A fortnight without football and the longest three hour trip of the season were no excuses for a bare-bones Team Ritesh Whanganui Women's team, who showed composure to come back for a 2-2 draw with
Football: Whanganui Women draw with Taradale FC on long Napier trip
"Really happy with our competition point," said coach Matt Calvert.
"It was a really competitive contest where, to be fair, we probably did more defending than attacking."
With the advantage of a full bench, the home side used rolling subs to keep the tempo up, but Calvert said his team put in a "very workmanlike performance" to give themselves a chance at the back end of the match.
"We counterattacked them when we had to, never gave up, stayed in the game when we were on the back foot."
Whanganui used a new-look midfield as Stella Warner was joined by Rose Davidson for her first game in two months after recovering from injury.
Calvert said he was delighted with the positivity of the side, who could have used the circumstances to make excuses and just put in a half-hearted effort.
Although he and assistant coach Scott Burney have put emphasis on just making good on-field performances this season, rather than the match results, Calvert said the squad themselves are vowed and determined to make sure they lock down second place on the table for 2019, with three games remaining.
There is likely to be keen competition for places in the squad with the 12 who went to Napier putting their hands up alongside the seven who were unavailable, heading into this coming Sunday's home game with Massey.
Whanganui (4-5-3) did have to surrender second place on the table to Palmerston North Marist (4-6-2), who moved one point ahead of them after a 3-1 away victory over point-less Feilding United (0-0-11) on Sunday.
Undefeated champions-in-waiting Hokowhitu FC (10-2-0) picked up a 4-1 away win over Massey (2-5-5), having long been uncatchable on top of the table.
In the Horizons Premiership, GJ Gardner Homes Wanganui Athletic Reserves stayed bottom of the table after a 3-1 loss away to Breakers RSM Reserves at Celaeno Park.