Oceania club champions Auckland City have added a fourth successive Northern League title to their list of achievements.
Celebrating their 20th jubilee year, the Navy Blues lost their latest match but still claimed the champion’s crown when other results went their way.
City lost 2-1 to Manurewa but nearest rivals Birkenhead United also lost, going down 3-2 to Tauranga City, and Eastern Suburbs dropped points in a goalless draw with Hamilton Wanderers.
The penultimate round in the competition left three clubs scrambling for safety to avoid the risk of relegation.
Hamilton Wanderers’ 0-0 draw means the club will play in next season’s Lotto NRFL Men’s Championship.
Manurewa, East Coast Bays and Melville United will go into the final round knowing one will finish second-bottom, and be automatically relegated, while the third-bottom will go into a promotion/relegation play-off against Championship runners-up Manukau United.
Fencibles United have confirmed their place in next year’s Northern League by securing the Lotto NRFL Men’s Championship title with a 2-1 win at Ellerslie.
RESULTS: Saturday’s winners, scorers and latest league tables >>>>
Results
Games to be played on Saturday August 24, 2024
Melville United 2 (Jama Boss 7′, Erik Panzer 9′)
East Coast Bays 0
Tauranga City 3 (Nathan Rostron 19′, Campbell Higgins 35′, Liam Molloy 60′)
Birkenhead United 2 (Monty Patterson 63′, Andrew Cromb)
Manurewa 2 (Kentaro Ozaki 3′, Eber Ramirez 45+2′ pen)
Auckland City 1 (Angus Kilkolly 45+1′ pen)
Hamilton Wanderers 0
Eastern Suburbs 0
Auckland United 3 (Oliver Fay 35′, Cameron Siebert 45+2′, Oliver Colloty 64′)
Bay Olympic 2 (Spencer Barber 22′, 62′)
West Coast Rangers 2 (Josh Turner 9′ pen, Dion Buckingham 22′)
Western Springs 2 (Dawson Straffon 7′, Jackson Manuel 31′)
Fixtures
Games to be played on Saturday August 31, 2024
East Coast Bays v Birkenhead United
Bay City Park, Browns Bay, 3pm
Bay Olympic v Manurewa
Olympic Park, New Lynn, 3pm
Eastern Suburbs v Auckland United
Madills Farm, St Heliers, 3pm
Melville United v Auckland City
Gower Park, Hamilton, 3pm
West Coast Rangers v Tauranga City
Fred Taylor Park, Whenuapai, 3pm
Western Springs v Hamilton Wanderers
Seddon Fields, Westmere, 5.30pm
This story was first published on August 25, 2024.
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