Match Week 12 of the ISPS Handa Premiership takes place this weekend, check out what’s in store with the official preview. 

Wellington Phoenix Reserves vs Eastern Suburbs
Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Saturday 12 January, 4.45pm
#ISPSHandaPrem #WPvES
Live on SKY Sport

Referee: A Wilson
Assistant Referees: E Cook, T Pedley
Fourth Official: A Riley

Squads

Wellington Phoenix Reserves: 1. Zac Jones (GK), 2. Kurtis Mogg, 5. Ronan Wynne, 6. Gianni Stensness, 7. Benjamin Waine, 8. Tacettin Kumsuz, 9. Maximilian Batchelor, 10. Willem Ebbinge, 11. Sam Sutton, 13. Noah Tipene-Clegg, 15. Stephen Sprowson, 16. Kieran Richards, 18. Henry Hamilton, 21. Owen Smith, 25. Boyd Curry, 31. Caleb Emmens
Coach: Paul Temple

Eastern Suburbs: 1. Andrew Withers (GK), 3. Kelvin Kalua, 5. Adam Thomas, 6. Harry Moss-Edge, 7. Tim Payne, 8. Owen Parker-Price, 9. Callum McCowatt, 10. Andre de Jong, 11. Mohamed Awad, 14. Elijah Just, 15. Dalton Wilkins, 16. Dominic Wooldridge, 17. Michael Built, 18. Kingsley Sinclair, 21. Justin Biega (GK), 24. Jack Duncan
Coach: Danny Hay

Lowdown

Eastern Suburbs are currently Auckland City’s closest challengers for the minor premiership but, given the outstanding form of the Navy Blues, that five-point margin will be difficult to make up, especially as the leaders have a game in hand. Also having played a game less are third-placed Team Wellington so if Suburbs suffer a shock defeat to the pointless Phoenix they may find it tricky to finish in the top two.

Quotes

Danny Hay (Eastern Suburbs coach): “We’re pretty happy with the last couple of results and performances but we’re not getting ahead of ourselves. We don’t want any complacency to creep in and we know there’s still plenty of improvement that we’re capable of. This is just another chance to keep developing and improving. If you just look at the results of the Phoenix that would probably be unfair. They’ve been in every single game they’ve played and their level of possession has been very high. It’s a cliché to say there’s no easy games in this league but that’s certainly the case.”

Hamilton Wanderers vs Tasman United
Centre Park, Auckland
Sunday 13 January, 2pm
#ISPSHandaPrem #HWvTU

Referee: P Linney
Assistant Referees: C Tseng, A Lamberth
Fourth Official: L Agnew

Squads

Hamilton Wanderers: 1. Matt Oliver (GK), 2. James Hoyle, 3. Joe Nottage, 5. Stafford Dowling, 6. Agustin Contratti, 8. Brad Whitworth, 9. Martin Bueno, 10. Rhys Ruka, 11. Jordan Shaw, 13. Tommy Semmy, 14. Paul Clout, 15. Joseph Terry, 18. Steffano Riley, 20. Derek Tieku, 22. Adam Luque, 23. Jonathan Mannes (GK)
Coach: Ricki Herbert

Tasman United: 1. Nick Stanton (GK), 2. Sam Ayers, 5. Fox Slotemaker, 6. Bertie Fish, 7. Corey Larsen, 8. Matt Tod-Smith, 10. Kiernan Hughes-Mason, 11. Alex Ridsdale, 12. Ahmed Othman, 14. Ryan Worrall, 15. Max Winterton, 19. Chester Gaskin, 21. Jordan Yong, 23. Keegan Smith (GK), 25. Jake Williams, 26. Joe Ellul
Coach: Andy Hedge

Lowdown

Given their struggles of previous years, the results of Hamilton Wanderers have been hugely impressive in the current campaign but last week’s defeat to Team Wellington suggests they may not quite be able to mount a serious challenge for the title just yet. They have now dropped out of the top four but a home game against a Tasman side with only one win to their name appears to provide a good opportunity to inch back in.

Auckland City vs Southern United
Kiwitea Street, Auckland
Sunday 13 January, 2pm
#ISPSHandaPrem #ACvSU

Referee: A Riley
Assistant Referees: M Batoor, C Trent
Fourth Official: C Mills

Squads

Auckland City: 1. Enaut Zubikarai (GK), 4. Mario Bilen, 5. Angel Berlanga, 6. Brian Kaltak, 7. Cameron Howieson, 9. Javier Lopez, 11. Fabrizio Tavano, 12. Dylan Manickum, 14. Jordan Vale, 15. Daniel Morgan, 16. Yousif Ali, 17. Reid Drake, 18. Ruben Parker (GK), 19. David Browne, 22. Patrick Lundemo, 23. Alfie Rogers
Coach: Ramon Tribulietx

Southern United: 1. Liam Little (GK), 2. Conor O’Keeffe, 3. Rory Findlay, 4. Stephen Last, 5. Erik Panzer, 6. Danny Ledwith, 8. Tony Whitehead, 9. Garbhan Coughlan, 10. Abdulla Al-Kalisy, 11. Sam Pickering, 12. Adam Hewson, 13. Ben Deeley, 14. Blake Weston, 16. Stewart Catto (GK), 18. Markus Fjortoft
Coach: Paul O’Reilly

Lowdown

The City juggernaut is still showing no signs of slowing down and not even the festive break allowed any rustiness to creep in as they picked up exactly where they left off with a 2-0 defeat of local rivals Waitakere. Javier Lopez hit a brace in that victory and is now approaching double figures for the season so Southern’s well-organised defence will need to be at its best to keep out the sharp-shooting Spanish striker.

