Miramar Rangers have secured their first Ultra Football Central League title since 2014 after a 1-0 victory over Western Suburbs on Saturday.

Sam Mason-Smith got the lone goal of the game with a deft finish in the 67^th minute – a goal which secured him the Golden Boot with 20 goals in 18 matches.

The match was a title decider after both teams came into the game level on points, but with Miramar ahead on goal difference.

Wests had a goal ruled out for handball and lost leading scorer Ryan Feutz to injury in a double blow in the 18^th minute, but few would begrudge Miramar their title.

The game was not only for the Central League title, but it was the 306th O’Brien Shield challenge match. 

Mason-Smith’s goal was his 20^th in a Shield game and he is now third on the all-time list behind Dominic Rowe (28) and Angus Kilkolly (27).

Miramar held the Shield for the whole season, only becoming the second club to do so after Wainuiomata in 1995..

In the relegation battle, Stop Out won 3-2 away to Napier City Rovers, but ultimately finished bottom when Wairarapa United hammered Waterside Karori 6-0 in Masterton.

Seule Soromon and Josh Rudland both scored braces to secure Wairarapa’s place in the Central League next season, while Lewis Jackson’s 92^nd-minute winner for Stop Out would’ve proved to be heroic had it not been for Wairarapa’s big win.

The other matches saw Petone and Lower Hutt City draw 3-3, while Wellington Olympic ended their campaign with a 2-1 win over North Wellington.

Wainuiomata have one foot in the Central League after winning the first leg of the playoff 5-3 against New Plymouth Rangers in New Plymouth.

George King scored a brace, while Kailan Gould, Te Eh Hser and Jared Mitchell also found the back of the net.

The second leg is at Richard Prouse Park in Wainuiomata on Saturday at 2.30pm.

In the senior club championship, two clubs had a chance of winning the title going into the last weekend of league games. Olympic held a 0.01 point lead over Lower Hutt City, meaning Olympic's Central League win and Lower Hutt's draw saw Olympic win that title for the first time since 2011.

Ultra Football Central League week 18 results

Miramar Rangers 1 (Sam Mason-Smith 67’) Western Suburbs 0. HT: 1-0.

Stop Out 3 (Scott Henderson 46’, Justin Gulley 75’, Lewis Jackson 90+2’) Napier City Rovers 2 (Jordan Martens 31’ (o.g.), Gavin Hoy 85’). HT: 0-1.

Wairarapa United 6 (Seule Soromon 42’ 44’, Josh Rudland 78’ 90+4’, Jonty Roubos 70’, Paul Ifill 76’) Waterside Karori 0. HT: 2-0.

Petone 3 (Jaga Scott-Greenfield 20’ 73’, Oliver Whitehead 44’) Lower Hutt City 3 (Ben Old 37’, Luis Toomey 41’, Joseph Lee 90+4’). HT: 2-2.

Wellington Olympic 2 (George Walker 9’, Seth Ward 30’) North Wellington 1 (Jackson Manuel 60’). HT: 2-0.

Golden Boot: 20: Sam Mason-Smith (Miramar Ranger); 18: Jesse Randall (North Wellington); 16: Gianni Bouzoukis (Wellington Olympic); 14: Jack-Henry Sinclair (Wellington Olympic).

Central League playoff first leg result

Wainuiomata 5 (George King 54' 68', Ta Eh Hser 15', Kailan Gould 22', Jared Mitchell 50') New Plymouth Rangers 3 (Andrew Oliver 4' (o.g.), Domenico Squatriti Jr 27', Mark McGrath 75'). HT: 2-2. 

Article added: Tuesday 13 October 2020