Match Week 14 of the ISPS Handa Premiership takes place this weekend, check out what’s in store with the official preview.

Auckland City vs Eastern Suburbs
Kiwitea Street, Auckland
Saturday 26 January, 4pm
#ISPSHandaPrem #ACvES

Referee: M Conger
Assistant Referees: C Tseng, A Lamberth
Fourth Official: C Mills

Squads

Auckland City: 1. Enaut Zubikarai (GK), 4. Mario Bilen, 5. Angel Berlanga, 6. Brian Kaltak, 7. Cameron Howieson, 8. Albert Riera, 9. Javier Lopez, 10. Micah Lea’alafa, 11. Fabrizio Tavano, 12. Dylan Manickum, 14. Jordan Vale, 15. Daniel Morgan, 16. Yousif Ali, 18. Ruben Parker (GK), 19. David Browne, 23. Alfie Rogers
Coach: Ramon Tribulietx

Eastern Suburbs: 1. Andrew Withers (GK), 3. Kelvin Kalua, 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), 23. Campbell Strong, 24. Jack Duncan
Coach: Danny Hay

Lowdown

There are no prizes for guessing the match of the round with this top-of-the-table clash between the most in-form teams in the country sure to steal the headlines. Auckland City are on a remarkable winning streak – they have 11 consecutive victories in this campaign and last suffered on on-field loss in the opening match of last season – and will be favourites after edging out Eastern Suburbs 1-0 in their previous meeting. Suburbs only other defeat came against third-placed Team Wellington so, after sweeping aside most other comers, they will be keen to prove they can compete against the very best with a statement win at the home of the league’s benchmark club.

Quotes

Ramon Tribulietx (Auckland City coach): “I expect our team to not only be tested physically but also technically in what I believe will be a very intense match. It will be one of those encounters where you need to be fully switched on and every small detail will be very important. For us, as always, the ball will be very important and we will need to stay tight with and without the ball against a side like Danny’s which is very well organised.”

Danny Hay (Eastern Suburbs coach): “Auckland have had a tremendous season to date and we know exactly what they're going to bring to the table. Ramon is a good coach tactically and they've got some good players, there's some really big threats going forward that we're going to have to be aware of. But our players are enjoying their football at the moment, we're playing some good stuff and I think we're exciting to watch. We're not going to change what we're doing, we're hoping to play some entertaining football.”

Canterbury United Dragons vs Wellington Phoenix Reserves
English Park, Christchurch
Sunday 27 January, 2pm
#ISPSHandaPrem #CUvWP

Referee: B O’Connell
Assistant Referees: C Gruschow, J Henderson
Fourth Official: N Burnett

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, 10. Adam Thurston, 12. Daniel McHenery, 14. Sean Liddicoat, 16. Cory Mitchell, 17. Stephen Hoyle, 19. Haris Zeb, 20. Jacob Richards, 21. Seth Clark, 22. Conor Tracey (GK)
Coach: Willy Gerdsen

Wellington Phoenix Reserves: 1. Zac Jones (GK), 2. Kurtis Mogg, 4. Boyd Curry, 6. Gianni Stensness, 7. Benjamin Waine, 8. Tacettin Kumsuz, 9. Maximilian Batchelor, 10. Willem Ebbinge, 11. Sam Sutton, 13. Noah Tipene-Clegg, 14. Oskar van Hattum, 15. Ronan Wynne, 16. Kieran Richards, 18. Henry Hamilton, 21. Owen Smith, 30. Zachary Dean (GK)
Coach: Paul Temple

Lowdown

After a good run of form had lifted them into the play-off spots, Canterbury were brought back down to earth with a thud, falling to a 5-1 loss at Eastern Suburbs. With Team Wellington now back ahead of them and Hamilton snapping at their heels, they need to ensure that knock to their confidence doesn’t turn into a slump. A home game against the bottom-placed side appears to offer a good chance to get back to winning ways but this fixture isn’t as straightforward as it may have earlier seemed after the Phoenix earned their first win, 2-0 away at Waitakere. Despite their run of losses, the ‘WeeNix’ have seldom been outplayed but will need to retain the cutting edge that finally helped them secure three points to have any chance here.

