Oban Hawkins opened the scoring in the last minute before the halftime break.
UC equalised early in the second half, and it took a late winner from Nicholas Zambrano to secure all the points for the Royals.
Other results mean the Royals, seventh on 19 points, have closed the gap to the top of the field and have the opportunity to finish in a respectable mid-table position.
Cashmere thumped Nomads 6-0, thanks to five goals from former Southern United striker Garbhan Coughlan, and hold a four-point lead at the top of the table with two games to play.
Another former southerner, Joel Stevens, bagged a hat-trick to guide second-placed Christchurch United to a 9-0 win over Selwyn.
Nelson Suburbs trailed Ferrymead Bays 2-0 after just 11 minutes but came back to win 3-2, former Green Island forward Trevin Myers scoring twice.
With Mosgiel securing top spot a couple of weeks ago, the focus is on the race for second place in the ODT Southern Men’s Premiership, and after the weekend’s results, only four points separate the teams between second and sixth with two rounds to play.
Wānaka moved into second place with an emphatic 10-0 victory over Queenstown.
Ethan Arriata scored a first-half hat-trick to give the home side a 5-0 lead at the break, and a late flurry of three goals in the last three minutes meant the other seven goals were shared by seven scorers.
Roslyn-Wakari took advantage of both Northern and the Royals dropping points to close to within one point of both of these sides with a 4-1 win over Queens Park.
The opening goal came from Luke Salisbury’s left-wing cross to brother Ben, at the far post, who finished off from close range.
Roslyn are the set-piece specialists and the next two goals duly arrived in that manner. A long throw-in led to Nathan Wilkie heading home, and from Callum Smith’s corner, Roslyn benefited from an own goal.
Queens Park pulled one back on the hour mark after Sam Stephens got on the end of a long free kick and headed back across goal, the loose ball being swept home by Cam Johnson, but Wilkie wrapped up all three points with his second headed goal of the game.
Northern were hoping to kick on from last week’s win but were undone when Sam Clegg scored an 89th minute winner for University.
Northern had pulled themselves back into the game after being 2-0 down early in the first half through a brace to University’s Ben Campbell.
Sam Cosgrove replied for Northern in the 37th minute and Tyler Muir scored the equaliser in the 65th.
The loss means Northern drop to fourth, and with University having a game in hand, the students have the potential to leap ahead of them in the table.
Green Island and the Royals shared a 2-2 draw at Sunnyvale.
The Royals initially dominated the midfield and possession but were unable to take advantage.
As Green Island settled, the momentum shifted, and the home side went close with a series of Sam Dore-headed chances, one hitting the crossbar.
Island took the lead in first-half stoppage time when 17-year-old Sam Mitchell finished at the back post, but the Royals equalised in the fifth minute of stoppage time through Matthew Adye.
Green Island retook the lead in the 65th minute when Spencer Smith pounced on a loose ball.
Six minutes later, the score was again level when Ben Wood took advantage of a defensive lapse in concentration to equalise for the Royals.
Despite the game being quite open, there was no further scoring.
Champions Mosgiel were too strong for Northern Hearts with a comfortable 11-0 victory.
George Duncan opened the scoring in the ninth minute then Reece Burtenshaw took over, scoring a five-minute hat-trick, adding another two goals in the second half and only being denied a double hat-trick when his thunderous shot cannoned off the crossbar.
By Neville Watson
