Football: Massey hammer City in Federation League

City goalscorer Dan Aplin goes up for a header during his team's big loss to Massey on Saturday. Photo by Sharon Francis.

Big Orange Wanganui City went and sat down at the goal-line end of the Massey University fields to try and figure out what had just hit them in their 8-1 mauling by the leopard-quick Massey on Saturday.

Part one of a two part tie, as the Lotto Federation League round is followed by facing Massey again in the elimination Federation Cup this coming weekend at Wembley, City were caught out by the student team going with a five-man midfield and maintaining a constant stream of long passes to their quick striker up the front.

It worked better than even the Donald Piper-coached home side could have dreamed.

"They scored in the first 90 seconds, we drew level at three minutes," said City coach Kelvin Francis.

Dan Aplin scored the equaliser but Massey added three more goals before the break, and just carried on with their spearhead style attack in the second stanza.

Already without key midfielder Kyle Graham-Luke, City lost defender James Barnes to a torn hamstring that will likely need at least three weeks, and put on their sole reserve.

"I said to the boys at halftime, 'I feel like I've just watched 45 minutes of helter skelter'," said Francis.

"Whenever we turned the ball over, we were chasing it towards the goal.

"I'm not joking you – [just] eight chances, eight goals."

"We didn't react well enough to the fact they were on us in the middle of the park.

"Draw us in, let us come, then knock it over our heads and make us chase."

City's Anthony Bell was unlucky to miss out, as another goal could have checked Massey's momentum, but instead he hit the upright, the cross bar, and missed out in two striker vs goalie challenges.

After his biggest loss as a coach, Francis said they must close that Massey passing channel in the return match at home, and he will look to change the shape of the defensive formation.

"With Cup football, we can bring anyone in, so I've put out the call.

"We have to stop the rot, because it's not good.

"There are a multitude of things that aren't working...you just keep sliding and one thing leads to another."

In the Horizons Premiership, it was a good day for GJ Gardner Homes Wanganui Athletic Reserves, who picked up their first win of the season with a 4-1 victory over DFC at Wembley Park.