KEY POINTS:
Nine points out of the lead and with a mounting goal count against are not making happy reading for coach Ricki Herbert and the Wellington Phoenix.
Friday night's away game in Perth assumes even greater importance for the club who face the ignominy of dropping to the bottom of the Hyundai A-League points table if the Ron Smith-coached West Australians get up for their first win of the season.
Now at the midway point of the season, the Wellington-based franchise must quickly regroup or find themselves pitched deeper into unwanted comparisons with their predecessors - the much-maligned [deservedly] New Zealand Knights.
Even with the advantage of an early goal, the Phoenix were never in it against Adelaide United who helped themselves to four unanswered goals in winning 4-1 to rocket to the top of the table ahead of season-long pacesetters Central Coast Mariners and ever-steady Newcastle Jets. The 10th round again attracted huge support but the biggest crowd - the 27,123 who flocked to the Telstra Dome - were also the most disappointed as the Melbourne Victory slumped to a 2-0 loss to Newcastle, their second loss of the season.
Adding to Melbourne's woes as they prepare for the trip to Central Coast was Steve Pantelidis' 66th minute sending-off.
The goals scored in the eighth and 88th minutes by brothers Adam and Joel Griffiths were, a little surprisingly, only the sixth and seventh scored by the Jets this season. They have remained in contention throughout by basing their game plan on rock-solid defence, conceding just four goals in 10 outings.
Sydney FC, in front of 17,652 at the Sydney Football Stadium, turned in a face-saving effort for new coach John Kosmina, beating the Mariners 3-2 after leading 3-1 at the break.
In scoring the first two, Alex Brosque took his tally for the season to six and the lead in the golden boot race - one ahead of Phoenix's Shane Smeltz. The lone Phoenix striker battled tirelessly at Hindmarsh Stadium but did not have the same non-stop support from his midfield.
Perth Glory, away to Queensland Roar (with 16,715 turning up to watch the goalfest at Suncorp), made the early running.
Ahead 2-0 after 43 minutes, with an own goal from Craig More and a goal for Jamie Harnwell, the Glory's hopes were dented when the Roar got one back in stoppage time at the end of the first half and went 3-2 ahead with a Simon Lynch penalty and his 87th-minute strike. Only an added-time goal from Jamie Coyne salvaged a deserved point for the visitors.
In the second Friday night game this week, Adelaide United are back at Hindmarsh Stadium to play Queensland. On Saturday, Sydney FC make the trip to Newcastle. The round is completed on Sunday with the keenly awaited Gosford clash between Central Coast and Melbourne.
