Neck-and-neck at the top of the Footballsouth Premier League, Caversham and Dunedin Technical cannot afford to falter in the remaining seven matches.
Club statisticians will now keep a wary eye on goal difference, which is the product of subtracting goals conceded from goals scored, and normally just a side issue.
Caversham has a handsome lead in that respect, a difference of plus-25 as opposed to Technical's plus-13, and that despite Aaron Burgess personally scoring the same amount - more than half his team's tally of 23 goals.
No surprise, really. Burgess has been a prolific FPL scorer since 2008, when he scored 19 goals.
He added 32 in 2009, 20 in 2010, and 32 in 2011, for a total of 116 FPL goals, including this year's haul.
But while statistics are important, competition points count most, and both Caversham and Technical have shown frailty this season by drawing three matches each.
Caversham had draws with Roslyn-Wakari (0-0), Grants Braes (0-0) and Technical (1-1).
Technical also dropped six points by drawing with Caversham, Northern (1-1) and Roslyn-Wakari (3-3).
Yet Caversham's success has also been built on a steady defence anchored by Jude Fitzpatrick and Mike Smith that has conceded less than a goal per game.
Will either team falter again in the remaining seven matches? Certainly, the rest of the league sides will have trip wires at the ready.
Next up for Caversham is the always difficult away fixture in Queenstown, where player-coach Steve Henderson can assemble a mixed international crew that demands respect.
Technical has what looks like an easier game against Northern at the Caledonian Ground, but Magpies coach Steve Brook will base his pre-match team-talk tactics on the first-round 1-1 draw.
However, lightning rarely strikes twice, and with the Burgess factor looming large, and Frenchman Victor da Costa and Alistair Rickerby driving forward, Northern might struggle to plug the gaps.
Possibly the most even encounter will be at Sunnyvale, where Malcolm Fleming's Green Island faces Roslyn-Wakari.
Roslyn is in third place, only one point ahead of the Island, so it will be a pivotal clash.
Grants Braes has home advantage over Mosgiel at Ocean Grove.
All FPL matches kick off at 2.45pm.
