Soccer: Bertos ready for Adelaide clash

Phoenix's Leo Bertos, right, is hoping for a recovery this weekend. Photo / NZPA file

As Leo Bertos lay on the Westpac Stadium turf writhing in pain last Sunday, he desperately hoped history wasn't about to repeat itself.

The Wellington Phoenix winger was involved in a tough collision with Melbourne Heart striker David Williams during his side's 3-1 win over Melbourne and had to be stretchered off.

As the Wellingtonians played on to secure second spot on the A-League ladder, Bertos said his mind cast back to a childhood injury when he broke the same ankle that took the full impact of the challenge from Williams.

"I was a bit nervous," he said. "I remember when I was younger I broke that ankle and it was a similar feeling. It just just went numb straight away and I couldn't wriggle my toes and that sort of thing and that's when I thought, 'oh no, don't tell me I've done this again'.

"But I was lucky. When I got in to the changing rooms the feeling sort of started coming back and the physio and doctors analysed it and they could tell it wasn't broken."

Luckily for Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert, Bertos has recovered in time and, despite some tenderness in his peg, the 30-year-old All White will be fit to play Adelaide United across the Tasman on Friday night.

The Phoenix are flying high after climbing to dizzying heights of second, a position they have never held this late in the season, and with eight games to go there's no time for Wellington to take the foot off pedal.

Herbert has named an unchanged squad from the side that toppled the Heart, with Bertos likely to start again after he spent a couple of games playing from the bench.

Wellington will hope they have overcome their travel blues after consecutive road victories for the first time in their existence when they disposed of Gold Coast and Newcastle during their most recent trip across the ditch.

"We've got to be confident and sitting in the position that we are on the table we've worked hard to be there and we sort of deserve to be there and surely that's got to give us confidence now that where ever we play that we can get a result," Bertos said.

The last time Wellington travelled to Adelaide they were sent home with a disappointing 2-0 loss on December 30, but plenty has changed since then.

For starters, Adelaide's mini-resurgence under John Kosmina has stalled and the Reds sit second from bottom with 20 league points, while the Phoenix have improved with Paul Ifill back in the side and he has displayed some of his best form in recent weeks.

Although Wellington are in second, they're only one point ahead of third-placed Brisbane and two ahead of the Perth Glory, who have surged up the ladder in recent weeks to fourth.

Bertos said the tight nature of the competition meant they couldn't take their spot in the league for granted.

"It's always like that in the A-League. In one week it could all change if we don't get the result we want we could be in third or fourth."

What Bertos and his team want is another three points on Friday night.