Find out what’s in store in the ISPS Handa Premiership this weekend with the official preview of all four games.

Hawke’s Bay United vs Auckland City
Bluewater Stadium, Napier
Sunday 11 February, 2pm
#ISPSHandaPrem #HBvAC

Referee: C Berg
Assistant Referees: G Sheehan, T Pedley
Fourth Official: A Riley

Squads

Hawke’s Bay United: 1. Ruben Parker (GK), 4. Graham Craven, 5. Bill Robertson, 6. Alex Palezevic, 7. Wesley Cain, 8. Sam St De Croix, 11. Hayato Wakino, 12. Ben Lack, 13. Jordan Lamb, 15. Jim Hoyle, 16. Tinashe Marowa, 19. Birhanu Taye, 21. Bjorn Christensen, 22. Jorge Akers, 24. Karanjit Mandair, 26. Mackenzie Waite (GK)
Coach: Brett Angell

Auckland City: 1. Enaut Zubikarai (GK), 2. Liam Graham, 3. Takuya Iwata, 4. Mario Bilen, 6. Te Atawhai Hudson-Wihongi, 7. Cameron Howieson, 8. Albert Riera, 11. Fabrizio Tavano, 13. Alfie Rogers, 14. Cole Peverley, 15. Daniel Morgan, 17. Reid Drake, 19. Micah Lea’alafa, 20. Emiliano Tade, 4. Conor Tracey (GK), 26. Callum McCowatt
Coach: Ramon Tribulietx

Lowdown

With Hawke’s Bay United’s play-off hopes now all but gone, there is not likely to be as much sting in this game as there might have been a couple of weeks ago. But Brett Angell’s men do still have a mathematical chance of breaking into the top four and are not likely to give up on their proud record of making the play-offs until that flame has been officially extinguished. The Bay will also want to prove they are still among the better sides in the country by claiming the biggest scalp of all. Auckland City’s play-off spot is virtually secure so their main motivation will be pipping Wellington and Suburbs to the minor premiership – a hugely significant achievement as it brings with it direct entry to the OFC Champions League. As ever, the danger man for the Navy Blues will be Emiliano Tade – golden boot leader with 14 goals – and he will be even more hungry to find the net than usual after drawing a rare blank against Wellington. Auckland may give a debut to former All White Cole Peverley, who joined from Team Wellington in the transfer window. The Bay will be pleased to be back on home soil in Napier after hitting the road for the past four rounds.

Quotes

Brett Angell (Hawke’s Bay United coach): “We’re taking on the league leaders so it’s going to be a very difficult game. But I think if we go about it right, concentrate and take out the mistakes from last week, we can certainly get something from the game. It was disappointing that we didn’t pick up the three points last weekend because that could have changed the complexion of the season. But it wasn’t to be and now we just have to maintain those consistently high standards, pick up as many points as we can between now and the end of the season and see where that takes us.”

Ramon Tribulietx (Auckland City coach): “Hawke's Bay United are always difficult to play because of the way they set themselves up tactically. Most times they have dropped very deep and narrowed the space inside and across both defence and midfield. For the way we play, that makes our life difficult. Teams can always change and tweak their approach so we need to understand how to bypass that strategy.”

Southern United vs Team Wellington
Sunnyvale Park, Dunedin
Sunday 11 February, 2pm
#ISPSHandaPrem #SUvTW

Referee: B O’Connell
Assistant Referees: A Verolino, J Henderson
Fourth Official: J Cowie

Squads

Southern United: 1. Tom Stevens (GK), 2. Conor O’Keeffe, 3. Tom Connor, 5. Stephen Last, 6. Danny Ledwith, 8. Jared Grove, 9. Garbhan Coughlan, 10. Danny Furlong, 11. Tim McLennan, 14. Andy Ridden, 15. Hamish Cotter, 16. Liam Little (GK), 20. Alex Ridsdale, 23. Ben Wade, 25. Andrew Cromb, 26. Luke Clissold
Coach: Paul O’Reilly

Team Wellington: 1. Scott Basalaj (GK), 2. Justin Gulley, 3. Scott Hilliar, 4. Mario Ilich, 5. Liam Wood, 7. Eric Molloy, 10. Nati Hailemariam, 11. Mario Barcia, 12. Andy Bevin, 13. Roy Kayara, 14. Jack-Henry Sinclair, 16. Angus Kilkolly, 19. Ross Allen, 21. Daniel Mulholland, 22. Marcel Kampman (GK)
Coach: Jose Figueira

Lowdown

This is another clash that has diminished in significance for the home side after Southern United’s push for the play-offs came to an end. But, like Hawke’s Bay, they will be out to prove a point against one of the best sides in the country and will be looking to force their way up the ladder for a mid-table finish. Wellington will be in no mood to do them any favours though as they are just a point off Auckland City in the fight for the minor premiership and are also trying to hold off the challenge of Eastern Suburbs, just a point further back in third. Southern are likely to be in low spirits after the double blow last weekend of losing to their local rivals Canterbury United and seeing their play-off chances stamped out in the process. Wellington will have been satisfied to pick up a point on their trip to Auckland City but will be anxious to get back to their usual free-scoring ways after being held scoreless for just the second time this season.

Quotes

Jose Figueira (Team Wellington coach): “They’re a hard-working team, very difficult to break down and have had some excellent results. They’ve got some game-breaking players, especially on the counter attack, so we’ve been working hard this week to make sure we go down there fully focused and look to maintain this momentum we currently have.”

