City slot seven in Marist battle
Whanganui’s star is rising in the men’s game as its teams in both the Federation League and Horizons Premiership march on unbeaten after two rounds.
Whanganui Athletic scored four unanswered goals against North End on Saturday in their Federation League clash.
And in the Horizons Premiership, Whanganui Athletic reserves and Wanganui City both notched wins to sit atop the points table along with alsounbeaten Palmerston North Boys’ High and Marist reserves.
In the Federation League, Athletic and Palmerston North Marist top the standings, being the only unbeaten sides apart from Red Sox, who drew their first-round game and had the bye at the weekend.
The big upset at the weekend was titleholders Havelock North Wanderers’ 1-0 loss at Levin,
who are playing their first season at federation level.
Palmerston North Marist
went into the second half of their game against Napier Marist on the artificial turf at the Arena, Palmerston North, with a twogoal lead from a pair scored by nippy frontrunner Troye Aitken.
But after the break the locals turned up the heat and had swamped Napier 7-0 by the final whistle, striker Nick Carrick netting four, backed up by Jordan Joblin-hall, who added to the brace he notched at New Plymouth in the first round.
Coach Kenny Santy said the win was amuch better effort from Marist’s opening performance the previous week.
‘‘We played really well, going into halftime two up and with nothing conceded. That was so important for our confidence.’’
Santy said because Marist was fielding stand-in goalie Mark Donnelly, keeping a clean sheet, especially during the first 45, mattered.
He singled out centre backs Josh Cremen and Jaeden Shaw for their outstanding efforts, while midfielder Taylor Monk was named man of the match.
North End coach Garry Hodge lamented the side’s wasted chances plus letting in ‘‘incredibly soft’’ goals as they began their season with a heavy defeat by Athletic.
‘‘They were the better side, well drilled,’’ he said of Athletic. North End had their moments, but couldn’t finish and Athletic won with two goals in each half.
Hodge said Lachie Campbell and Jono Steele came off with what looked like long-term injuries, but he was confident North End had the player depth to cope.
Massey University finished at the wrong end of a goal feast against New Plymouth Rangers on Saturday.
Coach Donald Piper didn’t hold back after the students’ 5-3 home loss.
‘‘The first 45 minutes of the game were the worst I’ve ever seen a Massey team play. We were our own worst enemies. It was unacceptable.’’
Rangers were two up at the break and although Massey scored three second-half goals through Rhys Galyer, Ryan Noble and Joe Freeman, the home side didn’t look like winning.
Goalie Tom Johnston was the students’ man of the match. ‘‘He kept us in the game. It could have been worse,’’ said Piper.
In the Horizons Premiership at the weekend, Palmerston North Boys’ High comfortably accounted for North End reserves 5-1, bringing the schoolboys’ goal tally to 14 after two games.
In other results, Whanganui Athletic reserves defeated Hokowhitu 3-2, Wanganui City beat Massey University 6-3, Marist reserves beat Takaro 2-1, and Red Sox reserves beat Feilding United 2-1.