Wainuiomata will attempt to gain promotion to the Ultra Football Central League for the first time in two decades after they secured the Capital Premier title in thrilling fashion on Sunday.

Wainuiomata lifted the Venus Shield after coming from 3-1 down against Miramar Rangers’ reserves with 14 minutes to go to win 4-3.

That result, combined with Upper Hutt’s shock loss to bottom-placed Seatoun, meant Wainuiomata won the league with one game to spare.

They will now play the winner of the Central Federation League in a two-legged playoff to enter the Central League. If successful, it would be the first time the club has been in the league since 1999.

That will be against either Whanganui Athletic or New Plymouth Rangers. Whanganui lead by two points with two games to go, but the two teams meet on Sunday in a potential league-decider.

Back in the Central League, Western Suburbs maintained their two-point lead over Miramar Rangers thanks to a 2-1 win over Wellington Olympic.

Oliver van Rijssel and Ryan Feutz got the home side’s goals in the first 18 minutes before Jack-Henry Sinclair pulled one back deep into second-half stoppage time.

Miramar rebounded from their shock loss to Wairarapa United last weekend with a resounding 8-2 thumping of Waterside Karori.

Sam Mason-Smith scored a hat-trick to draw level with North Wellington’s Jesse Randall in the Golden Boot race on 17.

Randall scored a brace in his side’s 5-0 win over Wairarapa, who stayed out of the relegation zone courtesy of Stop Out’s 3-1 loss to Petone.

Goals to Alex Shepherd-Reynolds, Jaga Scott-Greenfield and Michael Pickering lifted Petone four points clear of their rivals in the drop zone.

The round’s other match saw Lower Hutt City and Napier City Rovers draw 2-2.

Around the grounds, in Wellington 7, the Miramar Part-time Rangers, which comprises several Wellington Firebirds cricketers, completed an unblemished season, winning all 14 games and becoming the only team to score 100 goals in the shortened season.

The next best was Greytown Fresh Choice in Wairarapa 1, who scored 95 goals in 15 games.

Ultra Football Central League round 15 results

Western Suburbs 2 (Oliver van Rijssel 10’, Ryan Feutz 18’) Wellington Olympic 1 (Jack-Henry Sinclair 90+5’). HT: 2-0.

Miramar Rangers 8 (Sam Mason-Smith 9’ 54’ 90+2’, Joao Moreira 44’ 85’, Wan Gatkek 31’, Andy Bevin 42’, Finn Moore 80’) Waterside Karori 2 (Merlin Luke-Miny 45+1’, Lewis Miller 48’). HT: 4-1.

North Wellington 5 (Jesse Randall 68’ 69’, Riley Manuel 21’, Marco Lorenz 52’, Nathan Simes 82’) Wairarapa United 0. HT: 1-0.

Petone 3 (Alex Shepherd-Reynolds 31’, Jaga Scott-Greenfield 34’, Michael Pickering 90+1’) Stop Out 1 (Luis Corrales 85’). HT: 2-0.

Lower Hutt City 2 (Riley Bidois 1’, Oskar van Hattum 59’) Napier City Rovers 2 (James Mack III 56’, James Hoyle 90’). HT: 1-0.

Golden Boot: 17: Sam Mason-Smith (Miramar Rangers), Jesse Randall (North Wellington); 14: Gianni Bouzoukis (Wellington Olympic), Jack-Henry Sinclair (Wellington Olympic); 9: Ryan Feutz (Western Suburbs).

Article added: Monday 21 September 2020