Find out what’s in store in the ISPS Handa Premiership this weekend with the official preview of Round 17.

Southern United vs Hamilton Wanderers
Sunnyvale Park, Dunedin
Saturday 10 March, 2pm
#ISPSHandaPrem #SUvHW

Referee: N Waldron
Assistant Referees: A Verolino, J Henderson
Fourth Official: C Berg

Squads

Southern United: 1. Liam Little (GK), 2. Conor O’Keeffe, 3. Tom Connor, 4. Kristian Gibson, 5. Stephen Last, 6. Danny Ledwith, 7. Omar Guardiola, 8. Jared Grove, 9. Garbhan Coughlan, 11. Tim McLennan, 14. Andy Ridden, 16. Tom Stevens (GK), 18. Nick Treadwell, 20. Alex Ridsdale, 23. Ben Wade, 25. Andrew Cromb
Coach: Paul O’Reilly

Hamilton Wanderers: 1. David Masters (GK), 2. Kazuhiro Obata, 3. Joe Nottage, 5. Sam O’Regan, 7. Patrick Aisa, 8. Steffano Riley, 10. Armin Pasagic, 11. Jordan Shaw, 12. Raheem Hunter, 13. Tommy Semmy, 16. Hamish Smylie, 17. Xavier Pratt, 18. Alexis Carcamo-Varela, 21. Liam Hayes
Coach: Ricki Herbert

Lowdown

These sides both brought up the rear last season but their progress since then has been in stark contrast with Southern United rising to sixth on the table and Hamilton Wanderers replacing them in last place. Hamilton managed to post four wins in the previous campaign but have just one to their name so far and no longer have any chance of avoiding the wooden spoon. With an away trip to defending champions Team Wellington their only subsequent fixture, the visit to Southern appears their best chance of adding to a very modest points tally but the hosts will go in as favourites. Southern coach Paul O’Reilly will be frustrated at not being able to take the field for three weeks as their last outing was one that could have sparked some momentum, an impressive 4-0 win over Wellington Phoenix Reserves. They are just two points off fifth-placed Tasman United and their main goal over the remaining two matches will be to leapfrog their fellow South Islanders.

Wellington Phoenix Reserves vs Tasman United
David Farrington Park, Wellington
Sunday 11 March, 2pm
#ISPSHandaPrem #WPvTU

Referee: P Linney
Assistant Referees: A Clarke, S Reilly
Fourth Official: J Rowbury

Squads

Wellington Phoenix Reserves: 1. Keegan Smith (GK), 3. Jake Williams, 4. Liam Moore, 8. Ollie Whyte, 10. Willem Ebbinge, 11. Sam Sutton, 12. Ollie Valentine, 15. James McGarry, 19. Sam Philip, 21. Owen Smith, 23. Ben Waine, 40. Oliver Sail (GK), 50. Kurtis Mogg, 51. Noah Tipene-Clegg, 77. Oscar Spragg
Interim Coach: Steve Coleman

Tasman United:
Coach: Davor Tavich  

Lowdown

Courtesy of a 2-1 win over Hamilton Wanderers in their last outing, the Wellington Phoenix Reserves are now free from the threat of the wooden spoon and could still greatly improve their standing as they are just five points off fifth spot. Their final assignment of the season is a tricky proposition against Auckland City though so three points this weekend are a must if they are to sneak up the ladder. With Chris Greenacre stepping up to take temporary charge of the first team in the A-League, the coaching responsibilities will fall on the shoulders of Steve Coleman, who will be hoping the club’s off-field dramas of recent days do not prove a distraction for his young charges. Tasman cannot overhaul the 12-point margin between themselves and the top four but their main motivation in the closing weeks will be to hold off the challenges of their rivals to retain fifth place. They have just come off the back of a pair of defeats to playoff-bound sides and will be relieved to now be facing an outfit they will feel they have every chance of beating.

Quotes

Steve Coleman (Wellington Phoenix Reserves Interim Coach): “We’re expecting a tough game against Tasman, they have plenty of attacking threat. From our perspective, we’re looking to build on a really good performance at Hamilton a couple of weeks back and really try to get a good end to the season on the back of that. We’ve worked pretty hard this week on our defending structures and I’m sure the boys will be raring to go come kick off. There’s a new coach for the first team so there will potentially be opportunities to come over the next five or six weeks.”

