The Phoenix return to Hunter Stadium tomorrow with their pre-season trip to play the Jets at the same ground a reminder of all things bad about football.
In that sometimes nasty encounter, emotions spilled over and when the dust had settled after Manny Muscat's ill-timed challenge on Tiago Calvano, Muscat and defender Ben Sigmund, who got himself needlessly involved in the melee, copped red cards and subsequent bans as did captain Andrew Durante for another senseless act later in the game.
Both camps insist that that game is behind them and look forward to another crucial match between two close rivals tomorrow.
Ironically, Sigmund and Durante have been key to the many good results against the Jets. In the last five games between the transtasman rivals, the Phoenix defence has conceded only two goals.
It is the attacking game that will concern coach Ricki Herbert. While they have produced enough chances their conversion rate is poor, scoring just seven goals in six outings. This inability to find the back of the net has the Phoenix on the bottom rung on the points ladder.
