Key Cashmere pair set to play despite injuries
Coach John Brown expects Cashmere Technical captain Tom Schwarz and striker Liam Oxley to shrug off injuries before Sunday’s Chatham Cup quarterfinal in Christchurch.
Tech, chasing a third consecutive Chatham Cup title, host northern premier league leaders Eastern Suburbs from Auckland at Garrick Park.
Brown revealed centreback Schwarz had not trained all week and Oxley, who scored and set up a goal in last week’s Mainland Premier League top of the table clash with Nelson Suburbs, has been struggling with a chronic hip problem.
‘‘Late in the game against Nelson, Tom went up for a header and he got a bit of a calf strain. It’s been a bit tight all week and he hasn’t been able to train, but if push comes to shove, we will give him an injection, if we have to.
‘‘He’s determined to play even if he’s not 100 per cent.’’
Brown said he would probably persist with using Oxley as an impact player off the bench because of his ongoing hip injury. ‘‘If he was 100 per cent, I would look to start him.’’
Defensive midfielder Jordan Halligan is available for selection after several weeks out with injury and played 45 minutes last week for the reserves.
Canterbury United defender Danny Boys has resumed training but won’t be considered this week.
Eastern Suburbs won the northern league first division last year and now lead the premier race by five points under Malcolm McPherson’s coaching.
Brown dispatched his Auckland scout, former Canterbury United midfielder Chris Morris, to watch Eastern and he expects the northerners to be similar in style to Nelson Suburbs.
‘‘The’ve got a big lad up front, who’s six foot three, Nathaniel Bowen, who’s a Canadian who played [national league[ for Waitakere last year. He’s scored 20-odd goals for them. And, like Nelson, they’ve got a couple of quick guys behind him.’’
Brown is hoping the Schwarz brothers, Tom and Dan, can shut Bowen down as effectively as they shackled Nelson dangerman Ben Wright last week.
He will also be looking for Julyan Collett to continue his fine form at right back where his pace on the overlap adds an extra dimension and allows them to play a higher defensive line.
The most familiar face in the Eastern Suburbs lineup is ex-All White Tristan Prattley, who captained Otago United before moving north to play for Waita-
It’s been a bit tight all week and he hasn’t been able to train, but if push comes to shove, we will give him an injection, if we have to. John Brown Cashmere Technical coach
kere United.
Brown expects Suburbs skipper Prattley, who can also play in central defence, to lineup at left back, where he is likely to mark Tech’s Andy Barton. None of the current Eastern Suburbs lineup would have been alive when their club last made a Chatham Cup visit to Christchurch. They lost the 1976 final, 4-0, to Christchurch United.
Eastern Suburbs have won the Chatham Cup five times, including three times in the mid to late 60s when they had a clutch of New Zealand internationals such as John Wrathall, John Staines, Paul Rennell, John Legg, Ray Mears and Bill de Graaf.
Tech, who have won 18 cup games in a row, is bidding to become the first club to win three consecutive cup crowns since Waitakere City from 1994 to 1996.
Kickoff is at Garrick Park at 2pm.