Soccer: Field switch eases Canterbury stress

In the end not even earthquakes, rabbits and an errant sprinkler could stop the show going on.

A determined all-round effort was called for and answered yesterday to ensure tomorrow's ASB Premiership first leg semifinal between minor premiers Waitakere United and fourth-placed Canterbury United would go ahead. It will - but it was a close call.

Scheduled to play tomorrow's game in Christchurch, thereby according Waitakere home advantage for the second leg, the West Auckland club agreed to the switch, allowing Canterbury more time in their search for a ground for the return leg.

But with Fred Taylor Park in anything but its usual pristine condition as it underwent much-needed renovation, there were serious doubts over its availability.

The Auckland City Council ground staff responded to the call but were then faced with an even bigger mess when they turned up yesterday to discover rabbits, not for the first time this season, had made themselves at home digging burrows into the playing surface. A jammed sprinkler which sprayed water all night added to the problems.

Now, club chairman Rex Dawkins assures, all will be ready.

"I have to thank the council for their help in getting the ground ready," said Dawkins. "We are glad we've been able to work things out."

New Zealand Football have also agreed to put the return leg back to April 3 to allow extra time to find and prepare a ground in Christchurch and also ensure Waitakere coach Neil Emblen, who has been called into the All Whites coaching staff for the Asian tour, will be on the sideline for the second leg. It will also allow All Whites midfielder Aaron Clapham to line-up for Canterbury.

Emblen has more pressing concerns in preparing to field his team against a Canterbury side who impressed him in their must-win 1-0 victory over Auckland City on Thursday night.

"I was very, very impressed by what I saw," said Emblen. "They hung in there really well and guys like Barton, Feni and Kamo showed they will be a handful for our defence. They have got other players like Dan Terris and Joe Murray to come back in so they will be even stronger.

"The pressure is on us. We can't afford to concede. We got through [to last season's final] on away goals and we don't want to hand them that advantage."

Auckland City head to David Farrington Park to play Team Wellington in tomorrow's earlier game, with co-coach Aaron McFarland looking for a return to winning form after this week's hiccup.

"We just have to move on," said McFarland. "Nothing has changed. We still need to get through and then win one more game to be crowned champions. We need to get back to doing the basics."

City will be without All Whites midfielder David Mulligan who flew out on Thursday night for further trials in China. If successful, he won't be back.

Like Emblen, McFarland and Ramon Tribulietx are set to name pretty much unchanged teams with just one or two positions still under consideration.

City will host Wellington in their second leg on March 26/27.

ASB Premiership
* Semifinals, first leg
* Waitakere United v Canterbury United
* Fred Taylor Park, 2pm tomorrow
* Referee: Peter O'Leary
* Team Wellington v Auckland City
* David Farrington Park, 1.30pm tomorrow
* Referee: Mirko Benischke