UP AND OVER: Wanganui City's Ant Bell (in yellow) against the Red Sox in Palmerston North.PHOTO/SHARON FRANCIS 250715WCBRCSUP01
EVOLUTION Painting & Decoration Wanganui City secured fourth position in the Lotto Federation League on Saturday with a crucial 2-0 victory over Red Sox Manawatu at Skoglund Park.
Meanwhile, the Reserves were not so lucky in a messy Western Premiership affair against the Palmerston North Marist Thirds at the same location, going down 3-1 at the final whistle.
At home at Wembley, the Wanganui City Renovators nearly caused an upset against Devon Homes Wanganui Athletic, rounding out an exciting derby encounter with a 2-2 draw.
The Palmerston North City Council has a lot to answer for in its preparation of Skoglund Park as a pitted, heavy track with grass kept at rugby field levels greeted all of the Federation League teams on Saturday.
The state of the field seemed to illustrate a lack of concern from the local body for one of the footballing community's main hubs in the region.
The rough track made it difficult for both teams to settle in and play some good, clean football, but it was the visitors who were the quickest to adapt to the horrid pitch and they put the screws on Red Sox early.
City took the lead first with a spectacular finish from Anthony Bell, putting the visitors ahead.
Latham Berry played a magical ball through Red Sox centre backs, setting up Bell, who had made a penetrating run to get in behind them.
A bobble nearly spoiled the day but this turned a great finish into a spectacular one, as a shot which would have been drilled deftly into the bottom corner changed into a bullet sent screaming into the top corner from outside the 18 yard box.
With the lion's share of possession and a 1-0 lead at the break, City coach Kelvin Francis was feeling positive about his team's display.
"We created plenty of chances, and we were really controlling the game in the first 45 minutes," he said. "I really didn't have much to do in goal, apart from deal with a couple of suspect back passes.
"We spoke at length during the week about taking any half chances we had, and the boys were doing that. I was rapt with our performance"
The second half provided much of the same, with City pressing high and Red Sox starting to sit off them, allowing the visitors to settle into some quick passing play and open the home team up.
While the second score was marked down as an own goal, it would not have come about but for the work of the evergreen Dan Aplin, who got himself up for a powerful header from a corner kick, sending it flying to the back of the net.
A last second deflection had the goal removed from Aplin's name and placed on the shoulders of a deflated Red Sox defender.
The victory now secures City in the top four, with just a single catch-up game left in the round, being three competition points ahead and 19 differential goals clear of the chasing Palmerston North Boys' High.
The City Reserves, who were also playing at Skoglund Park, were unable to find the result they needed against the Marist Thirds, instead falling to a 3-1 defeat.
While the encounter was physical and full of emotion, it was poor discipline which ultimately cost the visiting team, with Jason Fergusson again receiving his marching orders from the pitch for dissent, leaving the Reserves with just 10 men to chase down Marist's lead.
The loss would have been a slap in the face for the Reserves, who have shown some great resolve in recent weeks to turn their desire into results, yet still sit stuck behind their club's development team on the table.
The local derby between Athletic and the City Renovators almost turned into the upset of the season.
Renovators opened up the game early in the first half through two goals to the combustible Neihana Kahl, who was back from suspension and keen to get back on the scoresheet.
The Reds failed to find a way to break down the young development side during the first 45 minutes, and were clearly frustrated by their lack of ability to do so.
It was clear Athletic had some work to do during the second stanza, and came out from the break with a renewed vigour and desire not to suffer at the hands of an underdog City team for a second time.
With the intensity lifted, the Reds placed the Renovators under plenty of pressure, although the underdogs foiled attempt after attempt, weathering the oncoming red storm for long periods and still creating their own chances to trouble Athletics defences.
But ultimately it was again the lack of City's ability to hold out for the full 90-minutes which saw Athletic claw back two goals and surge toward restoring the pecking order to what it should be.
But with time drawing near, neither side was able to find the winner and, with the full-time whistle sounding, the scores were still locked at two goals apiece.
The Renovators would have been buoyed by the result, although slightly disappointed not to have claimed maximum points while the opportunity was there.