Soccer: Phoenix take break after earning point in soggy Townsville

Stadium workers use garden blowers to remove water from the pitch before the North Queensland Fury and Wellington Phoenix match. Photo / Getty Images

The Wellington Phoenix have the weekend off after their taxing trip for a 1-1 draw against North Queensland Fury in a sodden Townsville, but that will not lessen their interest in matches to be played tonight and in four days over the long weekend.

The Phoenix, again smarting from their failure to win on the road, will have home advantage for their next A League game - the always tough contest with Melbourne Victory.

The Phoenix ventured across the Tasman to tropical north Queensland but found the weather anything but summery, with 60mm of rain falling in the two hours before kick-off after 400mm had drenched the city in the preceding 24 hours.

Referee Jarred Gillet reluctantly, despite some reservations from Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert, allowed the match to proceed.

Chris Payne opened the scoring in the 12th minute after a through ball from David Williams caught the defenders pushing forward. He ran a third of the field unmarked and slotted the ball past the defenceless Phoenix goalkeeper Danny Vukovic.

The equaliser did not come until the 76th minute when Dylan MacAllister, in a somewhat ordinary game, scored after substitute Nick Ward outclassed a defender on the right wing to invade the penalty area before finding MacAllister with a low cross.

That was not the end of the goalmouth action, however, as North Queensland claimed they had scored the winner in the dying minutes only to have their effort waved on by the linesman and Gillet.

"I think so [had the goal been scored] but it is hard for me to judge right there and then. But I looked at the replay and it clearly showed, but no one in the sheds is going to know until they see the replay," said Williams. "I know the touch judge had a post and a couple of players in the way but I think the ref was in a position to see it for himself.

"It was disappointing. I think we could have finished off the game with a few other chances, but it is something we have lacked in the last couple of weeks."

Herbert said he was not sure if it was a goal but denied his side had escaped with the draw.

"I wouldn't say escape, I think when we got the goal we were right on the front foot," said Herbert. "I think we have all been in a position when the throw of the dice didn't go our way.

"It's a good point, it keeps us moving up the table."

Goals were at a premium in other games, too.

Struggling Sydney FC were beaten 1-0 at home by Melbourne Heart with Adrian Zahra's match-winning goal at the Sydney Football Stadium coming in the 87th minute.

Sydney face the short trip to Newcastle on Monday with their season almost certainly headed nowhere.

Newcastle Jets will be keen to make the most of home advantage as they look to bounce back from a disappointing 2-1 away loss to resurgent Melbourne Victory, who scraped their third straight win on the back of a magical 90th-minute goal scored by Ricardinho.

Two second half goals - the second an own goal from golden boot co-leader Sergio van Dijk - earned Central Coast Mariners their 2-0 home win over Adelaide United.

Leaders Brisbane Roar needed a 66th-minute penalty to salvage a 2-2 draw with local rivals Gold Coast United who had twice taken the lead in the rain at Suncorp Stadium.