KEY POINTS:
Drawn matches are often tagged meaningless and akin to "kissing your sister" but New Zealand Football Championship contenders Waitakere United and Team Wellington will happily accept one-pointers in final round action on Sunday.
After an absorbing penultimate weekend round, United, 2-0 home winners over a plucky Hawkes Bay, and Wellington, come-from-behind 3-1 home winners over Otago United, have set themselves up for the spoils.
Waitakere, three points clear, need only a point from their visit to Dunedin to seal a second successive title and a trip to next season's O-League.
Wellington's task is more difficult as they are away to Auckland City but fully aware a draw at Kiwitea St would guarantee them second place, a home semifinal (also against Auckland City) and perhaps eventually an O-League spot.
There was some anxiety for Stu Jacobs and his Wellington side at a sodden Newtown Park yesterday when Colin Falvey headed home a seventh-minute corner to give Otago a shock early lead.
It was not until a minute before halftime the home side equalised.
A minute after the break, Daniel Ellensohn put Wellington 2-1 ahead. Luis Corrales grabbed his second in the last minute to complete the scoring.
In a classic see-saw affair, YoungHeart Manawatu, on the back of a Gouzalo Nieres hat-trick, got up to beat Waikato FC 5-4 at Links Ave.
Waikato's Steven Holloway also netted three to take his season haul to seven.
Nieres' three goals have added real spice to the golden boot contest.
He has taken his tally to 11 - one behind Wellington's Graham Little who sat out yesterday's action through suspension - and one ahead of Waitakere's Benjamin Totori (also suspended for round 20) and Allan Pearce and Corrales.
Waitakere's Commins Menapi got himself back in that race with a brace in their win at Trusts Stadium.
After the spate of yellow cards in recent weeks, it was pleasing referee Nick Waldron kept his in his pocket but in flashing two reds to leave both teams a player short, he confounded the modest crowd.
After a boring, scoreless first half, Menapi got Waitakere started when he nodded home a 50th-minute Neil Sykes corner - a minute after the Bay's Ian Hogg had been sent off for a tackle with more intent than malice.
Menapi doubled the advantage in the 70th minute with a second attempt after player of the match, Hawkes Bay goalkeeper Mitch O'Brien, had just failed to hold his first strike.
Eight minutes later, Waldron produced one of the more bewildering calls of the season when he sent Neil Emblen off, ostensibly citing him as the last defender and clipping Graham Fyfe.
Justice was seen to be done when the resultant penalty was well-saved by goalkeeper Richard Gillespie.
