Athletic XI save worst for the final

Soccer PHOTO/FILE

Former NBA star Isiah Thomas was once quoted as saying when it comes to playing for championships "it's not about your skill, it's about your will".

Under pressure beyond the demands of a regular-season match, players have to adapt to the occasion just to maintain their normal standards and unfortunately for the Wanganui Athletic women, Sunday was the day it deserted them in their deflating 1-0 loss to Moturoa AFC in a dour Federation Cup final.

Despite a big support contingent making the trip to Hawera's Turuturu Park and having first use of the South Taranaki breeze in the first half, Athletic could not find the magic touch which had taken them to 146 goals this season.

Coach Dave Downes got that sinking feeling by halftime when he looked in his players' eyes and didn't see their usual spark.

"For the first time, we were a bit slow and tired going forward," he said. "We were just terrible. I can't name a worse game we've played this year.

"Moturoa weren't really an attacking side they were a good defensive unit, definitely but player-for-player we could do it."

Instead, former Football Fern Ella Wiebe and her German compatriot Tanja Grunworld could not open the New Plymouth team up and Athletic had to absorb their own pressure at the back, a rarity in 2013.

Downes said goalkeeper Tina Kopelic and defender Sheena Kahl had great games for about 89 minutes of the clash.

However, a mistake late in the piece - when players were probably starting to think about extra time - proved to be their undoing.

Moturoa swooped for what proved the matchwinner and defended their territory for the remainder of the game.

Having won their local women's league and the knockout Duchess Cup competition by scoring 48 goals while conceeding only six, Moturoa had claimed the Taranaki club title against Waitara 1-0 in a similar match only a month before, whereas attack-oriented Athletic had been ramping up the scoreboards in all their Manawatu games.

Downes said his team had played slightly better into the wind in the second half, but even the victorious Moturoa coach said at the aftermatch function that while his team found a way, it was just not a day for sparkling efforts. "It was not a good game to watch, both ways."

The team will now discuss what went wrong before focusing on the most important clashes this season the home and away series against Wellington club Stop Out to decide promotion to the Central League competition in 2014.

Athletic will host the undefeated Stop Out at Wembley Park on Sunday, before travelling to Lower Hutt's Moera for the return game on September 15, with the best goal aggregate deciding who goes forward.

"We've got to get it out [of our system]," said Downes about the Federation Cup. "We just can't play that same way, hopefully it may be a wake up call.

Kickoff this Sunday is 1.30pm.