Football: Season of promise for Football Whanganui starts with draw against former champs

Vanya Apiata-Hodginson scored one of Football Whanganui's goals in their surprise draw with Palmerston North Marist at Wembley Park on Sunday.

Team Ritesh Football Whanganui would not have dared hope for better in the start of their 2019 Women's Federation League campaign after coming back twice to secure a 2-2 draw with Palmerston North Marist at Wembley Park on Sunday afternoon.

Football Whanganui were the wooden spooners in their two previous League campaigns, managing a solitary win and draw in the entirety of both seasons.

PN Marist, meanwhile, were the dominant 2017 League champions and are returning to this division after being promoted last year.

Delighted home team coach Matt Calvert said his side took over the space from their half, and having made some adjustments in their field shape, were able to dominate territory against their more fancied opposition.

"Real positive day for the women's team. We've shown a bit of progression.

"We had to be on top of our game, but also not show them too much respect."

Marist still scored against the run of play to take a 1-0 lead into halftime.

But unlike previous years, when giving up a goal would cause the dam to burst after just hanging on, Football Whanganui were feeling more confident and redoubled their efforts.

They scored the equaliser three minutes after the resumption, then had the better of the third quarter, until Marist were able to regain momentum for a 5-10 minute period to go ahead 2-1.

Again, the home side would not go away, passing when they needed to and putting the squeeze on the visitors, and they were rewarded with another equaliser.

Dana McClelland and Vanya Apiata-Hodginson were the goal scorers.

"We pushed for the winner, but just didn't get it," said Calvert.

The match had been very entertaining – polar opposite to the scoreless men's Federation League derby Calvert played the previous day when GJ Gardner Homes Wanganui Athletic took on Versatile Wanganui City .

"It was the best standard of football of the weekend – forwarding thinking, aggressive. Just gave it our all.

"There was as many people watching the women's as the game the day before."

The coach said a lot of the "silly mistakes" of previous campaigns have worked their way out of the player's systems, while they did not go into their shells after conceeding points, which often let teams not that much better than them run up big scorelines.

"We looked like we were going to score a lot of goals, when in other years we haven't," said Calvert.

"This isn't going to be our best performance of the season, we're looking to get better.

"If we keep switched on, we'll hopefully be a match for anyone."

Football Whanganui's next game will be at home against Feilding United this Sunday, with Feilding having lost 3-1 at home to Hokowhitu FC in their opening game of the six-team League.

Taradale FC and Massey University FC had a 1-1 draw in the other game.

It was not as happy a season opener for the GJ Gardner Homes Wanganui Athletic Reserves in the men's Horizons Premiership on Saturday at Wembley Park.

The team was hammered 8-1 by Massey University FC.

They will travel to play the Takaro 1sts this coming Saturday.