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31Jan21
Co-Leaders Toppled By Bottom-Placed Wellington
by Jeremy Ruane
Wellington Phoenix scored a decidedly undeserved 2-1 victory over A-League co-leaders Central Coast Mariners in front of 4,748 fans at Central Coast Stadium on January 31 to climb off the bottom of the table.
James McGarry fired the first shot in anger in the contest after two minutes, his twenty-five yarder flashing past Mark Birighitti's right-hand post. But after that, the home team took charge of proceedings, squandering two chances to open the scoring inside the next five minutes.
A lovely left flank move culminated in Jack Clisby's fourth minute cross arcing just beyond Matt Simon near the edge of the goal area, while the same combination went even closer three minutes later, fullback Clisby's early ball forward picking out the striker, who controlled it well. Simon was unable to guide the ball home, however.
Wellington opened the scoring against the run of play on the quarter-hour. Ulises Davila worked a lovely one-two with Tomer Hemed - a delicious back-heeled return pass - before arrowing a twenty-yard grasscutter past the diving Birighitti and in by the post in the wet conditions.
The goal stunned Central Coast, and the visitors duly enjoyed their best spell of the match. Davila went close with a long-range curling effort on receipt of a McGarry pass, while Cameron Devlin failed to do justice to David Ball's inviting cross on the half-hour.
Soon after, Davila drew a parried save from Birighitti after Daniel Bouman had rattled the side-netting at the other end of the park, while a dipping drive from the recalled Clayton Lewis flew across the face of goal soon after before the home team drew level four minutes before half-time.
Daniel De Silva's corner picked out the unmarked figure of Alou Kuol, who guided a downward header into the net from the edge of the goal area - 1-1, and so nearly 2-1 to the co-leaders four minutes later, Clisby's swerving twenty-five yarder being turned round the post by Stefan Marinovic.
Central Coast finished the half with ten men on the park after captain Oliver Bozanic left the field clutching his shoulder following an aerial duel. The medical team were able to work their magic during the interval, as he returned to the fray and, in tandem with former Wellington player Gianni Stensness, completely dominated the second half of the contest.
Not before Devlin and Alex Rufer had combined in midfield, the latter then pinging a pinpoint forty-yard ball forward which rewarded Tim Payne's buccaneering run down the right. The fullback's first-time cross went behind Ball as he arrived at the near post, however - a great chance spurned.
Cue total domination of proceedings by Central Coast - there were times when Wellington were unable to cross the half-way line, so on top of the game were the co-leaders.
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Simon's quickly taken free-kick in the fiftieth minute allowed De Silva to work a slick one-two with Kuol, whose return pass invited his team-mate to surge towards goal with Wellington's defence spread asunder. But De Silva opted to over-hit a pass - a glorious chance spurned.
Marinovic plunged to his right to keep out a twenty-five yarder from Bouman soon after, while Kuol headed over from four yards when it appeared easier to score in the 56th minute, having been picked out by yet another quality delivery from Clisby - he had a fine game, as did most of those representing the home team.
After Joshua Laws had blocked a close-range goalbound header from Ruon Tongyik in the 67th minute, Marinovic pulled off a magnificent save four minutes later, flying to his right to turn a long-range effort from Bozanic around the post.
From Clisby's resulting corner, Kye Rowles directed his header past the far upright with Marinovic beaten, but he was up to the task to keep out two more long-range efforts from Bozanic, the first a 75th minute free-kick, the second a dipping thirty-yarder which the 'keeper tipped over the bar.
Only a timely intervention by Luke DeVere prevented substitute Jordan Smylie from making the most of Stensness' through ball three minutes from time, the newcomer having come on for Kuol fifteen minutes earlier, when both the goalscorer and Simon were withdrawn from the fray, much to the relief of Wellington's defenders - Central Coast's front two had led them a merry dance.
It was Wellington who were dancing with delight in the 88th minute, however. Totally against the run of play, they pinched the points after Devlin and Rufer combined in midfielder, the latter clipping a pass over the defence, forcing them to turn and beat a hasty retreat.
That played right into the hands of speedy Wellington substitute Jaushua Sotirio, who pounced on Stefan Nigro's hesitance in dealing with the bouncing ball and punished him mercilessly by volleying it past the advancing figure of Birighitti into the top far corner of the net - 2-1 Wellington, a scoreline which by no means reflected the game in any way, shape or form.
Central Coast substitute Jaden Casella chanced his arm from distance in stoppage time, to no avail, his miss confirming Wellington's scarcely deserved 2-1 victory - if ever there was a case of "the better team lost" in the A-League this season, this game was it!
Central Coast: Birighitti; Nigro, Tongyik, Rowles, Clisby; Bouman (Cassella, 54), Bozanic, Stensness, De Silva (Janota, 89); Simon (Urena, 71), Kuol (booked, 12 (Smylie, 70))
Wellington: Marinovic; Payne, DeVere, Laws, McGarry; Davila (booked, 74 (Hudson-Wihongi, 90)), Rufer, Devlin, Lewis (Muratovic, 62); Ball (Sautirio, 83), Hemed
Referee: Daniel Elder
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