Football: Wanganui Athletic women win back-to-back triple header

The Wanganui Athletic women celebrate a back-to-back hat-trick with coach Gary MacKenzie.

The Wanganui Athletic women have won a back-to-back triple header.

Playing in the Whanganui women's competition, the women repeated their feat of 2017 winning the James Cup, the Women's Super League title (formerly the Champion League) and the Senior Cup.

In his second season coaching the girls, Gary MacKenzie has again downplayed his role, citing team culture, team belief and a strong will to succeed as the major driving forces at play.

"We played 24 games during the season winning 23 and losing just one,' MacKenzie said.

"We scored 144 goals with just nine scored against us, so we were fairly dominant again."

Reluctant to single any one player out for praise, MacKenzie put the success down to great team defence and a solid attacking performance.

"It's just their will to win and the strong team culture and strong discipline that has won them back-to-back titles."

Focusing on three different competitions was not easy, but winning all three was hugely satisfying.

It was especially satisfying for the modest MacKenzie.

In 2016 he co-coached the Wanganui City women to the same three trophies with Blair Davidson.

The James Cup is awarded to the victors of a tournament between all club and school sides competing, while the renamed Super League is a competition featuring sides from Wanganui Athletic, Wanganui City, the River City Scrappers and Collegiate School.

The Senior Cup is competed for by club sides only.