Perth Glory have completed a smash-and-grab raid to snatch a dramatic 1-0 victory against Wellington Phoenix at Westpac Stadium.
Perth Glory have completed a smash-and-grab raid to snatch a dramatic 1-0 victory against Wellington Phoenix at Westpac Stadium.
In horrendous wet and windy conditions, the match seemed headed for a goalless draw until defender Josh Mitchell headed home deep into stoppage time after Tony Lochhead conceded a free-kick.
The ball was whipped into the box and bounced in front of Mitchell who nodded it past a stranded Tony Warner.
It wasn’t the result the home side wanted for Tim Brown’s 100th Hyundai A-League game for the Phoenix and they will consider it three points dropped given their recent form at home.
It was Perth’s first victory in Wellington.
Brown described the round 10 match at the stadium against Glory, which was won by a late Ben Sigmund header, as a horrible match to play in and horrible match to watch and this one wasn’t much better as quality football was in short supply while both teams struggled to get any continuity in the difficult conditions.
It was Perth, playing into the strong wind, who adapted to the conditions better in the first half and they really should have been ahead by the break.
They created by far the better chances with Travis Dodd, Liam Miller and Steven McGarry all forcing saves from Warner.
Glory skipper Jacob Burns and Todd Howarth also saw long-range efforts go wide along with a Steve McGarry header, as the Phoenix were forced to soak up the pressure from a Glory side keen to end its winless run at Westpac Stadium.
At the other end, Danny Vukovic was rarely troubled as the Phoenix struggled to build any continuity and the Glory keeper’s most nervous moment came when he was forced to palm an attempted clearance by Steve Pantelidis past his post.
The Phoenix started the second half brightly and immediately put Glory under pressure when they won three corners in quick succession, but could not make them count.
In the 57th minute, Daniel should have put Wellington in front but hit the crossbar from about eight yards out.
The build-up was superb with Leo Bertos and Dani Sanchez working well down the left flank and Chris Greenacre involved as well. It was far more like the fluent football the Phoenix have produced at home in recent wins against Newcastle Jets and Sydney FC.
The woodwork saved the Phoenix at the other end 10 minutes later when Shane Smeltz, returning after two games out with a groin injury, collected a McGarry cross and rifled a shot in which came down off the underside of the crossbar.
Not even the injection of Paul Ifill, Mirjan Pavlovic and Alex Smith off the bench could spark the Phoenix and it was Andrezinho who blasted his free-kick straight at Warner, who had the best chance to break the deadlock in the closing stages until Mitchell’s late heroics.
Wellington Phoenix 0
Perth Glory 1 (Mitchell 90)
Westpac Stadium, Wellington
