Joshua Ngapeka and his City team have run out of second chances to remain leaders on the Horizons Premiership table.
Joshua Ngapeka and his City team have run out of second chances to remain leaders on the Horizons Premiership table.
It's derby day at Wembley Park.
Six weeks ago, riding high on their winning streak with massive scorelines, Horizons Premiership leaders Big Orange Wanganui City 1sts would have been confident to the point of routine about their task today against eighth-placed GVCA Wanganui Athletic Reserves.
However, after an erratic Junewith two defeats and two narrow wins, which has brought rival Hokowhitu FC Rangers up to level-pegging on the table, City coach Kelvin Francis is desperate for his side to regain their shape.
"Now, we're the ones' holding on - we've got to reset again and put the bad luck behind us," he said.
"I made the boys well aware of that last night. We've got to win every game from now on.
"It's hard to get a gauge of where they are at the moment."
The gaps in the line are beginning to show - of the four goal scorers in the 4-1 win over Athletic in April, only two are currently with the team, while the flu has been running rampant as City will not settle on a starting lineup until this morning
"I'd like to say we will come out of the blocks firing, but we haven't played well enough in the last six weeks to say that," said Francis.
"Derby day is different, [Athletic] they'll be up for it on Saturday, so we've got to make sure the players available likewise are the same.
"We've got to dictate terms, we've got to control the game."
A head knock to Ben Hussey left him in doubt, just when Cameron Hussey was getting over his chest infection by training on Thursday, while Josh Jonas has a significantly swollen angle.
Running on painful calves, Adrian Ngaau got through both training sessions, which is a positive for the back four defenders.
While it is not his preferred method, Francis took the squad indoors for their Thursday training session, simply because the added speed on the ball meant the players had to get in-sync quickly - kind of like speed dating for sportsmen.
"We really need to start to communicate with each other and talk."
The reality is the Reserves are in much the same boat, as coach Jason King has to split 23 players across both his teams, with priority given to the Devon Homes Athletic 1sts as they head back to Skoglund Park for an important rematch with Breakers Red Sox Manawatu.
Both King and Francis often have a pow-wow to swamp notes and know they are in the same boat.
"I think we worked out we've got 9-10 players out with illness, or ball season, or other commitments," said King.
"That's going to be the downside of using so many young players.
"What City is to be expecting for us is to show we are really a top of the table team.
"There's still good players out there. Our boys, they toppled Hokowhitu not long ago.
"It's usually when there's sickness or injury those guys get a break in the first team.
"We held [City], if you look at some of the other scores they put on teams at that time."
Although the Reserves will not have Christian Hare or Richard Saunders (both three goals) available, their five-goal scorer Daniel Timmins will play, while King is going to give a bench opportunity for Kyle Thomas, coming straight out of the local Youth League.
King may love a good derby, but his primary attention will be making sure the 1sts lift their intensity against the Red Sox, who in a catchup game during the bye week held them to a 0-0 draw in a flat game.
"They know, it was only two weeks ago we played them.
"A bit more of the ruthlessness that we showed against Gisborne.....we will come out victors.
"The type of football we played in the last two weeks has been quite good."
The departure of Quinn Mailman for a five week vacation will hurt Wanganui Athletic in the Lotto Federation League.
Athletic will miss their aggressive forward Quinn Mailman, but this opens up an opportunity for Ollie Carter to move up from the centre back position.
Ryan Holden now has 10 goals, still tied for second with Havelock North's Jared Bloor although both are now well behind New Plymouth Rangers' Sam De St Croix on 14.
Athletic need to keep winning as they sit second on the Lotto Federation League table but their rivals AFC Havelock North and New Plymouth Rangers both have games in hand.
