Mid-season champions New Green have topped the preliminary round of the Captain's Bakery & Grill sponsored Manchester Major League.

They have now earned the $50,000 bonus and are favourites to win the final stage of the competition that now involves semi-final play among the top four. The outright winners will gain a further $175,000.

New Green finished the 14 rounds on 29 points, having garnered nine wins, two draws and three losses. New Green's last win was a 4-1 victory over relegated Mandeville United.

The final round also featured a win for high-riding Kendal who beat Georges Valley 1-0. Kendal were riding high earlier in the season until it surfaced recently that they had used an ineligible player in previous matches. They lost nine points having used the said player in three earlier wins against New Green, Mandeville United and Mile Gully. Downs, who have the best scoring record, finished second, with the remaining semi-final spots to be taken by Georges Valley and Porus.

The season was also disappointing for former champions Mile Gully who finished sixth despite a 2-0 win over the other relegated team, Greenvale.