Phoenix coming home
Things have returned to normal for Whanganui’s travelling football teams after a slower start to the 2021 season compared to last year.
GJ Gardner Homes Whanganui Athletic, the only side from Whanganui in the Lotto Central Federation League, drew 1-all with Havelock North Federation Team at home on Wembley Park last weekend to give the side a win, a draw and a loss from the three matches played this season.
Athletic now sit equal fourth in the standings with Havelock North, although the latter have a game in hand. Last season Athletic went through the entire competition unbeaten until the final game to finish runners-up.
This weekend Athletic sit out the bye, but on Monday the Tex von Kwaitkowski-coached side will play its first Chatham Cup match for 2021.
“We play Rampage Fitness FC Western, a team that leads the Yorb Taranaki Men’s Premiership competition,” von Kwaitkowski said. “They are apparently a fairly handy side. They lead the Taranaki Men’s Premiership after two unbeaten games and earlier this year they played our Athletic Reserves and beat them 5-0. We need to take them seriously.
“I’m not unhappy with the way we are playing in this early part of the season, but I am realistic and there are things we need to do and be aware of. We are missing what I call the spine of the team from last season.
“Martyn Freestone is out because of business commitments, Shaan Stuart is in America for another month or two and Will King ruptured tendons in his ankle playing cricket over the summer.
“Some in the team still have a mindset that we can carry on as we did last season winning every game, but things are not the same any more . . . We played far better last weekend against Havelock North even though we drew. I think we are in survival mode until those key players return or our new and our younger players develop.”
In the Yorb Horizons Premiership competition, Versatile Wanganui City and G J Gardner
Homes Whanganui Athletic Reserves are third and fourth respectively in the standings after an ordinary start to 2021.
Athletic Reserves, like their top team, have posted a win, a draw and a loss from three matches played compared to last season where they dropped points in only two or three clashes all year to finish runners-up to competition winners Wanganui City, who led throughout 2020.
Athletic Reserves showed they were back in business with a 6-1 drubbing of Breakers RSM 1sts away last weekend.
They play competition coleaders teamlewis RE/MAX Feilding United at home on Wembley
Park No 1 today at 12.30pm.
Meanwhile, Wanganui City have also picked up the pace this season, beating Japac Homes Hokowhitu 2-1 last weekend to give them two wins and a loss after three games this season.
City take on bottom of the table North End AFC Reserves on Skogland No 3 today at 12.30pm.
The Yellow Fever better start warming up the tonsils. TV commentators on the coverage of the Wellington Phoenix’s 1-all A-league draw with Western United revealed the two sides would meet again on May 22, but this time in Wellington. The club had already confirmed it hopes to have two games on this side of the Tasman now the bubble is open. Wellington Phoenix coach Ufuk Talay says it’s an exciting prospect.