Football: Athletic has no trouble with PN Marist

PN Marist Reserves Rhys Gayler tries to keep the ball away from Athletic's Adam Gill. Photo/Bevan Conley

Devon Homes Wanganui Athletic found their scoring form on Saturday with a sound 8-0 spanking of a depleted Palmerston North Marist Reserves squad in their Lotto Federation League fixture.

Also on Wembley Park No1, Wanganui City battled out a 1-0 victory over Hokowhitu in a 90 minute battle in their Western Premiership fixture.

Athletic faced an understrength Marist squad, who fielded the bare 11 players including their coach, giving the locals with a lion on their chest their chance to roar.

"The boys were more positive this week," said player-coach Troy Smith.

"Marist never really threatened, but it gave the boys a chance to put the ball in the back of the net."

They found that net with gusto as a 4-goal bag to Josh Smith, including two penalties converted from the spot, a brace to Anthony Bell and a goal each for Troy Smith and Joe Sowden put the Reds on a high at the final whistle.

While Athletic still missed plenty of gift chances, those they converted will only help bolster the self-belief of the Reds in their attack for their coming matches.

Away to Saturday's surprise winners Fielding this coming weekend, the Athletic will be looking to build on their performance and tuck away another three points in the battle for top spots in the league.

As predicted, the Wanganui City match against Hokowhitu saw two attacking sides locked up for the majority of the match until substitute Jake Lockett broke the deadlock with a deft goal and secured another tick in the win column.

After a very tough opening 15 minutes of absorbing an onslaught from Hokowhitu, City coach Kelvin Francis was forced to drag Tom Dixon from the field, who was already sitting on a yellow card and was being targeted by the opposition.

"I had to take him off, because I just knew if we were down to 10 men, we couldn't have won the match," Francis said.

Even when goal scorer Jake Lockett was brought on to inject a bit more pace up front, the game was still bitterly fought, with neither team willing to give any quarter to their opposition.

But it was late in the second half, to the roars from a strong home crowd, that Lockett slotted one past the goalkeeper to seal the victory for the home side, and keep them on top of the table.

"It was a great game, and I'm happy with the team's performance.

"The boys really played for each other out there, and we're starting to build a really tight unit," said Francis, who identified Luke Lambe as his man of the match.

Wanganui City travel to Skoglund Park in Palmerston North next weekend to take on second place Red Sox Manawatu A.

Over on the side fields at Wembley Park, there was plenty of entertainment on offer.

The Total Automotive Wanganui City Hammers found the net an astonishing 16 times over the Wanganui Athletic Weekenders, who were only able to score 1 in response.

The Marist Bhoys beat the seasoned Athletic Cosmos at their own possession-based game to come out victors at 8-1.

Marist Celtic's title hopes took a knock after going down 3-0 to the Wanganui Athletic Reserves, while the Marist Casuals' dream run came to a screeching halt after a 7-1 loss to the St John Castlecliff 1sts, giving them their first win of the season.