Athletic Reserves captain Richard Dalby challenges City's double goal scorer Anthony Bell during the Wembley Park derby on Saturday.
Athletic Reserves captain Richard Dalby challenges City's double goal scorer Anthony Bell during the Wembley Park derby on Saturday.
Nothing renders form irrelevant more than a derby.
So Saturday's match with GVCA Wanganui Athletic Reserves was the perfect chance for Big Orange Wanganui City 1sts to re-set a season that has suffered speed wobbles of late.
And they did.
City won 4-2 and in doing so showed glimpses ofthe early season form that had them seemingly walking to the Horizons Premiership title before a horror June let Hokowhitu FC Rangers back in the race.
And there was more good news for City as they walked off Wembley Park.
Over in Palmerston North, Hokowhitu were held to a 2-2 draw by Breakers RSM Rovers, meaning City regain a two-point outright lead at the top of the table.
The two sides meet in Palmerston North in three weeks in a match that could go a long way to deciding the title.
Though no derby loss is easy, Athletic cannot be too disappointed with Saturday's result.
Sitting seven places below the league leaders and fielding some inexperience, Athletic put in a better performance than when they went down to City 4-1 earlier in the season.
City played the match at a good pace - something coach Kelvin Francis had asked for - with Latham Berry and Anthony Bell looking dangerous early on. But while Athletic had less time on the ball, they looked just as sharp when they did get chances on attack.
In fact, they probably should have scored first when Sergio Serra rattled the crossbar twice in the space of about 10 seconds in the 7th minute.
City's dominance soon turned into goals as they landed a double blow midway through the first half.
Cameron Hussey got the first before Dan Aplin doubled the score with a bullet-like volley from a cross five minutes later.
Athletic then found reward for their endeavour when Peter Czerwonka pounced on some lazy City defending to pull one back in the 31st minute and keep the match alive heading into the break.
City probably should have scored at least one more before halftime after creating a handful of golden chances that were squandered by error-ridden finishing.
It was target man Bell, in his second game back after a month off, who effectively sealed the game for City.
Bell scored in the 51st and 58th minute with well taken goals from with either side of the box to put his side well in control.
Francis said it was good to see Max Davidson, Aplin and Bell in attacking form.
"Great goal, wasn't it? What a finish," he said of Aplin's first half strike.
"Those are all good, pleasing things that the players in the front half of the field are now starting to get back into that rhythm, and the back four, they do their job really well."
One concern was the periods where City sometimes switch off.
"We need to revisit that," Francis said.
The next two weeks will be about working towards that crucial away game with Hokowhitu at the end of the month.
"We want to build on what we've done here today in the next two weeks."
Athletic captain Richard Dalby said despite the loss he felt his side had played well and had caught on to the pace of the game better than the last time to two sides met.
"That was a better performance for us compared to last week's outing," he said.
"Obviously, you never want to lose to City and it's not the result we want but the boys played pretty well and some of the young guys that came did a bloody good effort as well.
"The boys didn't give up and even at 2-0 down there was a chance that we could've put our heads down but we showed good heart to try a get back into it and keep fighting to the end."
Athletic Reserves Cameron Mackintosh tries to work through the City defenders.
