In a reversal of last week, the senior Southern United team has a week off, and its youth side plays Wanderers SC, a shadow New Zealand youth side, at Tahuna Park tomorrow.
Wanderers is an Auckland-based team comprising prospective members of the New Zealand squad preparing for the Fifa Under-20 World Cup next year.
But what exactly do the SC initials stand for?
Even the ASB Premiership media guide avoided any explanation for a while. But coach Darren Bazeley eventually revealed it stood for ''Special Club''.
''That's as opposed to the usual FC. It acknowledges this team has arisen out of a special situation and was specially formed for the purpose.''
The Wanderers name was chosen to demarcate it from being an official New Zealand squad, given there are players in other parts of the country eligible for the national age-group team.
There might be a few South Island lads playing for the Wanderers tomorrow, especially since the match is in Dunedin.
Ben O'Farrell, Oliver Ceci and Ben Kiore were all Wanderers signings, and Kiore is now the Wanderers' leading scorer with three goals.
Young James McGarry has signed with the Wellington Phoenix reserve side.
The selection policy suggests South Island players are unlikely to play many matches for the Wanderers in Auckland, due to travelling costs, which is not a pleasing situation.
However, Football South development manager Shane Carvell is delighted to see players from the region selected as part of the Wanderers extended squad, as they have all been through the Football South talent centre programme.
The Wanderers have beaten Canterbury (3-0) and Hawkes Bay (4-1), and a 2-1 loss to Manawatu places Bazeley's side just one point behind Southern, which holds third place in the competition.
Since the senior Southern side has no game, it is likely that a couple of first-team players will be offered to youth coach Kevin Scoullar, as seems to be standard practice when that situation arises.
Lewis Jackson leads the Southern scoring with four goals in three matches, and a stout defensive group has also contributed greatly. Keeper Josh Dijkstra, Tyrrell Barringer-Tahiri, Keegan Taig, Matt Mitchell and Mitchell Carter have shown top form.
The Football South women have an away game against Waikato-BOP tomorrow. Morale is high, despite last week's 3-1 loss to the talented New Zealand Development team.
Holly Johnstone's well-taken header drew Football South level at 1-1, and according to coach Hayley Stirling, the team went on to play its best football of the season. Two late goals, in the 85th and 88th minutes, made for a disappointing finish.
Southern football
The squads
Southern United youth: Josh Dijkstra, Liam Whittaker, Cody Brook, Robert Cox, Jeremy Fong, Keegan Taig, Lewis Jackson, Rupert Mark, Mathew Mitchell, Matthew Kelly, Mitchell Carter, Rahan Ali, Nikita Meglinski, Riley Anderton, Truth Toheriri, Tyrell Barringer-Tahiri, Joseph Clark, Sam Cosgrove.
Football South women: Tessa Nicol, Samantha Williams, Hanna English, Holly Johnstone, Jordyn Walker, Kelsey Kennard, Shontelle Smith, Maryann Cant, Alex McIntosh, Theresa Rhein, Coral Seath, Laura Phillips, Tabitha Seaton, Jenna Ready, Kate Guildford, Sammy Murrell, Elise Mamanu-Gray, Jessie Clark-Grant, Sasha Ritchie, Jade Middleditch, Megan Walker, Alex Clark-Grant, Nicola Britten, Holy Van der Salm.
