Home and away games for Wanganui Athletic

HOME AGAIN: Quinn Mailman and the Wanganui Athletic team are still in search of their first win of the season at Wembley Park today. PHOTO/FILE

It's a case of home and away for Devon Homes Wanganui Athletic this weekend as the Athletic first team host Massey University on Wembley's main ground in the Lotto Federation League, while the Reserves travel to Ashhurst Domain to take on the experienced Red Sox Manawatu A's in the Western Premiership.

Massey have had the rub of the green in each meeting with Athletic this season, and today could well be another day of missed opportunities if the Reds cannot get themselves into the game early to snatch a critical victory.

Massey sit just one spot above Athletic, but have gathered two victories and a draw from their 10 fixtures this season, while the Reds are yet to register a competition point, having lost all 10 games to date.

It would seem that of all the chances need to be taken and everything must go into grabbing a win today, as it might just be the spark the team needs to recover some semblance of respectability from the efforts they've been putting in each weekend.

The Reds will need to make the most of their ever-growing strength in the middle of the park, and the solid foundation at the back which has been Matt Calvert between the sticks " utilising that backbone to launch themselves towards Massey's defensive third and penetrate their defence and register goal after goal.

Ten weeks of defeats will mean a massive build up of frustration, and one can only feel that the floodgates could open on an unsuspecting opposition should Athletic be able to take the game by the scruff of the neck and put the game to bed.

With the game kicking off at 2.30pm on Wembley's No1 field, there'll be plenty of home ground support in play, so make sure you get yourself down, and urge the men in red to finally show they have it in them.

The Reserves have yet again hit a bump in what has been a rollercoaster of a season for the young development team. They will quickly need to pull up their socks after last weekend's resounding defeat if they are to mount a worthwhile challenge against the wily Red Sox A's " a team that boasts plenty of ageing experience from players who have been in some of the upper echelons of New Zealand football.

The Reserves will need to contain their exuberance, and be prepared to be patient as Red Sox will look to slow the game down and control long phases of play. But the chances that arise must be taken with vigour by the Reserves, and not squandered. Sticking to the basics should be the mantra for the match, and not to over commit to challenges, the result might just swing the way of the Reserves, and help them steady the ship.

While the local premier teams have been battling to make a statement in the premier divisions, there's been plenty of excitement and hard fought matches in the local men's and women's leagues, with today offering up some enticing matchups that will wet the casual supporter's appetite at Wembley Park. In the men's division one competition, City Wanderers and Marist Celtic having been going punch for punch all season, with the Wanderers currently holding a three-point lead over last season's champions.

Second placed Celtic have a tough task in their clash against the third placed City Hammers today, with previous games resulting in a narrow 3-2 win for Celtic and an agonising draw. The Hammers may not be in the chase for the title this season, but taking points from Celtic today, or even holding them to a draw, could spell the end for Celtic's hopes at reclaiming the title.

Table toppers Wanderers will be hoping to repeat last round's trouncing of the fifth placed Marist Bhoys, to increase their goal difference, with the Bhoys hoping to do their clubmates a favour and cause an unlikely upset, keeping the leaders within reach.

Meanwhile the sixth placed Athletic Development side will hope to continue their growth and put on a respectable display against St Anthony's Castlecliff side, who sit fourth on the table.

A top of the table clash in the men's second division sees table topper Rivercity Braves take on the evergreen Athletic Cosmos, with the Cosmos hoping to reign in the current table toppers, and bring them back within grasping distance.

The last time these two teams met, Braves had the measure of the seasoned veterans of Wanganui football in what was a mammoth goal scoring event, finishing with the honours and an 8-7 victory. More of the same could be expected today, with Cosmos still licking their wounds from last weekend's defeat at the hands of the Marist Casuals, but that could also well stir the coals for the more senior Cosmos players and the Braves may well become the focus of their venom at 2.30pm on No6 pitch.

In other division two fixtures today, third place Athletic Weekenders will be looking to bank another three points in their match against eighth placed Rivercity Chiefs, fifth placed City Thirsties face sixth placed Castlecliff United, and the club derby between seventh placed Marist Casuals and fourth placed Marist Shamrocks will be all about bragging rights back in the changing bays. In the women's league, the Collegiate school ground host two games today, with the Girls 1sts clashing with the City Women, followed by the Girls 2nd XI hosting the Marist Ladies at 2.30pm.