There was nothing to separate first from second on the Isuzu UTE A-League table as Wellington Phoenix and Central Coast Mariners played out a 0-0 draw at Sky Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.
The Phoenix played host to the Mariners on New Zealand’s Waitangi Day and a crowd of 12,301 rose to the occasion on the nation’s public holiday; Wellington’s record home crowd in 2023-24 was treated to a breakneck encounter which featured no goals but was played at a high intensity from minute one to the final whistle.
A point apiece helped the Phoenix keep their place at the top of the table, with their two-point gap to the Mariners remaining intact. Mark Jackson’s Central Coast, meanwhile, extended their unbeaten run in the league to 12 games.
An end-to-end first half was played at a ferocious pace but chances on goal were limited before the break.
On two first-half occasions, Oskar van Hattum failed to commit to a run toward the back post to meet crosses fed in between the Mariners’ defensive line and goalkeeper Danny Vukovic, with the ball fizzing past the vacant space where the flat-footed Phoenix youngster could have been to tap home.
Kosta Barbarouses connected with an early David Ball cross late in the first half, but his diving header went just wide of the target; Mariners keeper Vukovic dived across but withdrew his hands as he sensed the ball drifting off target.
Wellington keeper Alex Paulsen made a strong save to deny Mariners striker Ryan Edmonson after a chaotic passage of play before the linesman’s offside flag was raised on Ángel Torres in the build-up to the visiting side’s best chance of the first half.
Van Hattum threatened to break the deadlock shortly after half-time, showing close control to dribble through midfield and fire a long-range shot on target, which was well saved by Vukovic.
Ben Old was lively for the Phoenix put a shot on target on the hour mark, cutting onto his right foot after a driving run and challenging Vukovic to make an awkward save down low.
The Mariners produced little in the final third through the first hour of play at Sky Stadium but slowly gained a stronger foothold in the contest, with Colombian winger Ángel Torres beginning to trouble the Phoenix defence with direct running down the left.
Deep into regular time, Max Balard was provided too much space in midfield by his Phoenix markers, and his driven strike flashed just wide of the bottom-right corner.
Suddenly the Mariners had sparked into action, with Paulsen denying Torres soon after with a safe pair of hands, smothering a shot rifled on target from inside the box.
Play switched from one end to the other in a breathless end to the encounter, and a deflected attempt from Bozhidar Kraev almost found its way past Vukovic into the back of the Mariners’ net, but the former Phoenix keeper shifted his body to gather the ball and keep the score locked at 0-0.
Paulsen tipped a stoppage-time free-kick from Mikael Doka over the bar, and Brian Kaltak headed off target from the resulting corner before the final whistle blew at Sky Stadium.
Special post-game photo a testament to league-leaders’ bright future
After a goalless draw at Sky Stadium, Wellington’s next generation of potential stars gathered for a special post-game moment that showcased the fact that the club’s future is in safe hands.
Of the 18 players in the matchday squad to take on the Mariners, 11 came through the Phoenix academy; the likes of Alex Paulsen, Finn Surman, Ben Old and Lukas Kelly-Heald are already bona fide stars and have helped the ‘Nix rise to the top of the Isuzu UTE A-League table; following their lead are the likes of Oskar van Hattum, Fin Conchie and Luke Supyk, who all earned minutes in the draw with the Mariners.
Isaac Hughes, Matthew Sheridan, Fergus Gillion and Gabriel Sloane-Rodrigues all watched on from the bench on Tuesday afternoon. Gillion has made two bench appearances this season, Sheridan has made one and Hughes has clocked five, including one start against Brisbane Roar in Round 15.
Gabriel Sloane-Rodrigues is yet to make his A-Leagues debut; the 16-year-old midfielder would have become Wellington’s youngest-ever player if he took to the pitch against Central Coast.
Wellington’s 11 academy products in Tuesday’s squad to face the Mariners:
- Finn Surman
- Lukas Kelly-Heald
- Alex Paulsen
- Ben Old
- Oskar van Hattum
- Fin Conchie
- Luke Supyk
- Isaac Hughes
- Fergus Gillion
- Matthew Sheridan
- Gabriel Sloane-Rodrigues
