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| Looking up from the bottom of the pile |
FK Radnik Roystjina slid to the foot of the Division 3d table after a 0-0 draw against Abu Hassan FC. Despite that headline news, Radnik manager Janik was surprisingly upbeat. He commented "We got a point from the leaders, and it might prove a useful one in the end. Yes, it leaves us having to win our final match, and yes we would be in the same boat if we had lost today. However that extra point in the bag means if we can get a final day victory our chances of survival are that much greater - we are only two points behind fourth and with a better goal difference than all the other teams in the relegation scrap. It means if we win our game, then two of the others will also have to win to send us down."
The dénouement for Division 3d is looking highly exciting, as no team knows as yet where they will end up; leaders Abu Hassan could yet miss out entirely, whilst each of the bottom three sides, Radnik, The Bullywee and Newton Ousers, could all potentially survive.
The final round of matches is:
Abu Hassan vs Taipas
Hapoel Ber Scheva vs North Island Robins
Radnik Roystjina vs The Bullywee
Newton Ousers vs Prima FC
Abu Hassan are currently 1st. A win sends them up automatically as they are a point clear. However draw and they could be pipped for the title depending on other results and lose could see two sides overtake them. Taipas, meanwhile, sit 5th, a point clear of the drop zone. If they win, they survive, but if they draw then a win for any of the sides below them relegates them, and a defeat would send them down with just a draw for the sides sitting sixth or seventh, or a win for the team in eighth. There is no mutually convenient result known ahead of time.
Hapoel Ber Scheva are the side currently 2nd, a point behind the leaders and two clear of third. A win guarantees the play-off spot, and would be enough to claim automatic promotion if Abu Hassan slip up. A draw might be enough for automatic promotion, but might also see them drop to third. Defeat and the best they can hope for is the play-off, and that only if the side below them doesn't win. Opponents North Island Robins are 4th. A win guarantees their survival. A draw may or may not be enough, as if two of the sides below the Robins win they would be overtaken and go down. Defeat, and some combination of wins for the sides seventh and eighth and wins or draws for those fifth or sixth would relegated North Island. There is no mutually convenient result known ahead of time.
The least complicated match is Radnik vs The Bullywee, the current bottom two sides with Radnik 7th and their opponents 8th. Only a win can possible save Radnik, but if they got it the chances would be decent; they would only go down with victory if two of the three sides sitting in fourth to sixth spots also won. And those teams are each playing one of the top three... The situation is a little better for The Bullywee as a draw could save them if the two sides above them both lose. However a win would give a much better chance; again it would need two wins from the three sides above for it not to be enough. There is no mutually convenient result of any kind.
Finally Newton Ousers vs Prima is 6th vs 3rd. The Ousers can survive with a draw if two of these three results also land; North Island Robins lose, Taipas lose or Radnik vs Bullywee finishes as a draw. However if only one of those comes true, then a draw will see Newton relegated. Defeat will definitely see them drop, but a win and survival chances are pretty good - only with concurrent wins for the Robins and Taipas would The Ousers fail to climb to safety. However they will be playing opponents for whom it is win or bust, as anything else means finishing third. A Prima victory though, particularly if it was by two goals, would put considerable pressure on the top two. It could even lift them to automatic promotion... There is no mutually convenient result of any kind.
Basically, it promises to be a fascinating last day.
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