After snatching a 1-1 draw with Perth Glory last night, the
Wellington Phoenix have laid the foundation for a string of
good results, according to assistant coach Chris Greenacre.
The Phoenix were staring down the barrel of four consecutive
losses before they embarked on a gruelling two-game trip to
Australia. After a win against Newcastle and last night's
draw they are poised to launch a much-needed revival, with
two home games coming up.
"If we had talked about this result before the game and
someone had asked if we would take four points from six going
to Newcastle and Perth I think we would have taken it,"
Greenacre told Radio Sport.
"After the three defeats we've started a little run again and
we're hoping to capitalise on our next run of two home games,
and hopefully it will be the start of another good unbeaten
run."
The Phoenix next face sixth-placed Western Sydney Wanderers
and then bottom-placed Sydney FC at Westpac Stadium, and will
be hoping that red-hot striker Jeremy Brockie can treat the
home fans to some of the action he has been dishing up on the
road.
Brockie scored the equaliser for the Phoenix last night -
picking the pocket of defender Steve Pantelidis before coolly
rolling the ball home early in the second half - to become
the club's top scorer with five goals.
His haul is doubly impressive because all the goals have come
in November and all away from home.
All Whites' striker Shane Smeltz announced his return with a
typically classy goal for Perth, scoring his first goal of
the season with a clinical strike in the first half.
Smeltz - the A-league's all-time leading scorer - was in the
starting line-up for only the second time this season due to
injury, international duty and personal reasons, and made the
most of a half-chance in the 60th minute, smashing the ball
past Mark Paston from the edge of the box.
Glory coach Ian Ferguson saw the result as a lost opportunity
and was disappointed in the way they gave away their lead.
"I don't think it was our best performance. I'm very
disappointed overall," he said.
"We got ourselves into the lead and then we give away a silly
goal in a manner that was pretty poor."
The result saw Perth (11 points) slip to fifth spot, while
Wellington (nine) remain in seventh place.
- Herald Online
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