Veteran goalkeeper Tony Warner is likely to make his Wellington Phoenix debut against the Newcastle Jets on Sunday as Mark Paston continues to struggle with a rib injury.
The 37-year-old Warner, who has played for more than 10 different clubs in the United Kingdom during a long professional career, hasn't played much recently other than 90 minutes during a pre-season game against the Melbourne Heart.
Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert said Paston was only "a small chance'' of playing and backed Warner to perform despite his lack of match practice.
"I would think Tony Warner will play. There'll be a small chance Mark would, but I don't think he'll be involved,'' Herbert said.
"[Warner's] got a wealth of experience and I think, when you put somebody like that straight in, that they understand it. They'll realise the challenge they've got ahead of them and I think he'll handle it well. He's been very good for us.''
Team Wellington custodian Phil Imray will take a place on the bench as the back-up keeper. New Zealand under-17 international Scott Basalaj trains with the Phoenix but Herbert said it would be difficult to arrange a transfer for him to play because he is only 17.
Paston is one of two major injury concerns the Phoenix picked up from their 1-1 draw in their A-league opener against the Gold Coast last Sunday.
Midfielder Vince Lia will have surgery next week on his injured knee and Herbert said he could be out for up to 10 weeks. Lia's spot will be taken by Nick Ward, the only other change to the squad from the Gold Coast outing.
Striker Paul Ifill has overcome a minor groin complaint from last week and will play on Sunday, as will Dani Sanchez who cramped up during the Gold Coast clash.
"The last thing you really want to be doing is shuffling the deck every single week,'' Herbert said. "Form can dictate selection obviously but I guess, in some aspects, we are not too badly off.''
Herbert said another player would be brought in to bolster the ranks next week as cover for Lucas Pantelis, who is out for the season with a knee injury.
Striker Alex Smith has been added to the roster as injury cover for Mirjan Pavlovic and will likely find himself on the bench on Sunday with Imray, Jimmy Downey and Daniel. Young Kiwi Cameron Lindsay is unlikely to suit up this weekend.
The Jets opened their campaign with a 3-2 win over Melbourne Heart last week amid perhaps even more controversy than the Phoenix began their season, after Newcastle coach Branko Culina was axed only days before the season kicked off.
Westpac Stadium has been a fortress for the Phoenix in recent seasons and Herbert said he hoped that would continue again this year.
"It all starts again. There are no guarantees in this league and if we don't play well we won't get anything from it. Simple as that. So there's a real onus on us to start well.''
In seven games in Wellington, the Jets have won only once, in 2007, with the Phoenix winning the other six.
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