It might be ninth up against tenth when Wellington Phoenix host Perth Glory this afternoon but with the A-League’s top six within touching distance there will still be plenty to play for. We’ll have live scores and commentary from 3.00pm AEDT.
Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert might have been right when he said his team threw two points away against Newcastle last Sunday.
Against a Jets side with a horrid record across the Tasman, the Phoenix were able to turn the contest into a dour, physically demanding contest and with a one-goal and one-man advantage they should have closed the game out.
While the draw earned the Phoenix their first point in five matches, the mini-capitulation was indicative of a side who had forgotten how to win.
They might only trail the sixth-placed Jets by five points but with only nine matches to play the Phoenix’s finals ambitions are looking increasingly forlorn.
But if ever there is an occasion to turn things around it is this afternoon.
Ian Ferguson’s Perth side have performed horribly after starting the season as one of the title favourites, but they too come into this one in a tailspin, having lost three consecutive matches.
They boast the worst attacking record in the A-League with 18 goals from 18 matches and things won’t get any easier this afternoon with Shane Smeltz not named to travel with the team due to a hip injury.
Let’s be realistic – neither of these sides are going to be compared to Barcelona any time soon.
But that’s not to say we won’t see a gripping contest between two sides desperate for a result to spark their season.
The first match of an appetising A-League Saturday triple-header, which concludes with the Melbourne derby this evening, begins at 3.00pm AEDT.
Nathan of Perth
Roar Rookie
"Seems" and future-tense "doomed" makes it sound like it hasn't already happened. We are borked.
Cappuccino
Roar Guru
Perth's season seems doomed...
Cappuccino
Roar Guru
Wollongong, Canberra and Tassie are probably ahead of Auckland. But in the long term, an emphatic yes. An all-New Zealand Derby would be great.
Nathan of Perth
Guest
Gruelling ... probably closer to soul crushing. Effectively we have had one good stretch in eight years, with some luck in a preliminary and a scrape through in the semi. That is across eight years, with the rest a mix of misery, muddled thinking, poor play, misfortune, corporate malfeasance, backbiting of supporters and just general rot. Club needs to get swept out from top to bottom. Actually, with players like Mehmet and vd Brink going, I wonder if there isn't some preparation for moving the club on to new owners who want a clean deck.
Brick Tamlin of the Pants Party
Guest
No another club in Oz before that,and even then not for a little while.
Brick Tamlin of the Pants Party
Guest
Today we played with no real striker and two have left the club in the last month.The Glory brains trust strikes again.
Brick Tamlin of the Pants Party
Guest
Try being a Glory fan,gruelling doesn't come close to doing it justice.
Jack
Guest
So yes to a second team in nz or no
Nathan of Perth
Guest
Seven games, five goals for, ten against, two points picked up. Disastrous.
Stevo
Guest
Was fortunate to only watch the last 20min of this classic. It was gruelling for ME.
Chad Bennett
Editor
FULL TIME: Wellington Phoenix 1-0 Perth Glory Wellington are off the bottom of the ladder! They've beaten Perth and will leapfrog the Glory onto 20 points, while the Glory are handed their fifth loss and six matches. It was never going to be a classic with 9th up against 10th but Wellington in particular were looking to create chances by passing around on the smooth Eden Park surface, and it resulted in Brockie breaking the deadlock on 41 minutes. So Perth continue to see their finals hopes dissipate while for Wellington, it's back on. Two other teams involved in the scrap face off next when Newcastle host Sydney before we are treated to the game of the round, the third Melbourne derby of the regular season. That's it for today. Enjoy the rest of what looks to be another engaging round of A-League football.
kelvin g
Guest
finished 1-0!
Chad Bennett
Editor
90 +3' Wellington Phoenix 1-0 Perth Glory Interesting scenes here! Perth continue to camp in the Wellington half with a free kick, and Vukovic is still up. Finally the Phoenix get control of the ball, and Cernak shoots from on the right about 40 out, but the trickling ball is turned across the face of goal and to safety.
Chad Bennett
Editor
90 +2' Wellington Phoenix 1-0 Perth Glory Perth corner. Muscat over and muscles the ball and the player over the line for a corner. Vukovic is up for it, but it is Paston who is first to the ball, punching out of the area. Wellington aren't able to pick up and shoot from distance.
Nathan of Perth
Guest
Racking up a lot of passes...
Chad Bennett
Editor
90 +1' Wellington Phoenix 1-0 Perth Glory It is Wellington that are able to control the ball and are in fact pressing the Glory relatively up the pitch, which is interesting given the state of the game.
Chad Bennett
Editor
90' Wellington Phoenix 1-0 Perth Glory And we're into stoppage time, of which there will be four minutes.
Chad Bennett
Editor
89' Wellington Phoenix 1-0 Perth Glory Great chance from Ifill! Nearly bends that one into the top corner to kill the contest. He's struggled in recent weeks but he's been the player of influence for Wellington today, and it's no surprise they've played far better as a result.
Chad Bennett
Editor
88' Wellington Phoenix 1-0 Perth Glory Ricki Herbert soaks further time off the block, with Tyler Boyd coming on for Jeremy Brockie.
Chad Bennett
Editor
87' Wellington Phoenix 1-0 Perth Glory Into the final throes of this one. Perth are certainly making the Phoenix work for it, but unless we see some attacking initiative we haven't seen all afternoon from Perth, it looks like the yellow and black will be moving off the bottom of the ladder.