Soccer: Boyd and Fenton to get their shot

Louis Fenton. Photo / Getty Images.

Wellington Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert will put his faith in his youngsters as teenagers Louis Fenton and Tyler Boyd are both set to start for the club against the Central Coast Mariners at Westpac Stadium tomorrow night.

Fenton has made nine starts already this season but Boyd has been limited to 283 minutes across 11 cameo appearances off the bench.

Paul Ifill's ankle injury has opened up one spot, and Belgian striker Stein Huysegems is the player most likely to make way to allow the pair, who Herbert describes as the future of the club, to start a senior game together for the first time.

Jeremy Brockie will also return to the starting team tomorrow after missing last weekend's 3-1 loss to Adelaide United with a hamstring injury.

Fenton and Boyd are both graduates from the club's school of excellence and Herbert said their selection showed the direction the Phoenix wanted to go in.

"I think it's pretty clear for everybody to see where we are heading and that's going to take a bit of time and some parts we'll get right, some parts we won't at the moment," Herbert said. "But I think it's visible, it's tangible and it's pretty exciting really, if I'm honest. So we'll let these young ones cut loose tomorrow. I think it's a chance for those young ones to shine.''

Midfielder Dani Sanchez took a limited part in training today due to a toe niggle but is expected to play tomorrow and Andrew Durante is fit to play after he missed the second half of the defeat to Adelaide after his calf tightened up at halftime.

The Mariners, who lead the A-League, come to Wellington in good form following a comfortable 2-0 win over Melbourne Heart last week and they beat the Phoenix 1-0 at the Cake Tin earlier in the season.

The Phoenix are seventh on the A-League ladder after 11 rounds.