Football: Athletic and City have high hopes for remainder of the season

Whanganui Athletic's Tesco von Kwiatkowski in action against HNW Federation. Photo / Lewis Gardner

GJ Gardner Homes Whanganui Athletic head coach Tex von Kwiatkowski is remaining positive about his team's season so far, despite last weekend's loss to top-of-the-table Havelock North.

Athletic are in fourth spot, eight points off the pace.

The team were now aiming for the runners-up spot, von Kwiatkowski said.

"That loss last week dropped our [title] chances to zero.

"It was a very unlucky game for us, and I think we were the better team."

Von Kwiatkowski said the season got off to an "uneven" start, with injuries and absences hampering Athletic's progress.

A bye this weekend will no doubt help with recovery.

"We lost three key players in a row - Martyn Freestone went back to England, Shaan Stuart went to America to spend time with his fiancee, and Will King nearly broke his ankle in a cricket game.

"The newbies took a little bit of time to get into the swing of things but they have been a real asset to the team."

Athletic had been unbeaten in the six games leading up to their clash with Havelock North.

"Our problem for the whole season is our injury curse, and injuries we never had last year," von Kwiatkowski said.

"There are eight players we have to replace."

Again, it's been newbies to the rescue.

"One really exciting prospect from our reserves is 16-year-old Cade Knight.

"He's had game time over the past four weeks and he's getting more and more confident.

"All in all, I'm feeling positive. The guys are turning up to practices and the ones who are injured are turning up too and helping out.

"Our spirit is good, our performances are getting better, and we have to take things as they are."

Latham Berry (right) tussles for possession with Whanganui Athletic Reserves' Ryan Donaldson in a local derby last month. Photo / Bevan Conley

Meanwhile, Versatile Wanganui City captain Latham Berry said this year's YORB Horizons Premiership was anyone's for the taking.

Apart from a loss to Hokowhitu a fortnight ago, City has strung together an impressive string of victories as of late, including a 5-2 win over local rivals Whanganui Athletic reserves.

They line up against LongChill Takaro Jokers this Saturday.

"We're not in bad shape at the moment, only a couple of points of the top," Berry said.

"In saying that, everyone has beaten everyone this season, so it's about who can make a run in the back end of the season.

"Whoever puts some wins together will win the title."

Last week's 4-0 win over North End AFC Reserves showed the team had put their poor start to the season behind them, Berry said.

"We need to take three points at every opportunity and keep the pressure on those guys above us.

"They will drop points, so we've got to make sure we take advantage when that happens."

Most of the City's remaining fixtures are against teams below them on the table, but again, standings don't seem to mean much this season.

"You could throw a blanket over six teams who are all within five points of top spot," Berry said.

"It's pretty crazy. I don't think I've ever played a season where it's been so tight."

Berry said the team had to look at every remaining fixture as a "must-win".

"We are looking to our senior players to step up and take charge," Berry said.

"That's guys like Eli Fleming and Max Davidson.

"Some of the younger guys have been performing really well as well. It takes the whole team to perform to get us over the line."