Wellington Phoenix goalkeeper Mark Paston will not play again this year because of a knee injury.

The New Zealand international is likely to miss four to six weeks a club spokesman confirmed today and will be replaced in the Phoenix side by young shot-stopper Reece Crowther.

Paston has been in great form this season both for club and country and made a remarkable penalty save in New Zealand's World Cup play-off win against Bahrain last month.

Wellington will face Sydney FC without their first-choice keeper at FMG Stadium in Palmerston North this Saturday evening.