Phoenix drop two points against a determined Glory side

The warming spring weather of a November was a sure sign that favoured the visiting Perth Glory side who confirmed their fifth place on the A-League campaign when they deservingly took the lead in the 69th minute in this encounter, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

But although the Phoenix were chasing the game, they should really should have gone into the break with an early lead, when Costa Barbouroses fluffed an early chance when he possibly should have passed the ball across the goal when a mistake by the Perth Glory defence opened up a chance which they should have been punished when veteran Andy Todd failed to clear the ball, leaving the young 18 year old striker had the goal at his mercy, with Paul Ifill unmarked on to his right.

Instead, it was in the 69th minute that Wayne Shroj, now a veteran of the 1999 U17 World Cup tournament who lost to Brazil in a penalty shoot-out when the FIFA tournament was staged in New Zealand, scored direct from a free-kick which the referee adjudged the Phoenix player had impeded a Perth forward in front of goal, when the replay showed that it was a mistaken judgement.

However, when Leo Bertos came off the substitutes bench, he was able to steer the ball into the box, and enabled Adrian Caceras to shoot for goal was deflected into Paul Ifill's path off the Perth goalkeeper, and that gave the home side a deserved equaliser in the 82nd minute.

Thus, the points were shared, and the visitors would have been more than happy with the point which keeps them in the top six. However, it was a result that coach Dave Mitchell was predicting could be achieved.

After peppering the visitors' goal in the closing minutes but denied by Perth custodian Tando Velaphi. The round 14 draw extended the home side's unbeaten run at home to 13 matches and kept them mid-table and well in the playoffs hunt.

Played in sunny, balmy conditions before a crowd of 6,930, the home side was stung by a 69th-minute free kick from Wayne Srhoj before Paul Ifill, fresh from signing on for another two years with the club, equalised with eight minutes remaining to ensure a share of the spoils.

2010-11 Hyundi A-League [rd14]:

Wellington Phoenix Paul Ifill 82' Crowd: 6,930. Ref: Mr Matthew Gillett ( ). HT: 0-0

1-1

Perth Glory Wayne Shroj 69' Played at Westpac Stadium, Wellington

After a tentative opening stanza the game came to life in the 15th minute when Phoenix goalkeeper Reece Crowther was forced to save low to his left the first shot on goal in anger. Soon after Ifill was yellow carded by referee Matthew Gillett for kicking the ball away and striker Costa Barbarouses sent a right-foot strike just wide of Velaphi's left-hand post.

It was end-to-end action for the remainder of the first half, the Phoenix using width to give Ifill and Daniel space and time to create opportunities in the attacking third. But it wasn't all one-way traffic, with Perth finding space of their own in and around the Phoenix penalty area but being repelled by dogged, determined defence.

Crowther was engaged again in the 40th minute when called upon to get down low and smother a low cross in his six-yard box. Phoenix frontman Chris Greenacre was denied minutes later inside Perth's penalty area by a defender's foot before the visitors closed out the half when captain Jacob Burns rattled Crowther's crossbar with a solid strike.

On the resumption the Phoenix continued their search for an opening goal, midfielder Tim Brown shooting wide from distance and then Daniel forcing a save from Velaphi with his 20m effort. Phoenix captain Andrew Durante couldn't quite get enough on a close range header from a Daniel cross in the 64th minute as the Perth defence held.

The home crowd was silenced in the 69th minute when Srhoj delivered a tremendous 25m centrefield free kick beyond Crowther to break the deadlock.

It took the Phoenix till the 82nd minute to draw level, but it was done in style as substitute Adrian Caceres' strike was deflected by Velaphi into the path of Ifill, who coolly slotted the ball into the net for his fifth goal of the season.

The Phoenix continued to push for the winner in the closing minutes, Troy Hearfield and Caceres on two occasions forcing Velaphi into good saves.

Wellington Phoenix: Crowther; Muscat, Lochhead, Sigmund, Durante (capt); T Brown, Lia; Ifill, Greenacre (67' --- Bertos), Daniel (76' Hearfield), Barbouroses (Caceras)

Perth Glory: Velaphi; Todd, Coyne, Burns, Sukelovski; Shroj, Howarth (81' --- Bulloch); Jelic, Neville, Pellegrino, Sterjovski

The home side wore black armbands following the death of club stalwart Murray Naylor on Friday. Naylor played a pivotal role in helping owner Terry Serepisos launch the club in Wellington in 2007/08.

The Phoenix's next match is away to the Newcastle Jets on 22 November.

HYUNDI A-LEAGUE TABLE 2009-10 [rd 14]

Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Sydney FC	14	8	1	5	19	12	25
Melbourne Victory	14	7	3	4	22	22	24
Gold Coast United	14	7	2	5	20	20	23
Central Coast Mariners	14	6	5	4	17	8	20
Perth Glory	14	5	3	6	19	18	18
Wellington Phoenix	14	3	8	3	20	15	17
Brisbane Roar	14	4	4	6	18	21	16
Adelaide United	14	4	4	6	12	17	16
Nth Queensland Fury	13	3	6	3	15	20	15
Newcastle Jets	13	3	4	6	12	21	13

At the time of going to publication, with the return of the Italian midfielder Fabio Vignaroli, Newcastle Jets led Nth Queensland Fury 1-0 (55m goal from Matt Thompson) after a scoreless half-time break.