Central Coast Mariners 2 Wellington Phoenix 0
KEY POINTS:
The Wellington Phoenix ended their debut A-League season with the wooden spoon after losing to title contenders Central Coast in the Gosford slush last night.
At a sodden Central Coast Stadium, Australian international John Aloisi opened the scoring in the 52nd minute and Adam Kwasnik sealed victory in injury time to halt a strong finish from the Phoenix who only got into the game in the final quarter.
The defeat left the Phoenix level on points with Perth Glory but still at the foot of the eight-team ladder on goal difference, while the Mariners stayed on track for the minor premiership, depending on today's final round results.
Surface water hampered the attacking endeavours of both sides and made passing difficult before a crowd of almost 10,000.
The Phoenix were fortunate to be level 0-0 at halftime after the hosts dominated the opening 45 minutes.
Against the run of play, the Phoenix had the best early chance when teenager Costa Barbarouses, in his first A-League start, slipped past goalkeeper Danny Vukovic but his shot to an open goal from a tight angle hit the side netting.
The speedy Barbarouses, 17, added some energy to the Phoenix attack and was their most dangerous player on the night.
At one point the Mariners had four clear chances within seven minutes midway through the first half but Glen Moss saved twice and the others were blasted over the bar.
The Mariners' Mile Jedinak was the most threatening and went closest to scoring in the 42nd minute when his header hit the crossbar.
The pressure told seven minutes into the second spell when Aloisi rose above a static Phoenix defence and headed home a Tom Pondeljak cross.
Aloisi was substituted three minutes later and his brother, Phoenix captain Ross Aloisi, followed in the 62nd minute in possibly his final game for the club. It was the first time the brothers had taken the field in opposing A-League sides.
The Phoenix lifted their game in the final 20 minutes and mounted some promising attacks, Barbarouses' powerful shot just scraping over the bar 10 minutes from fulltime and Greg Draper hitting a shot just wide in the 84th.
LAST SEASON, it was age group teams and local sides but this time, the Phoenix's pre-season opposition could include top Chinese clubs. The Wellington side were approached last week by a promoter to play as many as three games against Chinese Super League teams in June.
Phoenix chief executive Tony Pignata said the details were still being thrashed out but they were keen to accept the invitation.
"We are still in negotiations with the promoter for two or three games in China," Pignata said.
"They have to be valuable for us so we wouldn't go unless we were playing at least Super League teams, which is the equivalent of the A-League."