Canterbury United vs Team Wellington
English Park, Christchurch
Sunday 11 March, 2pm
#ISPSHandaPrem #CUvTW

Referee: H McCabe
Assistant Referees: C Gruschow, R Preston
Fourth Official: B O’Connell

Squads

Canterbury United Dragons: 1. Coey Turipa (GK), 2. Dan Terris, 3. Aaron Spain, 5. Tom Schwarz, 6. Gary Ogilvie, 7. Travis Nicklaw, 9. James Pendrigh, 10. Futa Nakamura, 12. George King, 14. Sean Liddicoat, 15. Andreas Wilson, 16. Cory Mitchell, 17. Stephen Hoyle, 19. Francis de Vries, 21. Tom Batty (GK), 30. Seth Clark
Coach: Willy Gerdsen

Team Wellington: 1.Scott Basalaj (GK), 2. Justin Gulley, 3. Scott Hilliar, 4. Mario Ilich, 5. Liam Wood, 6. Taylor Schrijvers, 7. Eric Molloy, 10. Nati Hailemariam, 11. Mario Barcia, 12. Andy Bevin, 14. Jack-Henry Sinclair, 16. Angus Kilkolly, 19. Ross Allen, 20. Daniel Mulholland, 21. Hamish Watson, 22. Marcel Kampman (GK)
Coach: Jose Figueira

Lowdown

This is one of the highlights of the round and, while the playoff status of both sides has already been secured, this match will be vital in the fight to make the top two and thus book a home semi-final. Team Wellington currently have the edge in that regard but are just a point ahead of Canterbury and could find themselves dropping down to fourth by the weekend’s end if results don’t go their way. They will be full of confidence at the moment though after topping their group in the OFC Champions League and will relish the cooler conditions of Christchurch after toiling away in the heat of Honiara. In contrast to their over-worked opponents, Canterbury haven’t been in action for a fortnight and will hope their fresher legs make a difference in their last home match of the regular season. Wellington emerged as 2-0 winners in the previous meeting between the pair in early December but Canterbury are a much tougher proposition now after losing only once since the turn of the year. The Dragons have won five games on the trot and a sixth would be a club record.

Quotes

Dan Terris (Canterbury United defender): “They’ve had a good campaign in the Champions League and we expect them to be as strong as ever. We just need to make sure we’re prepared for a team that is in good form and has some real quality about them. The focus for us is just to do as well as we can now, we’ve got ourselves a semi-final spot and of course a home semi-final would be great but we just have to take each game as it comes – it know that’s a classic saying but it really is that way for us.”

Jose Figueira (Team Wellington coach): “It’s going into the cauldron after returning back home and it’s always a big battle down there. Canterbury are obviously in the top four along with ourselves and the top-four placings are all to be played for. It’s been a good week for the boys, everyone is fully focused and expecting a tough challenge so we’ve got to make sure we’re really focused and make sure our quality comes through.”

Waitakere United vs Hawke’s Bay United
Trusts Arena, Auckland
Sunday 11 March, 2pm
#ISPSHandaPrem #WUvHB

Referee: A Wilson
Assistant Referees: G Sheehan, I Trevis
Fourth Official: L Agnew

Squads

Waitakere United: 28. Liam Anderson (GK), 6. Jordan Hearn, 7. Yuki Ohtsuka, 8. Andre Estay, 9. Ryan Cain, 10. Eder Franchini Pasten, 14. David Parkinson, 17. Jake Butler, 19. Tom Shaw, 20. Rossi Nkoy, 21. Dylan Windust, 23. Dylan Manickum, 24. Nicolas Zambrano, 26. Josh Dijkstra (GK), 32. Charlie Thomas, 36. Christian Gray
Coach: Chris Milicich

Hawke’s Bay United: 1. Ruben Parker (GK), 5. Bill Robertson, 6. Alex Palezevic, 7. Wesley Cain, 8. Sam St De Croix, 9. Samuel Adjei, 12. Ben Lack, 13. Jordan Lamb, 14. Gavin Hoy, 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

Lowdown

The season hasn’t gone as planned for either of these sides and they are playing solely for pride here. Both will be hugely disappointed to have missed out on the playoffs as they share a rich history in the knockout stages, Hawke’s Bay having made it through for five consecutive years while this is just the second time in Waitakere’s existence that they have failed to qualify. Their downfall has been an inability to turn periods of dominance into goals and it is telling that the now-departed Keegan Linderboom – who has taken up a professional deal in Singapore – is the only player to have scored more than three goals. The Bay have struggled even more in front of goal, averaging just over one per game to record the worst offensive record in the league by some distance. The loss of Sam Mason-Smith to an overseas contract in pre-season has proved a massive blow as no one else has stepped up to provide the goals in his absence, Bjorn Christensen and Birhanu Taye top scoring with just three each.

