Junior football frenzy at Wembley

DOUBLE TEAM: While the Ashhurst players were bigger, Wanganui Athletic All Sorts' Ollie Hutchins and Jacob King looked to work together to get around them at Wembley Park yesterday. PHOTOS/BEVAN CONLEY 190715WCBRCSOC02

THEY were holding their breath the night before, but the latest downpour over Wembley Park did not impede the first invitational junior tournament put on by Wanganui Athletic FC since 2009.

Twenty-one teams competed in under-9, 11 and 13 grades across seven fields yesterday.

As well as the local clubs, strong teams came from Taranaki, Manawatu and Wellington to take part.

All games were over two 15-minute halves.

The day was particularly exciting for the local under 9-11 players.

Usually just playing a round-robin format to their club seasons, the tournament was a chance to play for points and have a crack at a trophy.

"It's the first time in a few years," said tournament manager Cliff Hughes.

"I was a spectator at the last one. It was horrible with the rain."

Wanganui East Phoenix won the under-9 grade, undefeated in six games while scoring 32 goals and conceding just five, while Marist Alpha Heat were runners-up and Moturoa Cobras third.

The visiting Western Suburbs club had a great day with wins in the under-11 and under-13 events.

In the under-11, Western Suburbs Hunters lived up their names as they collected the heads of all their opposition, scoring a phenomenal 59 goals without having their own goal mouth breached once.

Ashurst finished runners-up while the Hokowhitu Slayers were third.

It was more competitive in the under-13 section where Western Suburbs finished with five wins and a draw, narrowly seeing off the Hokowhitu Lone Stars.

Tawa, who had the draw with Suburbs, were third.