Despite the national football league taking the past two weeks off, the players have been back in training since December 29, preparing for the second half of the season.
That begins against Eastern Suburbs in Auckland tomorrow.
Coming off a successful start, in which it won two and drew five of its nine games, Southern United remains well in the mix on 11 points.
That puts it in seventh on the table, and just three points outside the top four.
With away games against Suburbs and Auckland City over the next two weeks, the team faces a massive challenge.
However, coach Paul O’Reilly said it was important the side now carried on its form as it looked to achieve its goal of finishing in the top six.
"The first half of the season has been good, but that’s all it is, a good couple of games.
"It’s good to have a good start, but we really do need to kick on now in the second half of the season.
"The first four games, in particular, are certainly massive games for us. Certainly, the first two, we need to get some points out of those games.
"It won’t be easy going up to Auckland two weeks on the bounce.
"If we can get something out of the game this coming weekend that will hopefully give us a good platform to kick on in the second half of the year as well."
The side has picked up two new midfielders, while Morgan Day has withdrawn from the squad due to work commitments.
The two new midfielders — Nick Treadwell and Luke McKay — would add more depth and competition for places, which had been crucial to this year’s squad.
O’Reilly said Treadwell was an experienced Englishman, who had relocated to Mosgiel with his girlfriend.
McKay was a scholarship recipient, in Dunedin from Christchurch for university.
The side was now awaiting the transfer window opening on January 8 so they could officially become available.
Confidence in the team had visibly improved about halfway through the last round and the players now believed they could compete for points against the top teams.
On top of that, after suffering a horror injury run early in the season, it now had all of its players fit.
Suspensions mean it is below full strength, though. Captain Conor O’Keeffe and Sam Carmichael will both miss tomorrow’s match.
It will be the first game O’Keeffe has missed since arriving in Dunedin, having played 27 in a row. Defender Stephen Last will captain the team in his absence.
