Wanganui City played some of their best football of the season to take a winning 3-0 halftime lead against Team Taranaki on Saturday at Wembley Park. The home team ultimately won 4-2.
It was a top-four clash, the visitors unbeaten in round two and a form side, the hosts unbeaten all season. And it was a game of three thirds rather than the proverbial two halves.
In the first stanza, City played some of their better football to take a commanding 3-0 lead to the break with goals from Kyle Graham-Luke, Michael Hewitt and Chris Annabell.
Graham-Luke's effort from the spot after 15 minutes came when a Taranaki defender handled the ball in the area, Hewitt's was a long-range speculator in the 25th minute and Annabell's a headed close-range chance after a ghosting run behind the defence.
The visitors were denied twice by keeper Nicholas Hayward as he kept his side in a comfortable position.
But the three-goal lead may have lulled the locals as Taranaki came out after the break and were the better side for 35 minutes in that second half and forced two defence errors which were converted to create a decent amount of nerves amongst the local team.
In fact what looked like an equalising goal, which was disallowed due to an offside ruling, eventually fired the locals into action again. After being on the back foot for most of the half, City forced an attacking corner which was duly netted by left back Joshua Plumridge to quell the spirited visitors' efforts.
In fact, the score could have been more favourable for City had another late penalty not been saved by the visiting goalkeeper.
The result pushes HRT Builders City clear of the Taranaki side in the standings as they look to complete three postponed fixtures which could see them finish with a six-point lead to take into the play-offs in August.
While registering a loss (1-2) in Manawatu against top-four contenders and last season's champions Redsox, Strong Electrical Wanganui Athletic coach Kerry McGuiness was in an upbeat mood.
He had to contend with putting together a "scratch" team, with injuries and unavailabilities forcing his hand.
This was compounded when the side were reduced to 10 men after a red card 36 minutes into the game, when they were already trailing by two goals. .
Josh Parker was given the early shower when the referee judged that the young defender was the "last man" when fouling an opponent, a call disputed by the visitors, and put the Athletic side under severe pressure.
But this misfortune saw the visiting side respond with a combined team effort in the second half, where the remaining players solidified, and worked extremely hard for each other.
Despite being a man down, Athletic midfielder Kelvin Hove netted to reverse the pressure on the hosts, who held out for the narrow win. Western Division 1 action produced a high-scoring affair, with Wanganui City Reserves drawing 3-3 with PN Marist Banshees in the early curtain-raiser. Goals for the locals came through a Jake Lockett brace and Latham Berry.
Wanganui results:
Men, Top 6: Marist Celtic 0 Athletic Cosmos 3, City Hammers 7 City Development 4.
Bottom 6: Castlecliff Braves 6 Athletic Weekenders 1, Athletic Cosmos Classics 5 Marist Casuals 1.
Women, Senior Cup: Rivercity Scrappers 4 Barritt Builders City Women 1, Athletic Women 6 City Women 0.