KEY POINTS:
Mariners 2
Phoenix 1
Phoenix goalkeeper Glen Moss was again hung out to dry by pathetic defending as the Wellington-based club slumped to their third successive loss yesterday.
In securing the points with a gift-wrapped stoppage time Sasho Petrovski goal, the Central Coast Mariners soared back to the
top of the Hyundai-A-League and left Ricki Herbert's Phoenix in danger of slipping into oblivion as they now face three successive away games, including the daunting trip to Perth.
Sadly, it was more of the same old, same old from the Phoenix.
They again gave away an early goal, chased the game, got back to 1-1 with a stunner from marquee player Ahmad Elrich, failed to turn the screws and take what would have been a deserved lead, and then blew it with a late blunder.
The visitors mounted the pressure from the kick-off and would have gone ahead inside four minutes but for a Jeremy Christie header off the line for a corner - the second for the visitors in the opening three minutes.
Sensing uncertainty in the Phoenix defence, the Mariners attacked almost at will and were rewarded after 16 minutes when Petrovski played a ball in, Steve O'Dor botched his clearance and Dean Heffernan was handed the simplest of chances with Moss having no chance.
The uncertainty in the defence made life difficult for the home side. Christie, at right back, too often forced, or happy, to play out short from the back instead of looking to go long and clear the danger zone.
Shane Smeltz had the first chance to get the Phoenix back on terms but he was too long in setting himself and Tony Vidmar picked his pocket and cleared.
Midway through the spell the 10,562 fans at Westpac Stadium finally had something to celebrate when Elrich gathered a metre or so outside the penalty area and with just one touch let rip a screamer which rocketed into the top corner of Danny Vukovic's goal.
The home side kept pressing, won four unrewarded corners, took a 57 per cent advantage in possession by the break but still came up empty.
Slow to settle defensively, the Phoenix were almost undone just 49 seconds into the second half when Matt Simon hit the post.
Australian referee Peter Green then decided he wanted centre stage booking Phoenix players Daniel, Tony Lochhead and Smeltz in the space of three minutes further inspiring the visitors to push forward and take advantage of the uncertainty those yellow cards brought.
They won a penalty when Simon was pushed from behind by Karl Dodd but the Phoenix were spared further embarrassment when Petrovski fired wide from the spot.
Daniel had a shot without conviction as the game ran its course with the Phoenix too one-dimensional and rarely using Lochhead's overlapping ability on the left.
The killer blow came a minute into added time when Christie side-footed a soft ball into Petrovski's path and with Moss stranded, the veteran striker celebrated one of the easiest goals he has ever scored.
It was another heartbreaker for Herbert, who could only despair as he watched all the good work done on the training pitch unravel so dramatically and leave him with plenty to ponder before playing Adelaide at Hindmarsh Stadium on Sunday.