Soccer: Scratchy performance shows how Phoenix must improve

The Wellington Phoenix. Photo / Getty Images

The Wellington Phoenix head into Friday night's A-League elimination final at home against Sydney FC with a decided psychological advantage.

However, they will also be wary of a team who struggled for much of the season and sealed their place in the play-offs only with yesterday's nail-biting 3-2 home win over the Newcastle Jets.

In scoring three wins, including two at home, over Sydney FC this season, the Phoenix will fancy their chances, when they kick off at 8pm on Friday.

But, they will be looking for something better than they managed for long periods in yesterday's game, which they needed to win by three goals to edge ahead of Perth who had plenty to celebrate as Shane Smeltz scored all four goals to become the leading scorer in A-League history.

With their 4-2 home win over hapless Melbourne Victory on Saturday, Perth Glory sealed third place and a home eliminator with Melbourne Heart next Sunday.

Continuing their recent run of ordinary form, the Phoenix never seriously tested the Central Coast Mariners who ran out at Westpac Stadium fully aware a win would clinch the minor premiership and leave second-placed Brisbane Roar with nothing to play for against Gold Coast United in the late game which ended the regular season.

A clumsy error by Phoenix skipper Andrew Durante in his 100th game for the club gifted the visitors their opening goal just before halftime when Bernie Ibini swooped to gather the loose ball, picked out Oliver Bozanic who played the ball in for Englishman John Sutton to glance his header home.

Seven minutes into the second half Durante again failed to cover and clear and Michael McGlinchey claimed possession before slipping the ball to Ibini who finished the task.

There was a scare in the Mariners camp 10 minutes from time when Leo Bertos sneaked a well-struck freekick into the top corner of their goal to close the gap to 2-1.