Soccer: Phoenix character clinches win, says Herbert

Leo Bertos celebrates his goal for Wellington Phoenix against North Queensland Fury last night. Photo / Getty Images

Wellington Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert praised team's resilience after they survived 25 anxious minutes with 10 men to hold on for a record-equalling 2-1 win against North Queensland Fury in an A-League soccer match here last night.

Goals to Chris Greenacre and Leo Bertos inside the opening 15 minutes looked to have effectively killed the contest and the home team were barely troubled until the final 25 minutes, which they were forced to play with 10 men after New Zealand referee Peter O'Leary sent off midfielder Vince Lia.

North Queensland huffed and puffed but lacked the finishing quality to take advantage of their numerical advantage as the Phoenix notched a deserved win.

"After losing Vinnie, we were quite resilient," Herbert said.

"There was some great character shown and it won't do us any harm to have to have gone through that.

"Let's not hold back, I think we were far the better side. It was tough with the swirling wind but we had to cope and deal with it and we did."

Wellington were strolling to victory but Lia's 50-50 challenge on Ufuk Talay was deemed serious enough for a yellow card, his second of the match.

Talay and Wellington defender Ben Sigmund were both booked from the ensuing melee as tensions rose, then Fury defender Mark Hughes rubbed salt into Wellington's wound by rifling the subsequent freekick into the net after a wicked deflection left goalkeeper Danny Vukovic stranded.

Wellington captain Andrew Durante made it clear he thought the red card was harsh.

"He's gone in strong and got the ball, he's interpreted it as going in with studs showing but his intention was to get the ball," Durante said.

"I think the referee was a little but up and down, he let some things go and punished other things."

Durante was also unimpressed that a first-half goal to Greenacre was disallowed for offside. Greenacre was in an offside position but appeared to have been played onside when Fury midfielder Gareth Edds got a touch on a through ball.

Still, he was happy to take the three points, which moved Wellington up to third-equal with Perth before their match against Adelaide last night.

It was also Wellington's 23rd consecutive match undefeated in Wellington dating back to October 2008, which equals Sydney United's run at their home ground in the old national soccer league between 1996-99 as an Australian national league record.

"It was a difficult game but three points is what counts," Durante said.

"Nobody will remember how scrappy it was later on. We were desperate for three points and we did it the tough way, but we did it."

The visitors made a horrendous start when goalkeeper Justin Pasfield scuffed a simple third minute clearance straight into Greenacre's path, the Phoenix striker composing himself and rounding Pasfield with ease for his first goal in seven matches.

Wellington's confidence grew further when Bertos doubled the lead 10 minutes later after Greenacre won the ball inside the box.

Vukovic was kept quiet but when called upon early after the break, he produced a brilliant reaction save to deny Osama Malik, a save Durante described as "special" and one of the best he had ever seen.

Hughes' goal made for a nervous final stanza for the 7212 home fans but Wellington held on to collect the points.

They will be without Lia, who is automatically suspended for one week, for next Friday's match at Gold Coast United, but Herbert expected gun striker Paul Ifill, who missed last night's match with a groin niggle, to be back in action.

- NZPA