Baby-watch worry confronts coach

STACY SQUIRES/The Press

TESTING THE HAMMY: Canterbury United's Gareth Rowe hurdles Waikato United's Daniel Peat. Rowe hopes to be fit for the clash against Hawke's Bay United in Christchurch tomorrow.

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Coach Keith Braithwaite has his fingers crossed former All Whites Gareth Rowe and Glen Collins will suit up for Canterbury United in tomorrow's national league clash with Hawke's Bay United.

Midfielder Collins is on baby watch, with his wife due to have the couple's first child any time.

Centreback Rowe has a slight hamstring strain but Braithwate is confident he will be fit for the English Park match.

Soccer-playing scarfies Jeremy Wild and Darren Overton return to the Canterbury Dragons squad after completing university commitments in Otago.

Wild (Nomads United) and Overton (Ferrymead Bays) played Mainland premier league football in Christchurch and were in the Canterbury squad in the 2007-08 season before shifting south to study.

Overton is a central midfielder, who can double at fullback, and Wild is a specialist left back. They have helped Caversham win the FootballSouth premier league title for the last two seasons.

The duo, who are available for the rest of the New Zealand Football Championship (NZFC) campaign, give Braithwaite plenty of options.

He now has a surfeit of alternatives at left back, where regular rightback Nick Wortelboer deputised ably in the first two NZFC games. Substitute Jordan Swaney, who scored a cracking goal in the 2-0 home win over Waikato a fortnight ago, is also a natural left back.

Wild's arrival could allow Braithwaite to ultimately switch Wortelboer to right back and move captain Dan Terris inside to partner Rowe at centre back.

Overton may even find himself in the starting lineup tomorrow with Paul Dirou suspended after a red card against Waikato and Collins awaiting the pitter-patter of tiny feet. Swaney, who made a big impact with his work rate against Waikato, and the versatile Daniel Burns are other midfield options.

His other injury concern is young goalkeeper Tom Batty, who is still sore from "the whack he got against Waikato".

Chris Sinclair will take over in goal if Batty cannot play.

The match kicks off at 2pm.

SQUADS CANTERBURY UNITED: Tom Batty, Chris Sinclair (gks), Dan Terris (c), Gareth Rowe, Matt Boyd, Nick Wortelboer, Jeremy Wild, Andy Pitman, Glen Collins, Daniel Burns, Darren Overton, Aaron Clapham, Jordan Swaney, Tom Lancaster, Russell Kamo, Hue Frame. HAWKE'S BAY: Shaun Peta, Richard Gillespie (gks), Sam Halligan, Phil Clarke, Chris Greatholder, Matt Hastings, Leon Birnie, Dan Wilson, Joachim Rande, Andrew Abba, Sam Jacob, Marama Thompson, George Barbarouses, Chris McIvor, Stuart Ferguson.

Other matches (home team first): Auckland City v Waitakere United, Team Wellington v Otago United, Waikato FC v Youngheart Manawatu.

- © Fairfax NZ News