Football: Winning start to Premiership by Wanganui City and Whanganui Athletic Reserves

Co-coach Anthony Bell scored four goals in Wanganui City's away win to start the Premiership season on Saturday. Photos / File

Both the Whanganui clubs have made strong starts to the new YORB Horizons Premiership with comfortable victories sitting them second and third on the 10 team points table on Saturday.

The GJ Gardner Homes Whanganui Athletic Reserves set the table for their 1sts side later in the afternoon by picking up a big 5-0 win over Breakers RSM Reserves at Wembley Park.

An Athletic 1sts regular in 2018, Quinn Mailman has returned to the club after deciding to continue his university studies by correspondence for the rest of this year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and made up for lost time with a hat trick of goals.

Quinn Mailman, left, picked up a hat trick in his return to Whanganui Athletic on Saturday.

Down at Celaeno Park, there was a lot of positives for the newcomers and the veterans alike in the Versatile Wanganui City FC 1sts after a first half quartet of goals for co-coach Anthony Bell led them to a 4-2 win over the Hokowhitu FC 1sts.

Bell and fellow coach Kelvin Francis took the opportunity to blood five youngsters on the pitch for their first taste of travelling football.

The first up win had some added satisfaction for the old timers as well.

Rebuilding their lineup, City have returned to the Premiership from the Federation League in the previous two seasons - the last time they were down here, they missed out on winning the title by a solitary competition point to Hokowhitu Rangers.

"We controlled the game early on in the patch," said Bell.

"As an overall team, we could be fitter."

He got his first goal in the 17th minute, being "johnny on the spot" for the tap in after a breakaway led to some scrappy play in the Hokowhitu box, with the home team replying from a free kick 30 yards out.

Bell then got a rapid fire series of goals in the 29th, 34th and 37th minutes which were all similar - City running wide and then sending the passes midfield for him to run through and tap them in.

Satisfied, both Bell and fellow veteran Eli Fleming came off at halftime to give their fresh faced bench an opportunity, and while the hosts closed the gap with a 50th minute goal, play got a little scrappy with both sides missing chances.

"It was to give these young guys a bit of exposure, and more confidence out of them going forward.

"Obviously, we have the goal of winning [the Premiership] as well."

Jack Jonas at centre mid and Flynn Hogan, back after a gap year in the United Kingdom, had good games as well.

There will be no Central Football knockout cup competitions this season, due to trying to fit all league play into a shortened campaign caused by the Covid-19 induced late start.

City and the Athletic Reserves only trail the Palmerston North Boys High 1st XI after Week 1, due to their 9-3 hammering of the Takaro 1sts.