We're now past the halfway point in the 2020/21 ISPS Handa Men's Premiership, and teams are out to exact revenge for results in the first round and challenge for a place in the top four.
 

16 January

Auckland City FC 2 (Joseph Harris OG 31’; Brian Kaltack 53’)

Hamilton Wanderers 1 (Owen Comber 80’)

Canterbury United Dragons 1 (Jacob Richards 75’)

Eastern Suburbs 0

Lee Padmore, Canterbury United Dragons head coach

“We knew, especially with the wind, that we'd have our backs against the wall in the first half. Despite that I think we created a couple of good chances, and the boys defended well. In the second half we knew we could get on top of them a little bit more, which we did. Some will say that we sat a little bit deeper, but we played to our strengths and were able score later on again and take the win, which we're really happy with.”

Hoani Edwards, Eastern Suburbs head coach

“We feel that we just need to do a little bit more with the ball. That’s not on any one player that's just us as a team: we can be a little bit better when we have these chances and just be a little bit more positive in possession.

“We’ll keep working on that same theme about us in possession. We've got a couple of injuries, so we'll assess them after today along with our other ones. So hopefully we can welcome back a couple of players and then just, just build to the next game - a tough one for us against Auckland City FC.

17 January

Hawke’s Bay United 2 (Jorge Akers 64’; Hugo Delhommelle 75’)

Team Wellington 2 (Samuel Mason-Smith 17’; Hamish Watson 40’)

Scott Hales, Team Wellington head coach

“The first half was really good – I think it was probably one of the better halves of football we've played. So on that note it was a positive, but then we just seemed to self-combust. They obviously changed their shape, were a bit more on the front foot. We’ve got a goal which, you know, I think we can clear our lines a lot earlier than what we did, and then momentum swung like it does when you come to this place.

“And then we've probably got out of our shell and pushed them and probably could have nicked one at the end or two at the end. But at the end of the day, we’ve come out of the game with another draw.”

Wellington Phoenix Reserves 1 (Mogg 78’)

Waitakere United 1 (Gerard Garriga Gibert 23’)

Article added: Monday 18 January 2021