Three teams - Strathfieldsaye Colts United, Spring Gully and Shepparton United - are locked on 22 points with four rounds remaining.

The battle for fourth - the final spot for the finals series - is also wide open with La Trobe Uni just one point ahead of a resurgent Strathdale.

Shepparton United emerged as a genuine championship contender after it defeated title favourite Strathfieldsaye Colts United 3-2.

Colts hadn't conceded a goal in their previous four matches, but United found a way to break down their staunch defence.

Colts opened the scoring through Michelle Duffy after just seven minutes.

The lead only survived two minutes when in-form Shepparton United forward Tara Ambrosini found the back of the net.

Both sides had more chances to score in the first-half, but the respective defences held firm.

The game was decided in an eventful four-minute period in the early stages of the second half.

Shepparton United grabbed the lead in the 55th minute via the services of skipper Maria Villani.

Colts star Rebecca Berry levelled the scores two minutes later before Shepparton United made it 3-2 in the 59th minute when Ambrosini scored her second goal.

Colts pushed hard in the final 30 minutes in a bid to collect one point, but Shepparton United did enough to win the game and set up a brilliant four-round race for the championship.

Strathdale upset La Trobe Uni 3-1 to revitalise its finals hopes.

Two goals from Lucy Teale and one from Rachel Oper set-up the Blues' second win in succession.

Ildi Clemens scored for the Eagles, who are in free fall with three successive defeats.

Spring Gully thrashed Eaglehawk 8-0 to move to 22 points alongside Colts and Shepparton United.

Letesha Bawden scored a hat-trick for the Reds, while Marie Bory found the back of the net twice.

Bella Goggin, Leila Bartolo and Frances Leach completed the scorers for the Reds.

LADDER

Strath Colts United - 22

Spring Gully - 22

Shepparton United - 22

La Trobe Uni - 16

Strathdale - 15

Eaglehawk - 0

Shepparton South and Tatura consolidated their positions in the top two of the ladder with convincing wins in round 14.

Title favourite Shepparton South was in danger of dropping points after opponent Shepparton United held them to a 0-0 scoreline in the first half.

Normal programming resumed shortly after the break when Glenn Murison broke the deadlock.

The goal forced the game to open up and South's class came to the fore.

Big guns Joel Aitken, Sean Grant and Chris Carley scored goals in a 12-minute burst midway through the half to give Shepparton South a 4-0 win.

A hat-trick from Fraser Gosstray was the highlight of Tatura's 6-0 win over La Trobe University.

The Ibises put La Trobe on the back foot early when playing coach Tristan Zito scored in the fifth minute.

In the 21st minute, Gosstray opened his account for the day.

He completed his hat-trick with two goals in five minutes in the second-half.

Zac Ferlauto and Aaron Niglia completed the 6-0 rout.

Spring Gully strengthened its finals hopes when it defeated Golden City 3-1.

The sixth-placed Reds collected all three points on the back of a brace from Ewan Dawson and one goal from the creative Poungshu Thay.

Junior Htoo's first goal of the season drew the Rams level at 1-1 early in the second-half, but Dawson and Thay made the most of their chances with goals in the 72nd and 86th minutes.

Third-placed Eaglehawk handed bottom side Strathfieldsaye Colts United a 10-0 drubbing.

The Strathdale versus Epsom clash was postponed and will be played on Wednesday, August 27.

The top six teams at the completion of the home and away season qualify for the finals.

LADDER

Shepparton South - 40

Tatura - 37

Eaglehawk - 30

Shepparton United - 25

Strathdale - 21

Spring Gully - 19

Epsom - 12

La Trobe Uni - 6

Golden City - 5

Strath Colts United - 1

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