KEY POINTS:
Today's battle of the south means different things to different people as clubs continue to jockey for a run at the New Zealand Football Championship play-offs.
For Canterbury United coach Danny Halligan, it is the chance to continue their much-needed return to something like the form which took them all the way to last season's grand final; for his Otago United counterpart Terry Phelan, the trip north is an opportunity to halt a disastrous slide.
With three wins in a row behind them, Halligan is confident of a fourth, especially as he can call on one of the more potent strike forces in the competition.
Brent Fisher opened his account last weekend. He joins Henry Faarodo and Stuart Kelly and Blair Scoullar in what appears a potent quartet. It will, however, be Faarodo's last outing for the Reds before returning to Melbourne.
Still struggling to cope with injuries to eight players, Phelan has stuck with the players who were well-beaten by YoungHeart Manawatu last time out. They do have one ace up their sleeve - they beat Canterbury 2-1 at home earlier in the season.
Team Wellington, at home to Waikato FC, have Graham Little back to provide the spark that was missing in their 1-0 loss to Waitakere on Sunday. That, and the tightness of their games this season, suggests Mick Waitt's team could make it two over their northern rivals this season after their thumping 5-0 win in round four.
Roger Wilkinson has had little time with Waikato and might be expecting too much to get up for their still much-awaited first win of the season. He has promoted Paul Caton and David Samson to the starting line-up, with Brent Mayhew and Mark Brind dropping to the bench.
With the chance to close to within a point of leaders Waitakere United, who have to wait until Wednesday night to go head-to-head with cross-town rivals Auckland City, Manawatu will not want any hiccups in their home battle with neighbours Hawkes Bay United.
Coach Shane Rufer will be mindful that his YoungHeart side dropped points in a 1-1 draw in October but the Bay have done little since. He will have happier memories of round 16 last term when Benjamin Totori, already it seems assured of this season's golden boot, banged home five in an 8-1 romp over the Bay, the largest winning margin in three NZFC seasons.
Former All White striker Mark Elrick will be on the Hawkes Bay bench.
