Just a week after their recording-equalling exploits in the Hyundai A-League, Wellington Phoenix was brought down to earth with a resounding thump at the Sydney Football Stadium on November 1, as they slumped to a 3-1 defeat at the hands of league leaders Sydney FC. That this was not going to be a match which favoured the New Zealand-based contenders was evident inside the first three minutes of  the match, a period in which Daniel dislocated his shoulder in a clash with Steve Corica, and Mark Paston suffered a hip injury when colliding with Ben Sigmund. While the physio team were able to restore the playmaker's joint to its proper position, Paston's injury was such that substitute goalkeeper Reece Crowther was called into action after just eight minutes, and one of his first acts was to pick the ball out of his net seven minutes later. Karol Kisel's throw-in found Mark Bridge, who worked a splendid one-two on the edge of Wellington's penalty area with Alex Brosque before burying a bullet beyond Crowther to open the scoring in style - a fine strike to crown the game's first meaningful attack. Wellington's new number one hadn't a prayer with that effort, but eagerly grabbed a Terry McFlynn chip two minutes later, before a succession of offside calls broke up the continuity of the game. The visitors' first chance came just shy of the half-hour mark, following a Leo Bertos corner. This was headed clear to Paul Ifill on the edge of the penalty area, from where he lashed a low drive through the crowded goalmouth. The shot was blocked and scrambled to safety by Sydney before Daniel could pounce on the rebound. Two goals in three minutes just after the half-hour mark killed the game off as a contest. Stuart Musialik spread play wide to Sung Hwan Byun, who picked out Brosque with a measured cross. The striker brought the best out of Crowther, but the 'keeper despaired as the rebound from his parried save was turned home by Corica from close range in the 31st minute. Worse was to come for Wellington, with Brosque again the architect of their demise. Down the left he thundered, getting in behind Ben Sigmund before whipping a low cross across the face of goal. Bridge arrived on cue to tap home - 3-0. With the exercise now being one of damage limitation, Wellington set about the task of trying to get back into the game with gusto, but not before Andrew Durante had denied Brosque as he sought a goal for himself five minutes into the second half. After Tim Brown had headed a Bertos cross into Bolton's hands, the visitors were gifted the chance to get back into the match from the penalty spot on the hour. Crowther's raking clearance was allowed to bounce by the Sydney rearguard, who were put off by the presence of Ifill in their midst. Shannon Cole and Simon Colosimo combined to fell the Wellington striker, and referee Gerard Parsons had no hesitation in pointing to the penalty spot. Up stepped Daniel to send Bolton the wrong way - 3-1

… but no! "We'll have that retaken, please", said referee Parsons, citing encroachment. Daniel went into the lion's den once more, but this time he bottled it, Bolton easily saving his penalty as the 'keeper dived the same way as he had for the earlier attempt. Bolton instantly launched a counter-attack, with Corica leading the charge down the right. His low cross should have been turned home by recently introduced substitute John Aloisi, while over the course of the next six minutes, Brosque was twice denied, firstly by a Sigmund block - Corica was again at the heart of the move - then by the imposing figure of Crowther as the 'keeper hurtled off his line to clear the danger. Back came Wellington, Ifill leading the charge. His cross picked out substitute Costa Barbarouses, whose towering header from the edge of the penalty area cannoned against the back stanchion in the 69th minute. Seconds later, Daniel delivered a corner to the far post, where Chris Greenacre was on hand to bring out the best of Bolton at his near post. This corner was cleared, with Brendan Gan leading the charge down the left. The substitute's cross picked out Aloisi, whose shot on the turn arrowed past Crowther, only to rebound back to the 'keeper via the foot of his right-hand post. It wasn't Aloisi's night. He thrashed a volley into the hoardings fifteen minutes from time, after being picked out by Byun's throw-in, while Sigmund thwarted the striker in the area four minutes later, with Corica again the source of Sydney's creativity. Nine minutes from time, Wellington scored a consolation goal through Barbarouses, who met an Ifill cross on the volley which left Bolton flailing at thin air as the ball sailed into the top right-hand corner of his net from the vicinity of the penalty spot. 3-1, but there was to be no fairytale comeback for Wellington, who, despite firing more shots at goal than their hosts, largely lacked accuracy with their efforts - the sight of a Tim Brown header and an Ifill drive sailing harmlessly over Bolton's crossbar just about summed up their day in front of goal prior to the young replacement's successful strike. They kept plugging away, however, with Bolton called upon to save at the feet of Barbarouses three minutes from time, prior to Kisel careering down the right before picking out the unmarked Brosque with his cross. Eight yards out, he looked certain to restore Sydney's three-goal advantage, but Crowther thwarted the striker at close quarters to ensure the league leaders would deservedly prevail by just a 3-1 margin. Sydney:     Bolton; Cole, Colosimo, Ryall (booked, 60), Byun; Kisel (booked, 71), Musialik (booked, 90), Corica (booked, 30) (Jurman, 89), McFlynn (Gan, 67); Bridge (Aloisi, 53), Brosque Wellington:     Paston (Crowther, 7); Muscat, Sigmund, Durante, Lochhead; Bertos (Barbarouses, 63), Brown (Hearfield, 77), Lia (booked, 33), Daniel; Ifill, Greenacre Referee:     Gerard Parsons