Just goal difference separates fourth-placed Forest Rangers and fifth-placed Vic Park, with one round to go.

Forest goes in as the favourites to claim the last spot, with its 10-goal superior goal difference meaning it cannot be overtaken should it register a win on Sunday.

It will meet the struggling Castlemaine, which it has thumped 4-1 and 6-0 in their previous meetings this season.

On the other hand, if Vic Park is to qualify, it will most likely need to beat bottom side North United and pray to the soccer gods that Forest Rangers record a draw or a loss.

The rare double-header of soccer at the weekend proved rather fruitful for Forest Rangers.

With matches played on Saturday and Sunday, the Rangers opened their account with an honourable 0-0 draw against league championship winners Ballarat.

The impact of this victory was heightened when Vic Park went down 1-2 at the hands of Warrnambool on the same day.

Forest Rangers then put North United to the sword on Sunday, winning 5-0 to virtually ensure their goal difference would be insurmountable.

Vic Park was unable to make up any goal difference in the penultimate round,as it faced the bye.

The two sides are locked on 34 premiership points, with eight wins and a draw from their 20 matches for the season.

Meanwhile, league champions Ballarat will enter the finals in hot form after Kossivi Akakpo delivered a brace to steer his side to a 2-0 victory over Warrnambool on Sunday.

In the women’s competition, Warrnambool secured the championship with a comfortable 4-1 victory over Vic Park.

Isabel Wilkinson scored a hat-trick for the coastal side, while her namesake Isobel Stewart contributed with the other goal.

They are now five points clear on the ladder with just one round remaining.

Forest Rangers also did it easily with a 5-1 win over North United Black, with Tina Benoit sensationally scoring all five goals for Forest Rangers.

MEANWHILE, The Ballarat Eureka Strikers’ tilt at the FFV women’s state league one title has been thrown into disarray after their match was abandoned on Sunday.

An ambulance was called for an opposition player from North Geelong Warriors just 13 minutes into the match.

Although she escaped any serious injury, the ambulance took look longer than 30 minutes to arrive, forcing the referee to abandon the match.

The scores were still locked at 0-0 at the time. The Strikers will now have to wait on a decision from FFV on when the match is replayed.

They are currently four points off a championship behind University of Melbourne, but with a game in hand.  Ballarat plays University on Sunday.