Especially at home, Queenstown has the talent to beat almost any team in the SPL, while Mosgiel at full strength has also shown impressive potential.
Last week's 1-1 draw with Caversham was a moral victory for the nine-man Mosgiel side.
It looks capable of kicking on and becoming a serious contender for the Top Two end-of-season series against Mainland.
Mosgiel showed balance as its defence contained Caversham and, releasing ball from midfield, the pacey blue attack looked full of potential.
However, lack of discipline had Colin Falvey and Shayne Danielson sent off, and their services will be missed in Queenstown.
Another long-term Mosgiel question mark is whether Michael McGarry's body is still capable of playing SPL football every week.
Queenstown also has had disciplinary problems in the past, but there are signs that new coach Jamie Whitmarsh will keep a tight rein on his volatile, talented team.
While Brazilians Thiago Gomes, Ruy Pires and Leandro Canavales attract attention, it was Lee Osbourne's two goals that sunk Southland 3-1 last week, and in the midfield former Otago United player Matt Stares is a driving force.
A hint that Queenstown still tests officials to the limit was the dry comment from last week's referee that, "They are pretty noisy and certainly offered me lots of `advice'."
A win today could move Mosgiel up level with Caversham on 10 points, but after beating Southland, and with home advantage, coach Whitmarsh will be looking to extend his winning streak.
Roslyn-Wakari will also be minus the services of centreback Liam Dunbar after his red card last week in the match with Northern.
Roslyn travels south to play a first-round Chatham Cup tie against Queens Park in Invercargill.
Queens Park presently leads the Southland Finance Premier league, and an indication of its proud past is that the club produced two All Whites, Kenny Cresswell and Malcolm Ferguson.
University is also on the road against Waihopai in the Cup, and that club can still muster tangible resistance despite now playing only in the local SFP.
Veteran striker Mark Buchanan still turns out, and showed his old skills with a goal last week against Old Boys.
After five consecutive losses, player-coach James Vaughan's students are struggling to regain form after losing the bulk of last year's squad.
Another SPL struggler is Grants Braes whose tidy football has received scant reward this season.
Coach Allan Laidler's Cup-tie is with another Invercargill side, Southend United, at Ocean Grove at 2pm.
Demonstrating the spirit of Cup football, Dunedin side Redemption surfaces from the depths of Division Four to take on the "big boys" each year.
At 2pm today at the Oval, the students will need their usual boisterous support when they play Invercargill Old Boys.
This round's byes are Northern, Dunedin Technical, Caversham and Northern Hearts.
Sixty four teams will challenge nationally in the second round which will be played on June 2.
