Football: Bell brace helps Wanganui City topple Rangers

City's Marcus Jones looks to open up play with Rangers' Taku Warren in pursuit. Photo/ Bevan Conley

Big Orange Wanganui City have announced their arrival in Federation League with their first scalp of the season.

Winless after two rounds and down by two goals on Saturday, City came back in dominant fashion to topple New Plymouth Rangers 3-2 at Wembley Park.

It's been a frustrating opening fortnight for City but it finally clicked on Saturday in a game reminiscent of the football they played when dominating the lower Horizons Premiership last year.

"Very happy," coach Kelvin Francis said.

"2-0 down and to come back from that and win the game, it shows great heart. We showed great heart last week and didn't get the result we wanted but I thought we played very well."

City had a tight grip on the game from kick off, controlling both possession and territory and earning several good opportunities in front of goal.

So it was somewhat bewildering when they all of a sudden found themselves two down in the space of a minute.

The first was through Taku Warren who beat the offside trap to tuck away the opener in the 15th minute before Dom Squatriti threaded Wade Randle through to double the lead a minute later.

"They played two long balls and the were quality finishes, don't get me wrong, but definitely against the run of play," Francis said.

"First time really that they're down here they put the ball in the back of the net."

In was a game played at pace and in the minute between the visitors' two goals City had two shots on target themselves.

Regardless of the scoreboard, City knew they were on top and decided against tightening up their game to limit the damage.

"It's about realising, actually we are playing football, we had just been caught on the bounce twice," Francis said.

It paid off when Dan Aplin managed to pull one back for the home side, latching on to a Kyle Graham-Luke assist, and outsprinting his marker into the box to score.

Aplin was a standout across the park, highlighted by a potential goal-saving tackle at the other end minutes later.

Anthony Bell celebrates his 81st-minute winner as Wanganui City beat New Plymouth Rangers 3-2 at Wembley Park on Saturday. Photo/ Bevan Conley

By the 30th minute the home side were deservedly level when Anthony Bell found open space ground and dribbled around Rangers keeper James Burroughs to score the first of his brace.

City created opportunities for a winner all match while Rangers' big chances came through Squatriti with two headed shots - one wide and over the cross bar.

Aplin looked to have found a winner 10 minutes from time with a strong header sailing to the top corner only to have a leaping Burroughs get fingertips, and it looked as though City would have to settle for a single point they would have taken.

New Plymouth Rangers keeper James Burroughs tips over a shot from Wanganui City's Dan Aplin. Photo/ Bevan Conley

But in the 81st minute Bell found himself in a similar position as his first goal, rounding Burroughs, and guiding the ball on to the right-hand post for it to deflect in as he shot off to the corner flag in celebration.

Francis said City had shown how they could play last week but, not helped by going down to 10 men, just hadn't got the result.

"This week I thought we played the same football as we did last week, a little bit more clinical," Francis said.

"I thought Dan had a massive game, and Kyle, you know, week in week out. We worked really hard, defensively as well as in the front third, so I'm stoked."

The win will be noticed by the rest of the league given many would have expected Rangers, last year's runners up, to finish City off after taking a two goal lead.

"It'll tell those guys that 'these guys can obviously play'," Francis said.

"And it's good to be able to do it at home as well. It's always nice to beat a Taranaki team on your home turf because it's never easy to go to Merrilands Domain where they play."

City now head to Palmerston North next week to take on Hokowhitu FC, the team they raced for and ultimately lost the Premiership title to in 2017.

The win moves City off the bottom of the ladder ahead of Red Sox Manawatu and level with rivals GJ Gardner Homes Wanganui Athletic who lost 2-0 to Hokowhitu in Palmerston North.

In other matches Palmerston North Marist beat North End 4-1 and Massey beat Red Sox 5-0.