City default shocks Wembley

MID-AIR: Massey's Billy Fitzgerald competes with Marton Styner of City Reserves at Wembley Park on Saturday. PHOTOS/STUART MUNRO 010815WCSMFOOTBALL1

Disappointment struck for Evolution Painting & Decorating Wanganui City as they defaulted their fixture against Havelock North in the Lotto Federation League, while both Devon Homes Wanganui Athletic and the Wanganui City Reserves fell to their opponents in their Western Premiership fixtures.

The best performance of the local premier teams came from a surprising source, as the Wanganui City Renovators continued the curse of Wembley for Hokowhitu, holding them to a 1-1 draw.

Athletic lost 5-2 to Levin AFC and Reserves were beaten 3-1 by Massey.

Shocking news hit the fields of Wembley early on Saturday when it emerged Wanganui City had to default their match due to not being able to field even the bare 11 players for the journey across to the Hawke's Bay.

The capitulation will not have any impact on their position on the table. However, the repercussions for the club may end up being far-reaching.

Not only is it likely Wanganui City will be slapped with a $1000 fine for abandoning the match, the fact that there appears to be a lack of willingness from the club's feeder teams to step up and bolster their flagship side during a time of need may be an indication of some internal grumblings that need to be sorted if the club want to aim for higher grades of football.

With first-team players floating about with nothing to do, both the City Reserves and the Renovators benefited by adding a couple of extra first-team players to their squads.

Reserves, already carrying a thin squad through injury and suspension, lapped up the reinforcements and looked to utilise the experience against third placed-Massey on the main ground at Wembley.

Reserves took an early lead through a well-worked manoeuvre, but were soon back on level pegging as Massey grabbed back a goal before halftime.

Both teams looked to probe and prod each other, and the tensions soon started to boil over, with the referee issuing cautions and warnings to try to keep the match focused on football.

Despite their valiant efforts, Reserves were unable to stem the tide of Massey's attack and soon conceded another couple of goals, to see the visitors walk away with the 3-1 victory.

The Reserves will have a week to work on the areas that let them down and see if they can regain the determination that saw them put out some good results in previous weeks, as they prepare for an away fixture against Red Sox Manawatu A.

City Renovators put on the best display of football for the day in the Western Premiership teams, battling out a gritty draw against Hokowhitu.

Hokowhitu will be scratching their heads as to what's going wrong for them when they travel to Wanganui, as their recent encounters with each team from here have ended in a stalemate.

The performance would please coach Tex von Kwiatowski and he would have relished the ability to seed a few experienced first-team players in among his youth, to assist them in maintaining structure and composure.

While the draw did nothing for the Renovators' standing on the table, it would have frustrated Hokowhitu, who are now on equal points at the top of the table with Red Sox Manawatu A, leading only through the benefit of a superior goal difference.

Renovators will now travel to Massey this weekend, in hopes of reversing the result their club reserve side suffered on Saturday.