Wanganui Athletic stung by penalty equaliser for Federation League draw

Despite Scott Burney's (pictured) brother Steve scoring a brilliant goal at Skoglund Park, their Wanganui Athletic team had to settle for a draw on Saturday.

GJ Gardner Homes Wanganui Athletic are frustrated they still have not locked down victory No1 in the 2019 Lotto Federation League as an 87th minute penalty saw table leaders Red Sox Manawatu sneak back for a 1-1 draw on Saturday.

For the second week in a row, it was a case of Athletic not putting the game out of reach before the finale, given they had the better of territory and possession, although coach Jason King was aggrieved by the hand-ball call from the referee that led to the equaliser at Skoglund Park.

"We felt rather robbed," he said.

"It was messy, scrappy, they had a shot on goal and it hit one of our players and the ref decided it hit his arm.

"I can argue whether it was, or wasn't, but the referee was a good referee through the game."

Athletic scored in the first half through Steve Burney, who had been trying to feed the Athletic wingers from the midfield, including brother Scott, but they could not reach his kick-aheads.

The "gaffer" King called out to Steve Burney that he needed better accuracy.

"So he proceeded to put a through-ball, through for himself."

From halfway Burney chipped ahead, regathered, and controlled the ball to deliver a header into the net in a perfect response to the coach's jibe.

But that would be Athletic's only success as they rattled the crossbar multiple times, yet could not get a second goal to break their opposition and be safe heading into the final minutes.

Snatching the draw continued the unbeaten run of Red Sox under new coach Shane Rufer, who has transferred over from the 2018 champion PN Marist team to guide a squad that managed only one draw from 14 games last year.

Yet King said Rufer admitted his team had not played like table leaders.

"Shane and I both agreed, they were very, very lucky to walk away with anything for that game.

"They tended to use the wind they had, for their wide players to latch onto. They got a bit scrappy as well.

"We've lost the ability to win the second half at the moment.

"With it happening in the dying minutes, you sit there and start to wonder what's going on, but this one was a decision outside of our control."

The GJ Gardner Homes Wanganui Athletic Reserves were on the bye in the Horizons Premiership this weekend.