They are racing four abreast at the first bend in the Soccersouth Premier League race, with Dunedin Technical shading the bunch with intimidating statistics.
Technical, Caversham, Roslyn-Wakari and Green Island are all on nine points, but it was Mike Fridge's Technical side that sent a clear message by thrashing Spirit FC 6-0 in Invercargill to achieve an average of eight goals per match, with none conceded.
Striker Aaron Burgess is revelling in the space he gets in SPL defences and already tops the Golden Boot race with 10 goals in three matches. Burgess is like a latter-day Geoff Hurst, the way he puffs his cheeks when he shoots, but it is the opposition that huffs and puffs in his wake.
At the Caledonian Ground, Caversham ran into unexpected resistance from the Otago Youth side which competed gamely before losing 0-3.
Once again, New Zealand youth international James Watson ran shotgun in the Otago defence, plugging gaps with sharp pace and strong tackles, while Liam Lockheart challenged athletically for high balls and keeper Tom Galloway mopped up.
Caversham dominated possession and most of its quality moves started from the experienced passing of Mike Smith and Aaron Blaker, while Croyden Wheeler and Robbie Dee-
ley made explosive runs forward.
Tom Jackson eventually pierced the Youth defence to score, but at half-time it was still only 1-0.
Deeley turned over possession and delivered a good right wing cross which Wheeler slid in, and after a battle of the giants between Lockheart and Carson Gorecki, the American turned well to drill a low shot past keeper Galloway for Caversham's 3-0 win.
At Sunnyvale, Green Island took an early 2-0 lead against Northern. Ryan Atherton raced through a static Northern defence before scoring and shortly afterwards, Dan Rutter pounced to again beat keeper Zane Wilson.
A re-vitalised Northern attack ripped through some casual defending in the second half and clawed back to 2-2 with a well-taken header by Phil Dawson and a strong shot from Darren Hart.
A stunned Sunnyvale crowd roared the Island team onwards, but there was little between the sides and while Northern's young Seamus Gray threatened with some jinking runs, Atherton cranked up some high-speed direct attacks.
As full-time loomed, it was a sustained attack from the Island that had Atherton shoot, keeper Wilson save two rebounds, then a jubilant Rutter lace in the winner.
Out on the plains, Mosgiel shocked University with a 5-0 win that included a hat trick from Regan Coldicott, and goals from Morgan Day and Phil Kelly.
The student morale must be in the pits after conceding 13 goals this season, and scoring only one, although that goal earned three points from Queenstown.
At Ocean Grove, Grants Braes earned a valuable point to stay ahead of bottom-placed Northern by drawing 1-1 with a Queenstown side that was expected to do better. Thiago Rodriguez scored for Queenstown and it was Quinton Gibbons who scored to earn the draw.
Waitakere United left itself a mountain to climb to retain its O-League title after it was beaten 3-1 by Kossa FC in first leg of the final in Honiara on Saturday, NZPA reports.
Kossa striker Joe Luwi struck twice to give the home side a 2-0 lead at half-time.
Waitakere closed the gap after 49min with a vital away goal by Jonathan Perry only to see Kossa extend its lead with late goal through James Naka.
Waitakere will need to win by at least a 2-0 margin in the return leg in Auckland on May 11 to retain the title.
