It's the final round of the National Premier Leagues (NPL) Victoria 2014 season, and with South Melbourne having already lifted the trophy, the focus now shifts to the three-way battle for survival between Ballarat, Port Melbourne and Werribee City.

In what shapes as a thrilling finale to the season, the latter two will face off in Port Melbourne on Sunday, while Ballarat has the difficult task of playing away to second-placed Oakleigh.

In NPL 1, league leader Avondale Heights - already promoted - can wrap up the title with two rounds remaining if it defeats Springvale and St Albans takes points off second-placed North Geelong.

NPL – Round 26

Melbourne Knights v Bentleigh Greens
6th v 4th         
8.30pm, Friday September 12, 2014
Knights Stadium
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #MKvBG #NPLVIC

Last round:
Ballarat Red Devils 2-0 Melbourne Knights
Bentleigh Greens 1-1 Hume City

Form:
Melbourne Knights: WWWWL
Bentleigh Greens: DWLDD

Last time they met:
Bentleigh Greens 1-0 Melbourne Knights, Round 13 2014

Three games in six days caught up with the Knights, who conceded two late goals in their 2-0 loss in Ballarat.

They’ll benefit from a six-day break and will be out to finish the season on a high at home to the Greens, who haven’t won in three weeks.

Bentleigh has already cemented a spot in the top four and can finish as high as third, but its priority will be to rest its stars in preparation for Tuesday’s trip to New South Wales to face Sydney Olympic in the Westfield FFA Cup Round of 16.

Hume City v Northcote City
5th v 7th
3.00pm, Sunday September 14, 2014
Broadmeadows Valley Park
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #HCvNC #NPLVIC

Last round:
Bentleigh Greens 1-1 Hume City
Northcote City 0-1 Green Gully

Form:
Hume City: WLLWD
Northcote City: LWWLL

Last time they met:
Northcote City 0-2 Hume City, Round 13 2014

Northcote City has lost just three times in its 12 away matches this season, and will have the chance to continue its impressive record on the road in Broadmeadows on Sunday.

The poor state of Northcote’s pitch hasn’t allowed it to play its possession-based style, according to coach Goran Lozanovski, but there will be no excuses on Hume City’s pristine surface.

Look out for Hume City ‘keeper Chris Oldfield, who has been in sensational form lately and is rated as the best custodian in the NPL by his coach Lou Acevski.

Green Gully v Pascoe Vale
9th v 8th                
3.00pm, Sunday September 14, 2014
Green Gully Reserve
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #GGvPV #NPLVIC

Last round:
Northcote City 0-1 Green Gully
Ballarat Red Devils 2-0 Pascoe Vale (catch-up game)

Form:
Green Gully: WLLLW
Pascoe Vale: LWDDL

Last time they met:
Pascoe Vale 1-0 Green Gully, Round 13 2014

It has been a tough season for Green Gully, which has had to overcome a horror start to the season and two coaching changes to guarantee its spot in the top flight next year.

After grabbing a much-needed win on the road last week, Green Gully enters this contest without any pressure.

Pascoe Vale has fallen into a goalscoring drought, having been held scoreless in five of its past seven matches.

It will be coming off its trip to Ballarat on Wednesday night, where it continued its abandoned Round 18 match against the Red Devils from the 67th minute but couldn’t peg back the 2-0 scoreline.

Port Melbourne Sharks v Werribee City
12th v 13th                 
3.00pm, Sunday September 14, 2014
JL Murphy Reserve
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #PMvWC #NPLVIC

Last round:
Pascoe Vale 1-1 Port Melbourne Sharks
Werribee City 0-0 Heidelberg United

Form:
Port Melbourne Sharks: LLLWD
Werribee City: WLLWD

Last time they met:
Werribee City 2-0 Port Melbourne Sharks, Round 13 2014

Only one of Port Melbourne, Werribee City and Ballarat will join Goulburn Valley in the NPL 1 next season, with the three sides locked on 27 points ahead of the final day.

The relegation battle is set for a thrilling conclusion and if Ballarat loses to Oakleigh, a draw will be enough for Port Melbourne and Werribee to stay in the top flight.

