Football: Wanganui City pick up big win on the road over Red Sox Manawatu

Versatile Wanganui City are looking forward to a welcome break weekend in the middle of their tough run of three away games, now that their confidence is up following the 4-1 shutdown of Red Sox Manawatu on Saturday.

After conceeding the opening goal, City took over in the second half of the Lotto Federation League match at Skoglund Park with three goals, the last of them coming near fulltime to put a seal on the game.

"It was pretty much what we were expecting," said co-coach Latham Berry, who did not have his fellow player-coach Anthony Bell with him as Bell was over in Australia.

"Quite a few free kicks, but it was quite an open game, plenty of opportunities for both teams."

Going 1-0 down, City equalised through Jordan Joblin-Hall, and then survived a Red Sox penalty attempt just before the break.

The visitors stepped it up after the resumption as Max Davidson scored early off a Jack Jonas assist, with Kyle Graham-Luke rapidly adding his name to the sheet to take City clear.

They then had to absorb a bit of pressure from the Shane Rufer-coached team, but Red Sox couldn't finish off, and Jonas closed out a fine game with his goal in the 85th minute.

Red Sox, who were the early League leaders but played a couple of teams now at the bottom of the table, fall back to sixth place behind City, who have the better goal differential from their matching 2-1-2 records.

"To me, they're a team that are a lot like us, got some good players and put good performances together, but we just did it better on the day," said Berry.

City will have a rest this weekend to get over their injury niggles, as the focus switches to Cup football, with co-coach saying they can now enjoy the break rather than stewing about a loss.

The win was a good answer to their tough 3-1 defeat to Havelock North at Guthrie Park last week, as the Wanderers remain in a three-way tie on top of the table with the Palmerston North and Napier Marist teams, although they have a game in hand.

In the Horizons Premiership, GJ Gardner Homes Wanganui Athletic Reserves weren't as successful against the Red Sox Manawatu Reserves, losing 2-1 to the competition leaders at Wembley Park.