Athletic's end

Wanganui Athletic Reserve's Sam Conley keeps the ball from Hokowhitu's Phil King at Wembley Park on Saturday.

Devon Homes Wanganui Athletic couldn't find the elusive win they were hoping for on Saturday, going down 5-0 to Red Sox away in the Lotto Federation League catch-up game.

Meanwhile the Wanganui Athletic Reserves' valiant efforts defending their goal were ultimately fruitless, with Hokowhitu claiming the full points with a 6-0 rout of the home side in the Western Premiership.

A second big loss to Red Sox in as many weeks for the Athletic Firsts spoiled any hopes of redemption for a side that has struggled to show any sign of being a threat all season.

With Federation League now completed, Athletic will get a chance to reflect on the season gone by, and take stock of where things went wrong.

The stats for their effort this season don't make for good reading - just a single competition point from 14 games of football, a mere nine goals scored against their opposition all season, and conceding 68 goals in the process which was a massive 24 goals behind their nearest neighbour.

With the League now splitting into a Top and Bottom 4 competition, it may be a chance for the Firsts to tinker with their line up and promote a few more fresh faces to give them an opportunity to prove themselves at a higher level.

The Reserves tumultuous season continued with another big loss recorded on their Western Premiership record.

Second-placed Hokowhitu arrived at Wembley Park with a clear intention of taking the game to the Reserves, and piled the pressure on the home side right from the first whistle.

While the young side's defensive efforts were an example of what it means to put your body on the line for your team, it was ultimately for no reward with Hokowhitu determined to put a big score on the Reserves and continue nipping at the heels of premiership leaders New Plymouth Rangers.

Six unanswered goals rippled the net for Hokowhitu, playing in their white away kit reminiscent of the Peruvian national strip, with the Reserves left clutching at whatever scraps of possession they could to fashion something which looked like it could bloom into a promising attack.

While the Reserves had a few glimpses of goal, they were unable to convert any of them, with Hokowhitu effectively closing out the game early and suffocating the young development side - showing why they are title contenders for the second year running.

This coming weekend's trip to Palmerston North to play Linton on the army base grounds will be a good test of the metal of the Reserves, who will hopefully be able to draw on some more senior players, build on the impressive do or die attitude, and find themselves another win from their season.