Time for City to step it up

It will be a thoughtful Wanganui City which departs for the short trip to the Manawatu to take on PN Marist at Memorial Park this afternoon.

It's week three of the Federation League and the sole Wanganui-based side will want to put last week's 3-1 home loss against Taradale behind them and focus on putting in a collectively better performance.

A self-proclaimed lacklustre showing, not withstanding a couple of solid efforts from goalkeeper Nicholas Hayward and new defender Shaan Stuart, will hope to be forgotten as Karl Hayward's side look for a better start after having to come from behind in both their previous outings this season.

A totally new defensive unit due to injuries and unavailability has not been conducive to progressing forward.

While Hayward (Snr) could claim the same cause is affecting his selection today, the team itself knows that anything but a determined, combined effort will simply not be enough against a Marist side who came close last season to wresting the league title from today's visitors .

Although not being at their best last week in the first half (trailing 0-2), City did show signs of improvement and with a little fortune could well have earned some points against a Taradale that showed it was organised.

The final scoreline could well have been inflated had it not been for Hayward (Jnr) making some outstanding stops and Stuart putting in a sterling effort when many could have given the cause away.

Injuries again hamper the City side, with James Oxtoby likely to be sidelined for a couple of weeks with an ongoing calf strain.

Midfielders Jordan Hodgkinson (hamstring) and Zane Robinson (work) also lighten the squad, while youngster Jordan Joblin-Hall makes a return after being unavailable due to shift work.

It will be an interesting return to Memorial Park today for Troy Smith and Jack Judd-Nuttall as they face their teammates from last season, having both transferred in to City for work this year.

Essentially the acid is on City to grind out whatever result will bring points as they will not want to give any sides too much of a head start.

With North End, Taradale, Redsox and PN Marist all sitting just above in the league table it is time to peg them back.

Kickoff is 2.45pm.Turn to Page 17 for more on the Western Premiership and Manawatu Women's League.