Tasman United vs Waitakere United
Trafalgar Park, Nelson
Sunday 27 January, 2pm
#ISPSHandaPrem #TUvWU

Referee: A Riley
Assistant Referees: I Trevis, R Malcolm
Fourth Official: R Mahalm

Squads

Tasman United: 20. Nick Stanton (GK), 2. Sam Ayers, 3. Edward Sillars, 4. Thomas Hickey, 5. Fox Slotemaker, 6. Bertie Fish, 7. Corey Larsen, 10. Kiernan Hughes-Mason, 11. Alex Ridsdale, 12. Ahmed Othman, 13. James McClay, 15. Max Winterton, 21. Jordan Yong, 23. Keegan Smith (GK), 24. Liam MacDevitt, 25. Jake Williams
Coach: Andy Hedge

Waitakere United: 1. Silvio Rodic (GK), 2. Luke Jorgensen, 3. Niko Steinmetz, 5. Kris Carpenter, 6. Hayden Aish, 8. Sam Burfoot, 9. Alex Connor-McClean, 11. Sanni Issa, 15. Ignacio Machuca Maturena, 16. Reilly O’Meagher, 18. Lachlan McIsaac, 20. Oliver Bassett, 21. Andrew Abba, 22. Nick Draper (GK), 23. Jake Mechell
Coach: Chris Milicich

Lowdown

Neither of these sides are anywhere near where they would like to be on the table and that will be a frustration to their respective coaches as both have shown glimpses of their potential. Waitakere recently became just the second team to defeat Team Wellington but followed that up with a shock loss to the winless Phoenix while Tasman began the season poorly but are undefeated in their last two matches, beating play-off chasing Hamilton before holding Wellington to a draw. Both teams will be targeting this as an excellent chance to pick up three points but Tasman’s hopes have taken a hit with the suspension of defender Joe Ellul, a recent arrival who has starred in the upper echelons of the non-League game in England.

Southern United vs Team Wellington
Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
Sunday 27 January, 2pm
#ISPSHandaPrem #SUvTW

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

Squads

Southern United: 1. Liam Little (GK), 2. Conor O’Keeffe, 3. Jared Grove, 4. Stephen Last, 5. Erik Panzer, 6. Danny Ledwith, 7. Hayato Wakino, 8. Tony Whitehead, 9. Garbhan Coughlan, 10. Abdulla Al-Kalisy, 11. Ben Deeley, 12. Adam Hewson, 13. Azariah Soromon, 14. Sam Pickering, 16. Stewart Catto (GK)
Coach: Paul O’Reilly

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, 12. Andrew Bevin, 14. Jack-Henry Sinclair, 16. Angus Kilkolly, 17. Alex Palezevic, 18. Aaron Clapham, 19. Ross Allen, 21. Hamish Watson, 22. Marcel Kampman (GK)
Coach: Jose Figueira

Lowdown

Until recent weeks, Team Wellington were right on track for a fourth straight appearance in the final but their campaign has hit a speed wobble lately and they now find themselves with a fight on their hands to make sure of a play-off place. After being beaten only once prior to heading to the FIFA Club World Cup, they have now not tasted victory for two weeks and the level of opposition to have taken points off them will be a concern. Wellington were firstly beaten by third-from-bottom Waitakere and were then held to a draw by fellow strugglers Tasman. Southern will therefore fancy their chances of joining that list, especially as they are in good form after a 3-1 win over Hamilton. Garbhan Coughlan notched a hat-trick in that game and is now just one goal off the Golden Boot lead with nine.

Hamilton Wanderers vs Hawke’s Bay United 
Porritt Stadium, Hamilton
Sunday 27 January, 4.35pm
#ISPSHandaPrem #HWvHB
Live on SKY Sport

Referee: CK Kawana-Waugh
Assistant Referees: R Al Rabea, S Merriman
Fourth Official: A Wilson

Squads

Hamilton Wanderers: 23. Jonathan Mannes (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, 17. Xavier Pratt, 18. Steffano Riley, 20. Derek Tieku, 22. Adam Luque
Coach: Ricki Herbert

Hawke’s Bay United: 1. Mackenzie Waite (GK), 4. Cameron Lindsay, 5. James Marsh, 7. Cory Chettleburgh, 9. Sam Mason-Smith, 10. Sho Goto, 11. Maxime Oliveri, 12. Ben Lack, 14. Birhanu Taye, 16. Gavin Hoy, 19. Luis Toomey, 20. Josh Murphy, 21. Bjorn Christensen, 22. Karan Mandair, 23. Jorge Akers, 26. Alexander Britton (GK)
Coach: Brett Angell

Lowdown

Hamilton’s campaign is shaping up as a season of two halves so far with an outstanding beginning being followed by a winless start to the new year. After earning five victories before the festive break to put themselves right in the play-off picture, Wanderers are yet to pick up a point in 2019 and have been replaced in the top four by Canterbury. They are now only two points ahead of Hawke’s Bay and will be leap-frogged by their opponents if they suffer another defeat. Securing all three points is therefore vital if they are to claim a historic first-ever place in the play-offs but the Bay are in a similar boat as they still have a slim chance of sneaking in. Their prospects of doing so will largely rest on the form of Sam Mason-Smith, one of the league’s most lethal marksmen who now has ten goals to his name.

Article added: Friday 25 January 2019