Football: Wellington Phoenix finish season with epic collapse

Jamie Maclaren of the Roar celebrates scoring a goal against the Phoenix. Photo / Getty

The Wellington Phoenix have finished their A-League season with an epic collapse.

Three second-half goals by the Brisbane Roar saw the Australian side earn a 4-3 victory, with the Phoenix becoming just the second team in A-League history to blow a 3-1 lead.

Playing an extremely attacking 3-2-3-2 formation, the Phoenix were always set to be adventurous in their final game of the campaign and they shot out of the gate.

Roy Krishna used his pace to get in behind the Roar defence and open the scoring, and while the Roar equalised through a fantastic Brett Holman strike, goals to Gui Finkler and Michael McGlinchey had the Phoenix ahead 3-1 at halftime.

Finkler was unmarked in the box to finish off a swift move, while McGlinchey pounced on a defensive error, as it seemed the Phoenix would finish their season in style, and give coaches Des Buckingham and Chris Greenacre another argument in their favour to be reinstated next season.

However, a double strike for the Roar immediately swung the contest. A curling effort from Brandon Borrello was followed a minute later by the potent Jamie Maclaren, as the Roar struck twice in three minutes.

In a game full of excellent goals and dodgy defending, Holman nabbed his second in the 67th minute to complete the Roar's comeback and they could have added further to the turnaround, if Maclaren hadn't missed a penalty.

The Roar held on to move temporarily into third on the ladder before the playoffs begin, while the Phoenix finish the campaign in seventh with eight wins, six draws and 13 losses.