Auckland FC v Wellington Phoenix, Go Media Stadium, Auckland. Photo: Shane Wenzlick / www.photosport.nz
Auckland FC v Macarthur
Kick-off: 5pm, Saturday 1 Feb
Go Media Mt Smart Stadium
Live blog updates on RNZ Sport
Auckland FC have an almost identical home and away record in their first season in the A-League.
In the 14 games played so far - seven at home and seven on the road - the side won five times at Go Media Mt Smart Stadium and four times in various grounds around Australia.
They lost once in front of their vocal supporter base in Auckland and another occasion on the longest road trip in Perth. And have played a stalemate at home and twice away.
That record lands Auckland at the top of the standings on points as well as when the teams are ranked on success at their home base.
However, other A-League clubs are in the midst of seasons that go against the notion of home advantage.
Auckland's last opponent Western Sydney Wanderers have lost twice as often as they have won at CommBank Stadium this season.
Second-placed Adelaide United have won twice in seven home games and have had four draws including against Auckland in their last game at Coopers Stadium on 22 January. Adelaide have won all six of their road games.
The Phoenix have only won once in Wellington this season and four times on the road.
Newcastle Jets and Brisbane Roar have yet to win at home this season.
Auckland are back at their home fortress against Macarthur Bulls on Saturday. The visitors have had trouble at home having gone 97 days between wins at Campbelltown Sports Stadium but have won five times as the away side this season to be sitting in third place in the league.
Auckland FC defender Tommy Smith played for Macarthur last season, as a late addition to their squad, taking the field seven times in his first season in the A-League after stints playing in England and America.
Smith played in four of Macarthur's wins - only one of those victories came when Macarthur were at home.
The All White could see why Auckland had the upper hand over their visiting opposition when it came to playing at home.
"[Home advantage] I think it is massive for us, obviously the travel that comes with coming to New Zealand for the Australian teams is totally different to the domestic flights... so we like to take advantage of that and we know teams will come in probably a little lethargic initially and we try and start the game quickly," Smith said.
"But Macarthur, their style of play probably dictates their better form away from home because they're quite a counter attacking team so obviously we will look to counter that ourselves and use our strengths against them to stop that from happening."
Auckland FC captain Horoki Sakai. Photo: Photosport
Auckland FC coach Steve Corica concurred that the impact of travelling to and from Auckland for road games had surprised him after years of playing and coaching in the A-League based in Sydney.
But Corica said that he did not allow the Auckland players to use the travel as an excuse - and their record showed that.
"It's just more about the mentality as well the belief that we can win every game it doesn't matter whether it is home or away and the players have been responding to that."
Whether they are home or away, Corica said that fans at Auckland games were getting plenty of entertainment with their habit of scoring late goals.
"Keeps everyone on their toes, no one is going home early I think in any of our games because they know what is coming."
After the Macarthur game, Auckland have a bye and then have an away game before they return to Go Media Mt Smart Stadium to play the Wellington Phoenix in their final regular season derby match.
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