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

Hawke’s Bay United vs Southern United
Bluewater Stadium, Napier
Sunday 9 December, 1pm
#ISPSHandaPrem #HBvSU 

Referee: N Waldron
Assistant Referees: G Sheehan, T Pedley
Fourth Official: E Cook

Squads

Hawke’s Bay United: 1. Mackenzie Waite (GK), 2. Anders Eriksson, 3. Liam Schofield, 4. Cameron Lindsay, 6. Daniel Allan, 9. Sam Mason-Smith, 10. Sho Goto, 11. Maxime Oliveri, 12. Ben Lack, 14. Birhanu Taye, 17. Jordan Lamb, 21. Bjorn Christensen, 22. Karan Mandair, 23. Jorge Akers, 24. Dilan Nanayakkara, 26. Alexander Britton (GK)
Coach: Brett Angell

Southern United: 1. Liam Little (GK), 2. Conor O’Keeffe, 3. Rory Findlay, 4. Stephen Last, 5. Erik Panzer, 6. Danny Ledwith, 7. Ben Deeley, 8. Tony Whitehead, 9. Garbhan Coughlan, 10. Abdulla Al-Kalisy, 11. Benjamin Wade, 12. Nick Treadwell, 13. Adam Hewson, 15. Blake Weston, 16. Stewart Catto (GK), 18. Markus Fjortoft
Coach: Paul O’Reilly

Lowdown

Both these sides are on identical runs of form, drawing one and then winning two of their previous three games. Southern are now level on points with fourth-placed Hamilton and have played at least one less game than all other sides while Hawke’s Bay are two points further back. This game is therefore quite significant as the victor could really put themselves in the play-off mix ahead of the Christmas break while the loser would have their work cut out to haul themselves up to the top four in the new year. A defeat could prove particularly damaging for the Bay, who are set to end the year next week at home to Eastern Suburbs – a side that outclassed them 5-0 on the opening weekend.

Quotes

Danny Ledwith (Southern United): “We’re really looking forward to it after a good result last week, it was a good performance and we’re looking to build on that. We know it’s going to be a tough game, Hawke’s Bay have been on a good run and will have a strong team up there but we’re confident that, if we get our performance right, we can go and hopefully take three points.”

Canterbury United Dragons vs Waitakere United
English Park, Christchurch
Sunday 9 December, 2pm
#ISPSHandaPrem #CUvWU

Referee: AM Keighley
Assistant Referees: R Preston, J Henderson
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, 10. Adam Thurston, 11. James Pendrigh, 14. Sean Liddicoat, 15. Andreas Wilson, 16. Cory Mitchell, 17. Stephen Hoyle, 18. Juan Chang Urrea, 21. Seth Clark, 22. Conor Tracey (GK)
Coach: Willy Gerdsen

Waitakere United: 1. Danyon Drake (GK), 2. Luke Jorgensen, 3. Kohei Matsumoto, 8. Sam Burfoot, 9. Alex Connor-McClean, 11. Sanni Issa, 12. Matthew Conroy, 14. David Parkinson, 15. Ignacio Machuca Maturena, 17. Jake Butler, 18. Lachlan McIsaac, 19. Bill Robertson, 20. Oliver Bassett, 21. Andrew Abba, 22. Nick Draper (GK)
Coach: Chris Milicich

Lowdown

It’s been a disappointing start to the season for both these teams and they will have expected to have more wins on the board at this stage than the two they have each managed. But Canterbury are only one point away from the play-offs and are coming off the back of a morale-boosting draw at Team Wellington so will go in against Waitakere as warm favourites. That pleasing result in the capital was their second draw in succession and they have now not won for nearly a month so Willy Gerdsen will certainly be targeting all three points here. They will have to claim them without Canadian striker Maksym Kowal, who scored the equaliser against Wellington but is now suspended after being sent off in the dying stages of the game.

Quotes

Dan Terris (Canterbury United): “All the games are important but this is our last home game before Christmas and it would be great to get three points and put in a good performance so that the supporters want to come back in the new year. Waitakere have got a fair bit of experience, I know a lot of their players and they’ve been around for a while. We know Chris organises his teams really well and they’ll certainly bring fight. They’re in a similar position to us in the league so it’s going to be a tight affair.”

