Football: Bay eye on Milne's dodgy hamstring

Brett Angell

WaiBOP Utd v HB Utd Taupo

Two new squad members of Hawke's Bay United are ready to take the field tonight but one has been bracketed to gauge his fitness after he hobbled off with a hamstring injury last Sunday.

Enter Palmerston North Marist left winger/defender Khair Jones and Papakura-born Zane Sole before the 7.35pm kick off against WaiBOP United in Taupo during their televised ASB Premiership match.

On the iffy unit is centreback Finlay Milne.

Bay United coach Brett Angell said a decision on Milne would be made later today following expert advice, although his situation was improving and he was mindful of taking a risk on aggravating the hamstring.

"It's not as bad as we thought it was when he came off last Sunday," Angell said, adding the captain would be the best person to make a final decision.

In the likely case Milne doesn't play, vice-captain Cory Chettleburgh will slip on the arm band, as he did last Sunday.

As centrebacks go, he was pleased with the efforts of striker-cum-centreback Martin Ramos Canales who substituted him.

"We chucked him into the deep end very quickly and he did his job admirably with keeping possession."

Malaysian-born Jones and Sole, who last played for Northcote City, Australia, offer Angell some latitude on the paddock considering TV coverage now means there's few secrets teams can hide from each other.

Angell, who is happy with undefeated Bay United's efforts in just their second game last Sunday against Southern United, will be looking for continuity from his troops.

He acknowledged a key variable was WaiBOP would be a different opposition and only after tonight's final whistle would they know of the impact of a quick turnaround.

He praised his team's clean sheet on Sunday but the Otago franchise's finishing was appalling.

WaiBOP, with Rovers striker Stephen Hoyle and hat-trick kid Wade Molony, should rattle the the Bay storm shutters.