Ricki, don’t lose magic Dragon Aaron’s number

CANTERBURY UNITED coach Keith Braithwaite hopes the Wellington Phoenix coaching staff will tell head coach Ricki Herbert that Aaron Clapham is worthy of an A-League opportunity.

Clapham created and scored Canterbury’s first goal in a 3-2 victory over the Wellington Phoenix Reserves on Wednesday night in Christchurch, putting on a midfield masterclass.

Braithwaite, who withdrew the 25-year-old at halftime to rest his hip flexor injury, said Clapham and Bulgarian forward Dimitar Bayrev had given Canterbury an extra bit of class.

‘‘How can they [Phoenix] not be looking at that lad [Clapham]?’’ said Braithwaite, who hoped Phoenix Reserves coaches Chris Greenacre and Jonathan Gould would give Herbert positive feedback on the Dragons playmaker.

‘‘He [Herbert] is probably sick of me and you raving about Clapham.’’

Herbert was due to come to Christchurch for the game, but opted to remain in Wellington.

Braithwaite felt Bayrev had his best game for Canterbury since arriving from Bulgaria a month ago.

‘‘Jonathan Gould said me to early in the first half, ‘your No 10 is quality’. It was a worthwhile exercise for us and a good exercise for the Phoenix. They [Gould and Greenacre] thought it was a good game and that we took our goals well.’’

Ken Yamamoto scored the other two Canterbury goals, but Clapham’s class was the catalyst.

The former All White started and finished an intricate passing move in the 32nd minute to put Canterbury back on level terms after Hamish Watson’s 25th minute opener for the Phoenix.

Spanish midfielder Dani Sanchez did his chances of an A-League callup no harm by putting the Phoenix ahead 2-1 five minutes after the interval, after the workaholic Watson beat Andy Barton all ends up and delivered a perfect cross into the box.

But Canterbury played all the football in the last quarter.