Soccer: Auckland's run sets high standard for competition

Jeremy Christie's suspension means Waitakere United will be minus his considerable influence against Hawkes Bay. Photo / Getty Images

Local players will be back to Earth when they run out for sixth-round New Zealand Football Championship matches on Sunday after celebrating the high - and the welcome cash injection - of Auckland City's efforts in Abu Dhabi.

If nothing else, City has shown their NZFC rivals just what can be achieved and just how big the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow can be. To say the championship is no preparation for the Club World Cup is now, surely, nonsense.

Not surprisingly, City's scheduled home clash with YoungHeart Manawatu has been postponed and is now likely to be played midweek early next year.

Waitakere United have the chance to stretch their lead over their cross-town rivals to five points and while City will have the advantage of games in hand, points on the board are usually preferred.

United's trip to Napier will be testing, not so much in the opposition they face, but in having to field a team which could hardly be Neil Emblen's first choice. The big fella himself will be missing and is expected to be sidelined until the New Year with a crocked knee ligament.

Emblen is also without two influential players with Jeremy Christie out on a week's suspension and Benjamin Totori taking a compulsory break after being concussed.

Apart from being without Bill Robertson - gone for the season with a broken leg - Hawkes Bay coach Matt Chandler has a largely full-strength squad to select from, although he has Sam Jacob on standby as Chris Greatholder is carrying a knock.

With Auckland City and Manawatu both sitting out the round, Otago United have the opportunity to join them in equal second place.

A win over northern neighbours Canterbury would earn Otago their third win of the season.

They take good recent form into the match at Carisbrook with a 1-0 away win over Waikato last Sunday preceded by an encouraging effort against Waitakere when they went down 2-1. A week earlier Otago beat Team Wellington 2-0 away.

Tim Horner, in his 50th NZFC outing, and Andy Coburn, closing on 90, give Otago much-needed experience for the derby clash against a Canterbury side who have performed better in most games this season than their record would suggest.

They have been strong on defence, Keith Braithwaite's team have let in only two this summer. It is on attack they have been found wanting, scoring just three goals in four outings. Canterbury have gone three games unbeaten and could stretch that to four here.

Team Wellington's woes continue as coach Stu Jacobs tries desperately to turn things around.

The breakthrough win in Napier a fortnight ago was followed by last week's loss to Waitakere. But for some sterling work by James Bannatyne in goal, it could have been a lot more.

Cole Peverley misses Sunday's home game against Waikato FC through suspension while Darren Cheriton is still a couple of matches away from returning from injury.

Chris Bale is named in the squad but whether he plays remains to be seen.

The record book is in the home team's favour however. They have never lost to Waikato at home and have lost to Waikato only once in nine clashes.

Waikato player-coach Che Bunce returns from suspension but he is without Sam Wilkinson and Charlie Hoyle for the game which decides who goes to the Christmas break with all teams above them on the points table.