Athletic show both sides of coin in win

Scott Burney beats the keeper to score Wanganui Athletic's fourth goal in their home win over Manawatu Red Sox on Saturday.

It was both brilliant and at times ugly.

But on balance it was a win which confirmed Devon Homes Wanganui Athletic's credentials and cemented their place in the top three of the Lotto Federation League on Saturday.

Raymond Hove was the catalyst as he scored a hat-trick inside 45 minutes to lead Athletic to a 4-2 win over Breakers Red Sox Manawatu at Wembley Park No1.

Both versions of this Athletic team were on display in the opening minutes.

They were caught hopelessly off guard when Red Sox went 1-0 up inside 60 seconds, but their response was perfect.

Athletic were unrattled and took control of the match with attractive, possession-based football.

Just three minutes after going down, Hove showed strength to hold off his marker on the edge of the box and neatly slot the first of his three goals.

But if there was one concern for coach Jason King, it was Athletic's tendency to be slow to react when the ball was turned over.

Fortunately, Red Sox didn't possess a threat to match Hove, who was ever-present, as Athletic plugged away down the right-hand side of the park.

A deserved lead came in the 19th minute when Hove linked up with a long cross to finish off a move which had started back up the other end of the field. Despite going off the boil as halftime approached, Athletic looked to have sealed the win when Hove completed his hat-trick 50 seconds into the second half with perhaps the best of his three goals.

But it was one highlight in a second half to forget.

Athletic were scrappy and ill-disciplined as they allowed the visitors back into the game.

Red Sox pulled one back with a messy goal 15 minutes from time, and had a few chances to level before Athletic's Scott Burney put the game to bed - tapping in a parry from Red Sox keeper Scott Outtrim with minutes remaining.

It was relief for King who was unimpressed with the second half showing.

"That was ugly, that was real ugly, but effective for us in the end," he said.

"At the end of the day you just play with what's out there and the boys put the work in."

There were positive periods though, and his side's response to going down early was one of them.

"That's basically two minutes of the match that never occurred and you start the game again," King said.

"We did come back really well and it was good to able to sit there and watch the boys actually play some good football.

"That's what I wanted to get back to in the second half because we'd lost it just before halftime - that creativity and movement."

King was impressed with Hove, whose work commitments often prevent him playing 90 minutes.

"It was great to be able to use him for the whole game and he was actually involved in the last goal as well."

King is well aware of what needs to be done to lift the team up a gear and this week the focus will no doubt be on discipline and energy in defence.

"We need to make sure that we do our job there," King said.

"I do say to the boys, 'football is a simple game, we score more than them, we win'. But that doesn't mean you don't do any defending at all.

"We've got a [Lotto Federation] Cup match next week and we've just got to pull ourselves back together."

After five rounds Athletic remain in second, having only lost once.

"It's another three points for the guys and this is all about building on what wasn't a great season, last season," King said.

"A lot of the players are exactly the same players, so it's good to see them getting results from the effort they're putting in."

Red Sox's Michael Webb, left, and Athletic's Jordan Gilmore contest the ball.

Meanwhile, over on Wembley Park No2, GVCA Wanganui Athletic Reserves went down 5-3 to Levin AFC Premier in the Horizions Premiership.

Goals to Nusr Ghamri, Richard Dalby and Daniel Timmins ultimately couldn't prevent Athletic slipping to a third loss in five games.

Athletic now sit in 8th, which means a win against Breakers RSM Rovers in Palmerston North in a fortnight becomes vital.