach Andrew Brook said.
The Mosgiel cause was not helped in the 36th minute when referee Allan Martin sent Tom Kindley from the field, and Mosgiel had to play for almost an hour with 10 men.
Caversham tried to take advantage, but some good goalkeeping by Mosgiel's Tom Stevens, some durable defending, especially by centreback Aaron Corkill, plus some mediocre finishing and a couple of rebounds off Mosgiel's woodwork kept the halftime score at nil-all.
But after the break, Caversham played more controlled passing football, and using its extra man, laid siege and forced Mosgiel on to the back foot.
Watched by his brother Tom in the stand, Lewis Jackson carved into the heart of Mosgiel's defence with elusive running, as did the blond Brent Clifford, and both were backed with a powerhouse display by Andrew Ridden from central midfield.
The unquenchable running of Callum Flaws eventually paid off when he got past Cody Brook and drilled a narrow angled shot that finally beat keeper Stevens in the 59th minute.
Only minutes later, Jackson found space and also launched a strong shot that keeper Stevens did well to block, but Seamus Ryder was first to the loose ball and stroked Caversham into a 2-0 lead that should have sunk the Plainsmen.
But with Matt Kelly ploughing an effective lone furrow in attack, Mosgiel held its shape, and played some commendable patterned football. Morgan Day was at the hub and runs forward by Riley Anderton and Rohan Ali had Caversham scrambling a bit.
In the end, it was a sharp, counterattacking run by Jesse Wright, who burst through on the right, and the youngster kept his head to calmly stroke the ball past keeper Liam Little in the 79th minute.
However Caversham's experience showed in the final minutes, as Ridden and Ryder re-established stability, striker Flaws laced in for a 3-1 scoreline and coach Tim Horner brought on Charles Owen and Tore Waechey to wrap things up.
''Charles and Tore were quite impressive in those final minutes, but overall, while our passing game worked OK, the long grass at Tahuna did not suit us, and we can do better,'' Horner said.
Brook had only praise for his young side and its spirited and skilful performance. He was also impressed with the work of late substitute Michael Abbott.
''Michael has skills we want to use, and he showed them when he came on. There is a place for him in the team if he can show composure to match his undoubted experience,'' Brook said.
Dunedin Technical slipped further down the table when Luiz Uehara's University side won 1-0 at the Caledonian ground, and the students moved into second top slot.
In Queenstown, coach Jamie Whitmarsh's home side was too good for Green Island, registering a 2-0 scoreline, while Northern regained the Robbie Brownlie Memorial Trophy by beating Roslyn-Wakari 3-2.
Northern's goals came from Taylor Quirk (2) and Henry Conway, while for Roslyn, Geordie Mansford and Damo Foster got on the scoresheet.
