Match Week 19 of the ISPS Handa Premiership takes place this weekend, check out what’s in store with the official preview.

Eastern Suburbs vs Waitakere United
Riverhills Park, Auckland
Saturday 2 March, 4pm
#ISPSHandaPrem #ESvWU

Referee: M Conger
Assistant Referees: M Batoor, C Tseng
Fourth Official: A Wilson

Squads

Eastern Suburbs: 1. Andrew Withers (GK), 2. Alex Clayton, 3. Kelvin Kalua, 4. Nando Pijnaker, 6. Harry Moss-Edge, 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

Waitakere United: 1. Silvio Rodic (GK), 2. Luke Jorgensen, 3. Niko Steinmetz, 4. Matt Wood, 5. Kris Carpenter, 6. Hayden Aish, 7. Oscar Browne, 8. Sam Burfoot, 9. Alex Connor-McClean, 13. Dane Schnell, 15. Ignacio Machuca Maturena, 18. Lachlan McIsaac, 19. Ryan Verney, 20. Oliver Bassett, 21. Andrew Abba, 22. Nick Draper (GK)
Coach: Chris Milicich

Lowdown

Their play-off place has been secure for some time but Eastern Suburbs are now engaged in a three-way battle with Team Wellington and Canterbury United for a home semi-final so have everything to play for in these closing weeks. A glance at the table would suggest Suburbs are heavy favourites here but they have not played since February 10 while Waitakere’s confidence will be sky high after putting seven goals past Hawke’s Bay. That last match for Suburbs was a 3-1 defeat to Wellington so Danny Hay’s troops will be frustrated at not being able to bounce back from that straight away. Hay will hope they take out all that pent up energy on Waitakere rather than allow any rustiness to creep into their game. Not helping in that regard will be the absence of skipper Tim Payne, suspended after being sent off in the loss to Wellington.

Hawke’s Bay United vs Tasman United
Bluewater Stadium, Napier
Sunday 3 March, 4.35pm
#ISPSHandaPrem #HBvTU
Live on SKY Sport

Referee: A Riley
Assistant Referees: M Rule, G Sheehan
Fourth Official: M Conger

Squads

Hawke’s Bay United: 1. Mackenzie Waite (GK), 4. Cameron Lindsay, 5. James Marsh, 8. Paul Ifill, 9. Sam Mason-Smith, 10. Sho Goto, 11. Maxime Oliveri, 14. Kaeden Atkins, 16. Gavin Hoy, 18. Tai Barham, 19. Luis Toomey, 20. Josh Murphy, 21. Harry Mason, 22. Karan Mandair, 23. Jorge Akers, 26. Alexander Britton (GK)
Coach: Brett Angell

Tasman United: 1. Keegan Smith (GK), 5. Fox Slotemaker, 6. Bertie Fish, 7. Corey Larsen, 8. Matt Tod-Smith, 11. Alex Ridsdale, 12. Ahmed Othman, 13. James McClay, 14. Ryan Worrall, 15. Konan Hey, 16. Max Winterton, 19. Chester Gaskin, 20. Nick Stanton (GK), 21. Jordan Yong, 25. Jake Williams
Coach: Andy Hedge

Lowdown

Defensive frailties have let Hawke’s Bay down all season and again proved their undoing in their last outing, in which they scored twice but still found themselves on the end of a thumping after getting hit for seven by Waitakere. They have now conceded nearly a half century of goals at an average of over three per game. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work out that sort of record is not going to be anywhere near good enough to get into the play-offs and the Bay’s troubles at that end are a real shame given they possess one of the league’s most lethal marksmen. Sam Mason-Smith scored both of his side’s goals against Waitakere and is now alone at the top of the golden boot standings with 14. How they handle the big English striker will be key to the game plan of Tasman, who could do with such a sharp-shooter themselves as their top scorer is Ahmed Othman with just seven.

Article added: Friday 01 March 2019