Perth coach Dave Mitchell has taken a double swipe at the A-League’s setting of fixtures after watching his team’s heartbreaking semi-final loss to Wellington on Sunday that dumped Glory from the title race.

The Phoenix defeated Perth 4-2 on penalties at Westpac Stadium after scores were locked 1-1 after 90 minutes and extra time, earning Wellington a home semi-final against Newcastle in two weeks’ time.

A shattered Mitchell again expressed his disappointment at the Glory being handed more away games than home fixtures for the second straight season and said the knockout semi-final playoff against Wellington should have been played over two legs.

“As I mentioned before at the start of the year, we had more away games than we did home games (for two straight seasons) and we are strong at home,” Mitchell said.
“We’ve lost only one game (at home this season) and I’m sure if we had have played Wellington at home we’d be celebrating a win and going on to the next round.

“It would have been nice to play a home final in a home and away leg.

“Had we gone home with a 1-1 draw, playing at home, we would have qualified.

“But the system that was in place we only had one game in a cut-throat playoff away from home.”
Mitchell believed Wellington were fortunate to claim fourth spot and a home final ahead of Glory, who finished just one point further behind in fifth.

“The way things fell it’s a cruel game,” Mitchell said.

“A couple of games back when Wellington got a penalty against Gold Coast it was probably never a penalty.

“They won that game unexpectedly and that’s what got them the jump on us, got them a home final.”
Mitchell will remain at the helm of Perth for at least another season after guiding the club into their maiden A-League finals campaign.

And with star recruits Jacob Burns, Mile Sterjovski and Chris Coyne tied to long contracts and former English Premier League defender Andy Todd expected to sign a new deal, Mitchell predicted a bright future for the club, which also boasts a number of talented youngsters.

“All I’ve been doing here is putting building blocks for the club and I think it’s been a real success and we are only going to go forward now,” he said.

“People don’t realise the quality players we brought in this year didn’t want to come to the club before.

“We made a real effort to go out and get quality players.

“We brought them in and now we’ve just got to add to that.

“We’ve built a real solid platform now and from that platform we’ve got to build again and get better.”

© AAP 2012

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