Football: Wanganui Athletic get Chatham Cup revenge in ousting Rangers

Kelvin Hove looks to open up play for Wanganui Athletic in their 3-1 Chatham Cup win over New Plymouth Rangers on at Wembley Park on Wednesday. Photo/ Zaryd Wilson

Wanganui Athletic have their revenge in more ways than one.

A 3-1 Chatham Cup victory over New Plymouth Rangers on Wednesday buries last year's heartbreak in an extra time loss to the same side.

But for coach Jason King the win was also about turning around a fortnight of Federation League losses - including a one to Rangers.

"It's just the fact that we've lifted ourselves after the last two weeks where we've played well but disappointed ourselves," he said.

GJ Gardner Homes Wanganui Athletic comfortably accounted for Rangers who had to leave Wembley Park defeated for the second time in five days after Saturday's Federation League loss to Big Orange Wanganui City.

Athletic's win was sealed with two second-half goals from Ryan Holden after Quinn Mailman put the home side in front before the break.

But they were still forcerd to ride out the final 25 minutes a player down when Jake Simcox was red carded.

Mailman's 30th-minute opener came after a period of pressure from the home side in front of goal.

Sliding sideways along the front of the box Mailman fought to get the ball to his feet and picked his moment to send the Rangers keeper James Burroughs diving and the ball into the back of the net.

Athletic should have had more before the break.

James Satherly's shot curled and sailed inches over goal before moments later he failed to get a clean volley in front of an open goal on the back of a cross from Holden.

Rangers had their chances earlier in the half too, including having Athletic scrambling to clear a ball which struck the cross bar.

A one-goal lead was "never going to be enough" according to King, but he only had to wait three minutes into the second spell for comfort.

Holden pinched a ball in Athletic's own box and neatly sliced through some lethargic defence to slot his first goal.

Dom Squatriti nearly headed Rangers back into the game a few minutes later but instead it was Holden who clinched the match for Athletic in the 62nd minute, catching a long ball and calmly chipping Burroughs.

Wanganui Athletic double goal-scorer Ryan Holden (left) celebrates with Quinn Mailman and Jordan Candish. Photo/ Zaryd Wilson

When Simcox went off for a second yellow James Satherly dropped into centre back to plug the gap and Rangers looked to make hay with their advantage.

Squatriti tried but couldn't find a way through Athletic defenders with two shots on target.

It took a Niall Leggett free kick beating the wall and keeper Matthew Calvert for the visitors to get on the board, but Athletic were able to close it out to book another cup fixture.

For King it was pleasing to reverse the result of 10 days ago in New Plymouth.

"Last time they picked a goal and we fell off," he said.

"This time we were lucky enough to go up but we still have a lot of work to do.

"They certainly came down to play, which is good, and they kept playing all the way to the end and were pushing us."

King spoke to his players on Tuesday night about the mental side of their game.

He felt they'd been playing well enough but hadn't been able to pick themselves up after falling behind in recent weeks.

"[We needed to] address the mentality thing and nip it in the bud nice and early rather than let it go through too much of the season and obviously it paid off. The guys came in with a good attitude.

"Even when we went down to the 10 - we were rattled for a little bit I think as we got ourselves composed - but it just clicked again and we controlled the game a lot more."

Peter Kelbrick reflects as New Plymouth Rangers were dumped out of the Chatham Cup by Wanganui Athletic. Photo/ Zaryd Wilson

Athletic now progress to the first round proper of the knockout competition on May 12, having been one of four Central Federation teams drawn to play a preliminary round, while Rangers' Cup campaign is over.

Round 1 fixtures have yet to be drawn.

"[A home game] will be great purely to put some football on for the locals, putting aside the benefit to us," King said.

But attention quickly turns back to the league and hosting Massey on Saturday.

"Hopefully we take can take what we really wanted from today - which was to pick ourselves up, which we have - through to the weekend."