Werribee is a strong, physical side which is accustomed to playing for draws on the road, and will look to exploit its strength advantage against a youthful Port Melbourne.

Oakleigh Cannons v Ballarat Red Devils
2nd v 11th
3.00pm, Sunday September 14, 2014
Jack Edwards Reserve
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #OCvBRD #NPLVIC
Highlights to follow on FFV TV

Last round:
South Melbourne 2-2 Oakleigh Cannons
Ballarat Red Devils 2-0 Pascoe Vale (catch-up game)

Form:
Oakleigh Cannons: WWWLD
Ballarat Red Devils: WLDWW

Last time they met:
Ballarat Red Devils 0-1 Oakleigh Cannons, Round 13 2014

Ballarat was a hot favourite for relegation three weeks ago, but back-to-back wins mean the Red Devils are now just one step away from producing the great escape.

A draw will be enough to ensure they stay in the NPL, while they can still survive with a loss to the Cannons, provided Werribee and Port Melbourne don’t draw.

The visitors will fancy their chances of causing an upset on Sunday, with a healthy squad and form on its side. The return of Nelson Salvatore and Dom Swinton from injury has given the Red Devils firepower on the wings, while striker Paul Harvey continues to impress up forward since crossing over from Bulleen.

When these two sides last met, Oakleigh was pushed right to the brink but emerged a 1-0 winner. Expect another close encounter.

Goulburn Valley Suns v South Melbourne
14th v 1st
3.00pm, Sunday September 14, 2014
McEwen Reserve
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #GVSvSM #NPLVIC

Last round:
Dandenong Thunder 6-3 Goulburn Valley Suns
South Melbourne 2-2 Oakleigh Cannons

Form:
Goulburn Valley Suns: LLLLL
South Melbourne: LWWWD

Last time they met:
South Melbourne 1-1 Goulburn Valley Suns, Round 13 2014

Goulburn Valley hasn’t had much to shout about this season, but it did cause one of the shocks of the season when it held South Melbourne to a draw in Round 13.

The Suns struck three times against Dandenong last week in a high-scoring contest, but their defence is still a worry as they haven’t kept a clean sheet to date.

That’s a problem that inaugural champion South Melbourne will gladly look to exploit, with the league’s top scorer Milos Lujic in its line-up.

South will also be keen to keep its momentum going ahead of the national finals series and be sure to stamp out any complacency against the bottom side this time round.

Heidelberg United v Dandenong Thunder
3rd v 10th
3.00pm, Sunday September 14, 2014
Olympic Village
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #HUvDT #NPLVIC

Last round:
Werribee City 0-0 Heidelberg United
Dandenong Thunder 6-3 Goulburn Valley Suns

Form:
Heidelberg United: WDLWD
Dandenong Thunder: LWLDW

Last time they met:
Dandenong Thunder 2-5 Heidelberg United, Round 13 2014

Heidelberg averages over two goals a game and boasts one of the most lethal strikeforces in the league, but the goals have dried up in recent weeks.

The Bergers have been held goalless in two of their past three outings, and coach George Katsakis will be hoping strikers Kaine Sheppard and Daniel Heffernan can fire against a leaky Thunder defence.

Despite having one of the worst defensive records in the league, there have been some positive signs for Dandenong, with teenagers Kieran Dover and Matthew Millar scoring five goals between them in the 6-3 win over Goulburn Valley.

NPL leading goalscorers:

21 – Milos Lujic (South Melbourne)

18 – Daniel Heffernan (Heidelberg United)

16 – Dean Piemonte (Oakleigh Cannons)

13 – Craig Carley (Goulburn Valley Suns)

12 – Nate Foster (Oakleigh Cannons)

11 – David Stirton (Bentleigh Greens), Matthew Sanders (Green Gully), Dusan Bosnjak (Oakleigh Cannons), Jamie Reed (South Melbourne)

10 – Brent McGrath (Bentleigh Greens), Kaine Sheppard (Heidelberg United), Goran Zoric (Oakleigh Cannons)

8 – Osagie Ederaro (Green Gully), Jason Hayne (Green Gully), Wade Dekker (Northcote City), Jake Nakic (Pascoe Vale)

7 - Matthew Millar (Dandenong Thunder)

