KEY POINTS:
History will be against the Wellington Phoenix when they play the Newcastle Jets in the last of the seventh round A-League matches this afternoon.
Chasing a repeat of their strong rally, and the 2-1 win over Sydney FC a week ago, the Phoenix realise back-to-back wins are something they have yet to achieve. They won five times in their inaugural season but were unable to ever back-up.
Newcastle are the only team they can climb above on the table but must win to do that.
In two games at EnergyAustralia Stadium, the Phoenix have won one and lost one. They are up against a Jets team without influential brothers Joel and Adam Griffiths - both sidelined with hamstring injuries.
Both sides have won only once this season. Both have struggled to score, and defensively, the Phoenix have leaked 10 goals, the Jets 11.
The Phoenix camp has an air of expectancy. With Glen Moss still sidelined, coach Ricki Herbert was spared the tough call over who to play in goal as Mark Paston would always be hard to displace.
David Mulligan is out with flu which poses questions at right back. Ben Sigmund would have to switch from his central role to allow for captain Andrew Durante's return.
He might also look at Jeremy Christie who played in the position at times last season and was impressive when given his chance off the bench against Sydney.
In seventh-round matches already played, two ended in draws, with Sydney needing a last-gasp equaliser three minutes into added time to finish 1-1 at home to the Queensland Roar.
The visitors had taken the lead early in the second half through Charlie Miller but the home side had to wait until Stuart Musialik's late effort to snatch a point.
The comeback by Central Coast Mariners at Hindmarsh Stadium was even more dramatic.
Ahead 3-0 after first-half goals from captain Travis Dodd, who scored in the seventh minute, and Robert Cornthwaite 12 minutes later, Adelaide United stretched that to 3-0 after 50 minutes when Cristiano scored. The Mariners started their comeback in the 66th minute when Mile Jedinak booted home a penalty.
In the remaining minutes four Adelaide players were booked as Jedinak added his second goal and, with six minutes to play, Matt Simon grabbed the one that earned the visitors an unlikely point.
Melbourne Victory thrilled the 18,000 fans at the Telstra Dome with a 4-0 win over hapless Perth Glory. Evan Berger opened the scoring with a gift in the first half and Rodrigo Vargas in the second. In between Danny Allsopp helped himself to one and had the last say with his second in the 71st minute.
Allsopp leads the golden boot with six - one more than Cristiano, Simon and Miller. The Phoenix' Shane Smeltz is one further back but with the chance to climb the ladder again this afternoon.
