Perth Glory 2
Phoenix 1
The Wellington Phoenix's road trip blues continued with a stuttering 2-1 loss to A-League pace-setters Perth Glory at nib Stadium last night.
There was plenty for the 10,844 fans to admire in the positive approach from the home side whereas the Phoenix did not help their own cause with limp patches when they struggled to assert any authority.
The Glory wasted no time in showing why they have been early-season pace-setters.
As early as the sixth minute the Phoenix were punished for some sloppy play.
Dylan Macallister ran into the Perth penalty area but with little control meekly surrendered possession.
Within seconds goalkeeper Mark Paston was picking the ball out of the Phoenix net.
In smartly turning defence into attack, the home side needed only two decent passes to find Robbie Fowler, who picked out Todd Howarth in space. He drew Paston and slipped the ball square to unmarked Mile Sterjovski who had the simplest of tap-ins for 1-0.
Sterjovski feasted on a wealth of good ball but could not turn the handful of half chances he and Fowler were given by their hard-working midfield led by Steve McGarry into goals.
The Phoenix rarely threatened to break back with Glory goalkeeper Tando Velapi barely tested.
Daniel, given a start in place of Leo Bertos, joined Vince Lia and Tim Brown in the Phoenix midfield but the trio struggled to gain control with too much ball again given away with soft, and often misdirected, passes.
The visitors had their best chance 10 minutes after falling behind when Paul Ifill gathered a ball played in from the left by Daniel. He shot on sight but was denied by defender Naum Sekulovski, who thrust out a leg to block and clear.
The hosts had chances later in the spell but Fowler muffed a couple and Paston thrust out his glove to deny captain Jacob Burns.
Perth forced the only two corners of the half late in the spell but they, like a Fowler free kick, did not threaten.
Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert went to his bench at the break with new signing (and former Perth and Melbourne Victory midfielder) Nick Ward replacing Brown in the engine room and Mirjan Pavlovic on for Macallister.
They sparked some urgency as the visitors enjoyed their most concerted period on attack but still without profit.
At the other end, after answering any questions posed by the Phoenix, and from the second of two quick corners, Sterjovski threaded the ball through the wall of players only to have it headed off the line by Daniel inside the far post.
After having a call for a penalty waved aside by ref Ben Williams, Fowler was rewarded when he headed home a well-played cross from Sterjovski who ran smartly on to a good ball from midfielder Todd Howarth.
By the 67th minute Herbert rolled the dice for a third time with Bertos on for Daniel.
Within five minutes the Phoenix sparked to life when, from their third corner, Ifill picked out hard-working defender Ben Sigmund who headed home his second goal of the season.
That was their lot and the Glory wound the clock down and took their season-long unbeaten record back to the top of the table.
