Bolstered by first team players who missed an early season Chatham Cup match, Wanganui City Reserves were able to take another step in the Men's Federation Cup with a 4-1 win over Taradale FC at Wembley Park on Saturday.
Goals from Anthony Bell, Latham Berry and a brace from Kevin Keegan were enough to send Hawkes Bay's Taradale, the Pacific Premiership 2013 winners, out of the competition.
After starting well and going ahead, Taradale were probably guilty of sitting back and assuming their hosts were not able to put up a concerted challenge.
The visitors controlled most parts of the game for the first twenty or so minutes.
But City did indeed buckle down and by never dropping their collective heads, clawed their way back into the game via the score sheet.
In fact at times, after sorting their earlier issues which saw them concede, City dominated for the remainder of the half.
Their cause was aided by the fact that Taradale eventually had two players dismissed a pivotal midfielder and their main scoring threat in a striker.
With numerical advantage, City made the most of the numbers and eventually were able to make the game comfortable for themselves and book a place in the semifinal.
Their opponents will come from the group of four which doesn't show up any side from the Manawatu, so all involved may well bring an element of surprise in the next round.
Peringa United (Taranaki) along with Havelock North (Hawke's Bay) are the other confirmed winners with Napier City and Gisborne United to play their fixture this coming Saturday to find the last semifinalist.
Should either of the two from Taranaki or Wanganui draw a Hawke's Bay opposition, then the fixtures could be played at a halfway point with Park Island (Napier) the likely venue should Gisborne prevail in their upcoming match.
If the aforementioned Peringa and Wanganui sides draw each other, then the venue will be pulled from a hat from either of the home grounds.
With the eventual finalist booked to play at Park Island, there still remains the possibility of two road trips for the locals should they be good enough to keep their Cup run going.
In Western Premiership action, Redsox A's proved Wembley Park is a happy hunting ground for the 2013 season when they picked up their second win in two trips, beating Wanganui Athletic 1sts 5-1.
The score was flattering somewhat as Athletic at times were unlucky in front of goal.
In the moments when the hosts applied pressure to the experienced Manawatu side they looked dangerous and caused confusion amongst the visitors defence.
Scott Burney was rewarded with the Athletic goal early in the second half to bring the score back to 2-1 and make Redsox start feeling somewhat nervous.
Before that, several attacks from Athletic went perilously close and when chances aren't converted against a side like Redsox A's, they have the fortitude to make opponents pay.
With the Premiership in its final throes both the Wanganui sides involved Athletic and City Reserves will undertake their postponed fixtures from earlier in the season this weekend.
They will be looking to improve their league standings before participating in the local based Charity Cup competition.
Results
Men's Federation Cup quarter-final: Wanganui City Reserves bt Taradale FC 4-1.
Western Premiership: Wanganui Athletic 1sts lost to Redsox A's 5-1.
Wanganui Club Men's Top 6: Marist Celtic drew with Athletic Cosmos 1-1; Wanganui City Development lost to Castlecliff Braves 4-1; City Hammers bt Castlecliff Gold 3-2. Men's Bottom Six: Athletic Weekenders drew with Collegiate 1st IX 3-3; Marist Casuals lost to Athletic Cosmos Classics 3-1; Castlecliff United bt City Thirstys 6-0.
Wanganui Women: Collegiate 1st 1X bt WHS 2nd IX 10-0; Collegiate 2nd IX lost to City Women 29-0; Barritt Builders Marist Women lost to Castlecliff Scrappers 4-0; WHS 1st IX bt Athletic Women 8-1.