The battle between the bottom two sides should leave the winner leapfrogging Kookas into fourth spot and a semi-final berth, but the loser will finish last and almost certainly be relegated from Premier League.

  The Park held the upper hand for most of day one, rolling Shellharbour for 115 and being 3-82 just before stumps.

 But three late wickets, including Park top-scorer Kieran Gilly (31) in the final over has given Shellharbour a fighting chance to take first innings points and avoid the drop back to First Grade.

 ‘‘It’s pretty even,’’ Shellharbour skipper Todd Cordes said.

 ‘‘We’re into their tail now and they still need another 29 runs.

‘‘We need four wickets and if we can get an early one on day two the pressure is right on their tail. The game really turned in the last few overs.’’

   Earlier, Ned Taylor (27) and Maddison Smith (22) top-scored for Shellharbour who were undone by strong bowling efforts from Rob Monaghan (4-40) and Park skipper Adam Coughlan (2-4).

  At 3-82, the Park looked to be coasting to the all-important first innings points but lost 3-5 to be 6-87 at stumps. 

In the other final round games, minor premiers Lake Illawarra recovered from 9-118 to make 206 against Kookas at Oakleigh Park.

 The Lakers batting has gone off the boil in recent weeks and they needed a last wicket stand of 88 from No 10 Ryan Smith (62 not out) and 33 from No 11 Jamie Crowhurst.

 Callum deBruyn  took 4-54 and skipper Gerard Healy 2-41 for Kookas who will resume on day two at 1-2.

Finally, 22 wickets fell at Geoff Shaw Oval with second-placed Oak Flats in control against third-placed Kiama.

 Batting first, Oak Flats finished at 9-107 with Kiama skipper Matt O’Brien taking 5-39.

 But Kiama were dismissed for a season-low 49, with Andy Twyford taking 5-14 and Nathan Morrow 4-14.

 Oak Flats will resume at 3-25, a lead of 83 heading into Saturday’s  second day.

Ladder (before final round): Lake Illawarra 129, Oak Flats 111, Kiama 96, Kookas 47, Albion Park 41, Shellharbour 38.