Football: Athletic reassert themselves over Red Sox

Athletic coach Jason King got a much better effort out of his players in a rematch of the 0-0 draw with Red Sox two weeks ago.

Devon Homes Wanganui Athletic 1sts left Skoglund Park feeling much better about themselves as this time they handed Breakers Red Sox Manawatu a 5-1 hammering in the Lotto Federation League on Saturday.

Disappointed to be held to a 0-0 draw in a dour match two weeks ago against the same team on the same ground, trudging away with only one competition point instead of a crucial three, this time Athletic were more urgent in their execution - scoring four unanswered goals in the second half.

"Certainly the opposition didn't play as well as last time," said coach Jason King.

"We just did take our chances a bit more, it was still a very flat game.

"Five different players scored, so we were able to mix it up."

Kelvin Hove opened the visitors account early in the match, before Red Sox got one back with "a really cheeky goal" that King admitted was pretty good.

"I think I even applauded, it was spectacular."

Tied 1-1 at the break and feeling a little flat, which was the problem two weeks ago, King had a word to the squad about brightening up, and they did in the second stanza by trying different things which ultimately paid off.

"There was no way we were coming back from Palmy with another draw."

Ryan Holden added his 11th goal of the season, while Oliver Carter was credited with another after an own-goal deflection by a Red Sox defender.

Promising youngster Jude Hiri scored for the second time in two games, while Scott Burney got himself back on the sheet for his seventh of the season after a bit of a dry spell.

Athletic will have the bye this coming weekend, and will wait with interest for the result between fellow Top 3 teams Havelock North FC and New Plymouth Rangers.