Wellington Phoenix Reserves vs Canterbury United
David Farrington Park, Wellington
Sunday 11 February, 2pm
#ISPSHandaPrem #WPvCU

Referee: A Wilson
Assistant Referees: E Cook, A Davenport
Fourth Official: R Fleetham

Squads

Wellington Phoenix Reserves: 1. Tando Velaphi (GK), 3. Jacob Williams, 4. Liam Moore, 8. Ollie Whyte, 10. Willem Ebbinge, 11. Sam Sutton, 15. James McGarry, 20. Oliver Sail (GK), 21. Owen Smith, 23. Benjamin Waine, 46. Logan Rogerson, 50. Kurtis Mogg, 51. Noah Tipene-Clegg, 57. Jackson Manuel, 77. Oscar Spragg, 78. Oscar Browne
Coach: Chris Greenacre

Canterbury United Dragons: 1. Coey Turipa (GK), 2. Dan Terris, 3. Aaron Spain, 5. Tom Schwarz, 6. Gary Ogilvie, 7. Travis Nicklaw, 8. Luke Tongue, 10. Futa Nakamura, 12. George King, 13. Lewis Gordon (GK), 14. Sean Liddicoat, 16. Cory Mitchell, 17. Stephen Hoyle, 19. Francis de Vries, 23. Sebastian Schacht, 30. Seth Clark
Coach: Willy Gerdsen

Lowdown

Canterbury are the side whose play-off place is most under threat so they cannot afford many slip-ups in the run-in. If results go their way elsewhere though, this could be the match that finally cements their standing in the top four and their aim will be to secure their future as early as possible and start building for the play-offs. This clash has been rescheduled from earlier in the season and it is only actually two weeks since these sides were involved in a five-goal thriller in Christchurch, the Dragons eventually emerging 3-2 victors. Despite the loss, Phoenix coach Chris Greenacre was delighted with the performance of his young charges, describing it as their best showing of the season. He will hope for a repeat of that, rather than the effort they turned in just a week later in a 7-1 humbling at the hands of Eastern Suburbs. He has called on his side to stop giving away soft goals and, if they heed that advice, it could be a tight encounter as Canterbury have one of the meanest defences in the league. The ‘Wee Nix’ rear-guard could be strengthened with some real quality as new first-team signing Tando Velaphi, a goalkeeper with around 100 A-League appearances to his name, has been included in the match day squad.

Quotes

Chris Greenacre (Wellington Phoenix coach): “Canterbury are doing very well this season and Willy Gerdsen has done a terrific job there. They had a good result last week and are certainly going to be a tough team to play against. But we arguably had our best performance of the season down there so we’ll be taking a lot of confidence from that and will be looking to do more of the same. We just need to be a little bit more streetwise in our defending.”

Andreas Wilson (Canterbury United defender): “We always look forward to a good challenge against the Phoenix. You never quite know what side they’re going to put out based on player availability but we’re definitely not taking them lightly. They’re a very good team and pushed us all the way a couple of weeks ago.”

Eastern Suburbs vs Tasman United
Bill McKinlay Park, Auckland
Sunday 11 February, 4.35pm
#ISPSHandaPrem #ESvTU
Live on SKY Sport

Referee: H McCabe
Assistant Referees: S Merriman, M Batoor
Fourth Official: A Maharaj

Squads

Eastern Suburbs: 1. Lewis Caunter (GK), 6. Jordan Vale, 7. Tim Payne, 8. Moses Dyer, 9. Max Mata, 10. Andre de Jong, 13. Kingsley Sinclair, 14. Leon van den Hoven, 17. Michael Built, 18. Tristan Prattley, 20. Derek Tieku, 22. Hayden Johns, 29. Matt Palmer, 31. Thomas McCloy, 33. James Dunn (GK), 36. Kelvin Kalua
Coach: Danny Hay

Tasman United: 1. Corey Wilson (GK), 2. Luca Perico, 3. Edward Sillars, 4. Cameron Lindsay, 5. Mark Johnston, 8. Paul Ifill, 9. Maksym Kowal, 16. Daniel Allan, 17. Callan Elliot, 18. Matt Tod-Smith, 19. Lyle Matthysen, 20. Alex Britton (GK), 21. Yousif Al-Kalisy, 23. Sam Ayers, 25. Pan La Bu
Coach: Davor Tavich

Lowdown

The points are of vital importance to both sides here as Tasman United’s play-off chances are hanging by a thread while Eastern Suburbs are still in the hunt for the minor premiership title but could actually miss out on the top four altogether if they suffer an alarming loss of form. Tasman are just three points off fourth-placed Canterbury United but, with the Dragons having a game in hand, are likely to need to win nearly all of their remaining matches to sneak in. Suburbs also have their work cut out for them to finish first with Auckland City and Team Wellington currently occupying the top two places and an upset on Sunday would be a major blow to their minor premiership hopes. Both sides will have plenty of confidence in front of goal as Suburbs scored seven last weekend while Tasman hit five. They also each possess an in-form goalscorer with Tasman veteran Paul Ifill and young Suburbs star Andre de Jong both having ten strikes to their name.

Quotes

Danny Hay (Eastern Suburbs coach): “We know it’s going to be a very tough encounter, it’s one of those classic six pointers. We need to get three points to secure ourselves in the top and they’re fighting for their lives as well – a win for them is going to put them right back in contention. So we know they’re going to be up for it and it’s almost a grand final-type tie. They’re in top form at the moment, they had a fantastic win against Hawke’s Bay on the weekend and Paul Ifill was on fire so it’s going to be a real challenge for us.”

Paul Ifill (Tasman United forward): “I think we probably need to win this weekend, which would put us three behind them and then obviously depending on the Canterbury result it could mean we catch them. But if you lose this weekend then Eastern Suburbs are too many points away and if Canterbury go and win then you're going to end up six points behind them, so it's a bit like every week is a cup final at the moment.”