Quotes

Ramon Tribulietx (Auckland City coach): “Southern have had an inconsistent season so far but always deliver a competitive performance. They refuse to concede space to opponents with a well-formed and executed defensive strategy and that makes creating chances to score very difficult. They’ll be strong on the counter-attack through Abdulla Al-Kalisy and Garbhan Coughlan.”

Markus Fjortoft (Southern United): “Obviously, it was a tough result against Eastern Suburbs and we played well below par. We know that’s not a reflection of our quality, nor our aspirations. There’s two ways to react to that, to either let yourselves be defined by it or use it as a spark to show people what we can actually do. And I don’t think there’s a better way than to play the best team in the league away.”

Canterbury United Dragons vs Hawke’s Bay United
English Park, Christchurch
Sunday 13 January, 2pm
#ISPSHandaPrem #CUvHB

Referee: C Berg
Assistant Referees: M Love, R Preston
Fourth Official: B O’Connell

Squads

Canterbury United Dragons: 1. Edward Ashton (GK), 2. Dan Terris, 3. Aaron Spain, 5. Tom Schwarz, 6. Gary Ogilvie, 7. George King, 8. Luke Tongue, 9. Maksym Kowal, 10. Adam Thurston, 11. Haris Zeb, 14. Sean Liddicoat, 15. Andreas Wilson, 16. Cory Mitchell, 17. Stephen Hoyle, 21. Seth Clark, 22. Conor Tracey (GK)
Coach: Willy Gerdsen

Hawke’s Bay United: 1. Mackenzie Waite (GK), 3. Liam Schofield, 4. Cameron Lindsay, 5. Josh Murphy, 6. Daniel Allan, 7. Cory Chettleburgh, 9. Sam Mason-Smith, 10. Sho Goto, 11. Maxime Oliveri, 12. Ben Lack, 14. Birhanu Taye, 19. Luis Toomey, 22. Karan Mandair, 23. Jorge Akers, 26. Alexander Britton (GK)
Coach: Brett Angell

Lowdown

Canterbury have so far been the quiet achievers, losing only twice and creeping into the top four last week with their fifth win. But the battle for that final play-off position is shaping as an intense one and Hawke’s Bay are one of the other sides in the running so this match could prove crucial. Canterbury have home advantage but the Bay will be full of confidence after putting four past the Phoenix, including a hat-trick to danger man Sam Mason-Smith.

Team Wellington vs Waitakere United
David Farrington Park, Wellington
Sunday 13 January, 2pm
#ISPSHandaPrem #TWvTU

Referee: N Waldron
Assistant Referees: M Whitehead, C Bennett
Fourth Official: A Clarke

Squads

Team Wellington: 1. Scott Basalaj (GK), 2. Justin Gulley, 3. Scott Hilliar, 4. Mario Ilich, 5. Liam Wood, 6. Taylor Schrijvers, 7. Eric Molloy, 8. Henry Cameron, 10. Nathanael Hailemariam, 11. Mario Barcia, 14. Jack-Henry Sinclair, 16. Angus Kilkolly, 18. Aaron Clapham, 19. Ross Allen, 21. Hamish Watson
Coach: Jose Figueira

Waitakere United: 1. Silvio Rodic (GK), 3. Niko Steinmetz, 4. Ben Gordon, 7. Oscar Browne, 8. Sam Burfoot, 9. Alex Connor-McClean, 12. Matthew Conroy, 13. Dane Schnell, 15. Ignacio Machuca Maturena, 16. Reilly O’Meagher, 18. Lachlan McIsaac, 20. Oliver Bassett, 21. Andrew Abba, 23. Jake Mechell, 28. Nick Draper (GK)
Coach: Chris Milicich

Lowdown

Team Wellington showed there would be no hangover from their FIFA Club World Cup heartache with a win over Hamilton last week and will be confident of having too much quality for a Waitakere side that has won just twice. The west Aucklanders appear to have little chance of launching a play-off push but finishing anywhere near their current lowly position would be a big disappointment for a club with such a proud history.

Quotes

Jose Figueira (Team Wellington coach): “It was good to kick off the new year with a win and nice to be backing it up with another home game against an always-tough Waitakere. They’re going through a bit of a re-building phase and there’s some new, younger faces in the squad but their position in the league is probably a bit deceptive. We’re expecting a really tough challenge, we’re known for having some good games between us.”

Article added: Friday 11 January 2019