Soccer: Glory's loss adds silver lining for Herbert

Archie Thompson of the Victory against the Phoenix. Photo / Getty Images

Results keep falling nicely for Ricki Herbert and the Wellington Phoenix.

Left ruing another limp effort in going down to the Melbourne Victory for the third time - the 3-0 Friday night loss their worst of the season - the Phoenix were handed a pick-me-up when Perth Glory slumped to the same result at Skilled Park against cellar-dwellers Gold Coast.

That win for the strife-torn Coasters in the last game of the Hyundai A-League's penultimate regular season round was their first since their upset 1-0 win over Brisbane Roar at the same ground on Boxing Day.

The loss hurt Perth, who go into their final game, at home to Victory, in third place equal on points and with the same goal difference as the Phoenix. The team eventually finishing third will have the bonus of a second home game in the play-offs if they win their elimination final.

A win for the Phoenix over league leaders Central Coast Mariners at Westpac Stadium on Sunday could take them into third if Perth do not beat the Victory.

Although there will be some interest in that battle, the scrap for fifth and sixth will be even more intense.

Melbourne Heart go into their away match with Adelaide United in fifth place and know they will finish there or, at worst, sixth.

The Heart are a point ahead of Newcastle Jets and Sydney FC who meet in the winner-take-all blockbuster.

But a draw in Sydney would be enough for the Jets to survive with a better goal difference.

The added concern for Adelaide, Central Coast and in particular Brisbane Roar, who need to beat Gold Coast United to have any chance of claiming the minor premiership, is three midweek Asian Champions League matches.

Adelaide are at home to Gamba Osaka and Brisbane away to Beijing Guoan tomorrow night while Central Coast entertain Nagoya Grampus Eight on Wednesday night.

Despite the shocker against the Victory - the only team to put three goals in the Phoenix net this season after an earlier 3-1 result - the Phoenix can take some comfort in their record against Newcastle, Melbourne Heart and Sydney FC this season.

In nine games against the three teams they can face in sudden death, the Phoenix have won all three against the Jets, all three against Sydney and one against the Heart with a 1-1 draw and a 1-0 loss - both away.

Rather than worrying about whom they might face in that elimination game, Herbert has to find a return to winning ways after two shoddy efforts in Melbourne in the space of six days.

The 1-1 draw with Melbourne Heart was a salvage job after a terrible first half while the blowout against the Victory was up with the worst 90 minutes the Phoenix have turned in this season.

Now, back at home and against a Mariners side who have won only two of their past eight games and face a short turnaround after their midweek Champions League encounter, the Phoenix must regroup and turn around the two losses they have had with the Mariners this season.

That all five games in the final weekend will have a bearing on the play-offs is testament to what has been a closely fought contest.