6 – Jack Petrie (Heidelberg United), Leigh Minopoulos (South Melbourne), Daniel O’Donnell (Ballarat Red Devils), Nick Hegarty (Hume City), Stipo Andrijasevic (Melbourne Knights), Paul Harvey (Ballarat Red Devils)

5 – Deng Aguek (Ballarat Red Devils), Daniel Vasilevski (Heidelberg United), Richie Cardozo (Hume City), Daniel Visevic (Melbourne Knights), Jonathan Munoz (Northcote City), Trent Rixon (Northcote City), Luca Santilli (Pascoe Vale), Kevin Braniff (Port Melbourne), Lambros Honos (Port Melbourne), Mathew Theodore (South Melbourne), Steven Cudrig (Werribee City), Liam Wooding (Northcote City), Ryan De Vries (Bentleigh Greens), Wayne Wallace (Bentleigh Greens), Kieran Dover (Dandenong Thunder)

NPL 1 – Round 24

Brunswick City v Richmond
14th v 5th      
3.00pm, Saturday September 13, 2014
Dunstan Reserve
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #BCvRSC #NPLVIC

North Geelong Warriors v St Albans Saints
2nd v 3rd              
3.00pm, Saturday September 13, 2014
Elcho Park
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #NGWvSAS #NPLVIC
Highlights to follow on FFV TV

Dandenong City v Moreland Zebras
8th v 7th               
3.00pm, Saturday September 13, 2014
Frank Holohan Soccer Complex
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #DCvMZ #NPLVIC

Springvale White Eagles v Avondale Heights
11th v 1st               
3.00pm, Saturday September 13, 2014
White Eagles Stadium
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #SWEvAH #NPLVIC

Avondale Heights has already been promoted, but can claim the NPL 1 title this weekend if it defeats Springvale and North Geelong drops points against St Albans.

Box Hill United v Whittlesea Ranges
4th v 13th                
3.15pm, Saturday September 13, 2014
Wembley Park
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #BHUvWR #NPLVIC

FC Bendigo v Kingston City
7th v 2nd                
6.00pm, Saturday September 13, 2014
Epsom Huntly Recreation Reserve
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #FCBvKC #NPLVIC

FC Bulleen Lions v Sunshine George Cross
6th v 9th                 
8.30pm, Monday September 15, 2014
Veneto Club – David Barro Stadium
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #BLvSGC #NPLVIC

NPL 1 leading goalscorers:

26 – Joseph Katebian (FC Bulleen Lions)

22 – Tom Cahill (Richmond)

13 – Rinor Muriqi (Box Hill United)

12 – Max Etheridge (Kingston City), Dario Matkovic (Dandenong City)

11 – Kenny Athiu (Box Hill United), Oleksiy Khrapko (Avondale Heights), Juso Julardzija (North Geelong Warriors), Mark Paleka (North Geelong Warriors), Nick Symeoy (Moreland Zebras), Hamlet Armenian (Richmond)

10 –Andrew Le Page (Avondale Heights), Gino Defeo (Kingston City), Vojislav Milojevic (Springvale White Eagles)

9 – Matthew Breeze (FC Bendigo), Kliment Dimitrieski (Whittlesea Ranges), Barry Devlin (St Albans Saints)

8 – Reardo Luka (North Geelong Warriors)

7 – Manuell Sadik (Sunshine George Cross), George Slefendorfas (FC Bendigo), Velibor Mitrovic (Kingston City), Stjepan Trbuhovic (Whittlesea Ranges)

6 – Goran Jozeljic (Dandenong City), Jason Principato (Avondale Heights), Sean McIlroy (St Albans Saints),

5 – Ryan Don Paul (Springvale White Eagles), Matthew Iuliano (Whittlesea Ranges), Delfin Mosibe (Sunshine George Cross), Brodie Paterson (St Albans Saints), Alex Dao (FC Bulleen Lions), Christopher Dib (Sunshine George Cross), Ryan Oppermann (Richmond), Slaven Vranesevic (Springvale White Eagles), Damien Miskulin (Dandenong City)

Pictured: Will Ballarat survive the drop? (Image credit: Graeme Furlong)