The Phoenix will be hoping to win their final A-League match for the season. Photo: Photosport
Wellington Phoenix's men's final A-League match for the season has been rescheduled because Perth Glory's players have been unable to get to the wind-blown capital.
The match which was to have been played on Friday night will now be played on Sunday.
Flights in and out of Wellington were cancelled yesterday with a red alert wind warning in place. It was downgraded on Thursday night to orange and some flights resumed on Friday morning.
The Australian Professional Leagues (APL) looked at ways of getting the Perth's team to the capital before deciding on Thursday night to reschedule to Sunday due to the uncertainty over flight times.
The Perth side are in Auckland after losing to Auckland FC last Sunday.
The rescheduled match will kick-off at 5pm and all tickets sold will remain valid.
The match will be a farewell for two Phoenix stalwarts while a couple of teenagers are also likely to feature.
Sam Sutton and Scott Wootton are leaving at the end of the season.
Both have played nearly 100 A-League games for the Wellington side.
Coach Giancarlo Italiano said he had not given any thought to dropping them for players who will still be at the club next year.
"I'll play the best team that's available," he said on Thursday.
"I'm disappointed when any player leaves, but the way football is players leave, players arrive, coaching staff leave and come; it's a normal part of business.
"It'll be their last game at home as a Phoenix player and I want them to have a good send-off."
The teenagers who could play are Gabriel Sloane-Rodrigues, 17, and Luke Brooke-Smith, 16.
Sloane-Rodrigues has not yet played for the Phoenix top team, but has impressed for their academy side and Italiano wants to reward him.
"Whether he starts or not that's a different question, but I'd like to give him some game time."
Brooke-Smith has had three starts for the team and showed good form in the 1-0 loss to Brisbane Roar last Saturday.
"For me Luke Brooke-Smith was very good off the bench. He gave us a nice dynamic.''
The Phoenix won't have the services of Tim Payne who is injured.
They have not lost a match against Perth Glory in their last 11 clashes.
Wellington Phoenix v Perth Glory
Rescheduled kick-off: 5pm Sunday 5 May.
Sky Stadium, Wellington.
