Ricki Herbert. Photo / Brett Phibbs
There will be some game time at last for Wellington Phoenix players who have seen little A-League action this season when they play New Zealand Football Championship title holders Waitakere United on Saturday.
Frustrated at the lack of opportunity for some squad members who, unlike other Hyundai A-League
franchises that have a team in the reserve league or players in the Australian National Youth League (in which up to four over-age players can play), Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert welcomes the chance to give his under-utilised players some action.
The Cue Sports Challenge at Trusts Stadium serves two purposes.
For the Phoenix, it is the chance for Herbert to put out players like Daniel, Adam Kwasnik, Glen Moss, Costa Barbarouses, Greg Draper and Jeremy Christie while Waitakere coach Chris Milicich sees the game as invaluable match practice leading into Fifa's World Club Cup in Japan next month.
The mood is again buoyant in the Phoenix camp following their richly-deserved win over Sydney FC in the round 10 opener in front of 12,856 spectators in Sydney on Friday night.
With their third win of the season - their second against Sydney - the Phoenix climbed to sixth on the table.
A 2-2 draw in a sometimes spiteful game in Perth (between the two teams below them) on Sunday helped the Phoenix hold their elevated spot.
Perth, who twice came from behind to snatch a point against Newcastle at Members Equity Stadium, finished the game without captain Jamie Coyne who was sent off after 59 minutes following a challenge on Jin-Hyung Song.
He was followed nine minutes later by Newcastle's Daniel Piorkowski after a clash with Scott Bulloch.
The home side needed a re-taken penalty from substitute Eugene Dadi in the third minute of stoppage time to seal the draw after Adrian Trinidad had won the penalty in a clash with Jets captain Jade North.
An Archie Thompson goal 20 minutes from time earned leaders Melbourne Victory their 1-0 away win over Queensland Roar.
