Wanganui Athletic sides again fail to lift at home

HUNTING OPENINGS: Wanganui Athletic's Jordan Gilmore takes the ball up. PHOTO/ BEVAN CONLEY

THE BROKEN record continues to play for Wanganui Athletic as both their first and reserve teams were unable to take advantage of home games and failed to inspire in their displays on Wembley Park's main ground on Saturday.

Devon Homes Wanganui Athletic fell to a disappointing 0-4 loss at the hands of Gisborne Thistle in the Lotto Federation League, leaving them winless after six games, with just one more game left in the first round.

Hopes were high initially for Athletic with Gisborne having a poor record on the road. However, the visitors quickly set about forcing Athletic to defend for the majority of the match, preventing the Reds from finding any opportunities.

It seemed each time Athletic looked to start a promising attack, Gisborne were quick to spoil the attempt and returned fire upon the home side - exploiting the defensive mindset they imposed on their opposition, and pegging the home side to their own half for long periods of the game.

As the game drew to a close it was clear the Reds were shifting into damage limitation mode, with the majority of the team behind the ball and looking to press forward only on a quick break.

Athletic will now await the arrival of another pair of English imports - a midfielder and a goalkeeper - due to arrive in the coming weeks. The club hope the imported talent will plug the holes they have been unable to fill through their own recruitment or development programmes.

An away trip to the Red Sox in Palmerston North next weekend will be the last chance for Athletic to claim a point this round, so the hard yards will surely be being put in on the training ground this week.

The Athletic Reserves lined up against an eager and cohesive Palmerston North Boys' High School on Saturday, keen to take the game to the schoolboys and continue to build on their decent showing this season in the Western Premiership.

Unfortunately, within 30 seconds of the opening whistle, the reserves goalkeeper was already collecting the ball from the back of net as Palmy Boys' rocked the home side and took advantage of some poor communication in the phase of the game where teams usually shake off the nerves.

PNBHS continued to take the initiative throughout the first half although the reserves did look to threaten several times in the first stanza.

Tesco Grunwald again marshalled play through the middle of the park.

Quinn Mailman found himself in good goalscoring positions several times but was unable to fully capitalise on them.

Mailman got on the scoresheet eventually, with a class finish befitting of a player with years more experience, but his effort was ultimately not enough with PNBHS coming out 4-1 victors at the final whistle.

It left the home side with another defeat but plenty of positives to build on before they host the Palmerston North Marist thirds at Wembley next weekend.