Football: Wanganui Athletic outgunned despite narrow loss away to Napier Marist

Napier Marist got another 1-0 win over Wanganui Athletic at home on Saturday to follow up their previous victory at Wembley Park in May.

While the scoreline was identical, GJ Gardner Homes Wanganui Athletic have no grievances this time with their 1-0 loss to current Lotto Federation League runnersup Napier Marist, away at Orotau Park this afternoon.

Marist (11-0-2) had been fortunate to get out of Wembley Park on May 25 with a one goal victory after converting a lucky rebound goal, while the home side could not latch onto any of the several golden chances they created.

This time, coach Jason King said the home team's attitude and execution was far superior, leaving Athletic's much vaunted defence to have to carry the can.

The Orotau Park field was playing nice and dry, unlike the heavy winter fields Athletic have become accustomed with over the past two months.

Napier Marist scored from a very well taken goal by Harry Mason in the first half, and it was only Athletic's guile that let them hang on to avoid more, while up front they never got enough momentum to crack an equaliser.

"Last time I felt very robbed, this time they earned it," said King.

"We did well to hold them to one. We just didn't have the ideas at the other end of the park.

"They executed really, really well, you can tell they're a well-drilled unit."

Napier Marist coach Jamie Dunning, who has been picked up as the new assistant coach for Wellington, did not introduce many new faces from the team that made the three-hour trek to Whanganui in May, but instead had his regulars firing on all cylinders.

Jamie Dunning

"We did get some [attacking] opportunities, but not as many as we did in the past," said King.

"It was a bit of a midfield battle.

"You saw a team that deserved to be at that end of the table – when they came to Whanganui I would have argued differently."

On defence, Shaan Stuart and Peter Czerwonka paired up well, the latter especially given a solid effort "considering he was coughing his lungs up on Tuesday", said King.

The defeat meant Athletic (6-3-5) missed the chance to keep pace with fourth-placed Palmerston North Marist, who shook off their 2-0 loss to Wanganui the previous weekend to smash Palmerston North Boys High 9-0.

The news will be more cheery for Versatile Wanganui City FC, who stay two points behind their neighbours in seventh place as they sat out their bye weekend, in the race to get local bragging rights for the higher season finish.

In the other League results, Massey got a 3-1 win over points table neighbours Red Sox, while North End kept third spot with a 2-0 win over Hokowhitu FC.