Hamilton Wanderers vs Wellington Phoenix Reserves
Porritt Stadium, Hamilton
Sunday 9 December, 2.45pm (please note this differs from the kick-off time originally scheduled)
#ISPSHandaPrem #HWvWP

Referee: C Berg
Assistant Referees: S Merriman, C Tseng
Fourth Official: A Wilson

Squads

Hamilton Wanderers: 1. Matt Oliver (GK), 2. James Hoyle, 4. David Samson, 5. Stafford Dowling, 7. Bayley Foster, 8. Brad Whitworth, 9. Martin Bueno, 10. Rhys Ruka, 13. Tommy Semmy, 14. Paul Clout, 15. Joseph Terry, 18. Steffano Riley, 20. Derek Tieku, 23. Jonathan Mannes (GK)
Coach: Ricki Herbert

Wellington Phoenix Reserves: 1. Zac Jones (GK), 2. Boyd Curry, 4. Liam Moore, 5. Kurtis Mogg, 6. Gianni Stensness, 7. Callan Elliot, 8. Tacettin Kumsuz, 11. Sam Sutton, 12. Oliver Valentine, 15. Stephen Sprowson, 16. Ronan Wynne, 17. Benjamin Waine, 19. Maximilian Batchelor, 21. Owen Smith, 31. Kieran Richards, 40. Alexander Paulsen (GK)
Coach: Paul Temple

Lowdown

A loss to the defending champions is hardly anything to be ashamed of but Wanderers will be disappointed not to have taken something from their clash with Auckland City last week. The Navy Blues were reduced to 10 men for most of the second half while Wanderers carved out several good opportunities to score but then had their hearts broken by conceding a late winner. After having such an impressive start to the season, they are now in a mini form slump with just one point taken from their last three games. That sort of return can’t continue if they are to maintain their place in the top four so a visit by the league’s only side yet to pick up a point provides a timely opportunity for a confidence boost. The Phoenix are due a result though as they have come close on several occasions in recent weeks, losing by only one goal in three of their past four matches.

Eastern Suburbs vs Tasman United
Riverhills Park, Auckland
Sunday 9 December, 4.35pm
#ISPSHandaPrem #ESvTU
Live on SKY Sport

Referee: P Linney
Assistant Referees: C Gruschow, R Al Rabea
Fourth Official: M Batoor

Squads

Eastern Suburbs: 1. Andrew Withers (GK), 3. Kelvin Kalua, 4. Nando Pijnaker, 6. Harrison Edge, 7. Tim Payne, 8. Owen Parker-Price, 9. Callum McCowatt, 10. Andre de Jong, 11. Mohamed Awad, 12. Kingsley Sinclair, 14. Elijah Just, 15. Dalton Wilkins, 16. Dominic Wooldridge, 17. Michael Built, 19. Tinashe Marowa, 21. Justin Biega (GK)
Coach: Danny Hay

Tasman United: 1. Joe Robertson (GK), 2. Sam Ayers, 5. Fox Slotemaker, 6. Bertie Fish, 7. Corey Larsen, 8. Matt Tod-Smith, 10. Kiernan Hughes-Mason, 12. Ahmed Othman, 13. James McClay, 14. Ryan Worrall, 15. Max Winterton, 18. Ben Kiore, 19. Chester Gaskin, 20. Nick Stanton (GK), 21. Jordan Yong
Coach: Andy Hedge

Lowdown

Eastern Suburbs’ title push has teetered in recent weeks with losses to traditional contenders Auckland City and Team Wellington but a 2-0 win at crosstown rivals Waitakere United is exactly the response Danny Hay will have wanted from his young charges. A home game against a struggling side appears to offer the perfect opportunity to build some momentum again and, with Auckland and Wellington both not in action this weekend, they can break into the top two with a win. Tasman earned their first victory three weeks ago against the Phoenix but that has proved a false dawn with the following two matches both lost and an alarming seven goals conceded. Andy Hedge needs his team to tighten up in that area as only the Phoenix have a worse defensive record.

Article added: Saturday 08 December 2018