Quotes

Chris Milicich (Waitakere United coach): “Going into these last two games I think we’re playing for a delivery on the incredible work ethic and performances we’ve been putting in that haven’t been rewarded. So the focus has to be on whether we can gain a reward out of the game. Nobody is doing poorly, everybody is actually playing quite well, but dominating games really doesn’t mean much unless you can get on top. Even last week, we had more opportunities to score than Eastern Suburbs but still came away with a loss.”

Brett Angell (Hawke’s Bay United coach): “We let slip a lead in our last game against Canterbury and I’m hoping we go up there and get into that same position but don’t let it slip this time. There’s still three points at stake and it’s a valued three points that could push us further up the league. Waitakere haven’t managed to make the playoffs so they’ll be disappointed around that and likewise it’s been a little while since they last picked up three points so it’s all to play for.”

Auckland City vs Eastern Suburbs
Kiwitea Street, Auckland
Sunday 11 March, 4.35pm
#ISPSHandaPrem #ACvES
Live on SKY Sport

Referee: A Riley
Assistant Referees: H Tutbury, T Chang
Fourth Official: A Maharaj

Squads

Auckland City: 1. Enaut Zubikarai (GK), 3. Takuya Iwata, 4. Mario Bilen, 5. Angel Berlanga, 6. Te Atawhai Hudson-Wihongi, 7. Cameron Howieson, 8. Albert Riera, 11. Fabrizio Tavano, 14. Cole Peverley, 15. Daniel Morgan, 19. Micah Lea’alafa, 20. Emiliano Tade, 24. Conor Tracey (GK), 26. Callum McCowatt, 27. Dalton Wilkins, 98. Owen Parker-Price
Coach: Ramon Tribulietx

Eastern Suburbs: 1. Lewis Caunter (GK), 6. Jordan Vale, 7. Tim Payne, 8. Moses Dyer, 9. Max Mata, 13. Kingsley Sinclair, 14. Leon van den Hoven, 17. Michael Built, 18. Tristan Prattley, 20. Derek Tieku, 22. Hayden Johns, 24. Charles Spragg, 29. Matt Palmer, 32. Campbell Strong, 33. James Dunn (GK), 36. Kelvin Kalua
Coach: Danny Hay

Lowdown

This shares top billing for the weekend with Canterbury’s hosting of Team Wellington and, just like the action down in Christchurch, the outcome here will have a huge bearing in the jostling for final positions in the top four. With this game taking place later in the afternoon, both sides will be aware of the earlier result and may find themselves having to respond after being leapfrogged. Like Wellington, Auckland City have been kept busy by the OFC Champions League in recent days and are in ominous form, scoring 13 times across their three consecutive wins in the Pacific’s premier club tournament and not conceding a single goal. Breaching that rock solid defence will be Eastern Suburbs’ main challenge as the Navy Blues have been remarkably miserly in the ISPS Handa Premiership, letting in only 12 goals so far – at least six less than any other side. In all competitions, they have now kept a remarkable nine consecutive clean sheets. Suburbs will be a threat to this as they do boost an excellent attacking record but must now deal with the loss of top scorer Andre De Jong, who has headed to Australia. The visitors are yet to take a point off City in the three matches since their reintroduction to the top flight of New Zealand football.

Quotes

Ramon Tribulietx (Auckland City coach): “Considering what’s at stake, it’s another big game – there’s no margin for error right now. We have some players who will probably still feel a little fatigued from those three [OFC Champions League] games. Some played three 90-minute games within six days and against teams that demand a lot of physicality from you, it gets tough. But then, on the other hand, we’ve got players returning to the side who weren’t part of our squad last week and they’re fresh.”

Danny Hay (Eastern Suburbs coach): “It’s a massive game, absolutely huge, and is really going to determine how the finals draw pans out. We need to win to try to get in one of those top two spots but we know Auckland City are clearly one of the best sides in the league and have been for many years. We know it’s going to be a real challenge for our young side but we’re really looking forward to it. It should give us a good yardstick as to where we’re sitting going into that finals campaign.”