An abysmal performance against Wellington saw the Wanderers lose 5-2 and finish with 10 men.
Faced with the opportunity to go back to the top of the table with a draw or win, the Wanderers wilted in the hilt, getting smashed for 5 goals and never being in the game. Out of the entire squad, only Mitch Nichols & Liam Youlley, a second half substitute, can hold their heads high. Nichols worked tirelessely to inspire his insipid team-mates, and Youlley did what the more experienced players failed to do, take control of the midfield. The rest of the squad were an aimless rabble, making the easy seem hard, and the hard look impossible.
The loss of Spanish import trio Andreu, Dimas & Alberto was hardly an excuse for the complete and utter failure to produce anything resembling a coherent football performance. Across the park the players who had sent the Wanderers back up the table were playing like an Under 12's team. The first half central midfield duo of Jacob Pepper & Kearyn Baccus provided no spark going forward, and no obstacle to the opposition going back.
Between the defensive back 5, Jamieson, Topor-Stanley, Aspro, Neville & Redmayne consorted to concede 5 goals, with Aspro & Redmayne directly at fault for one each, and Jamieson being beaten by Powell twice, both times resulting in a goal. The fullbacks were the weak link in an already poor chain, as Neville wasted a free header from one of the few corners that was managed to be put into the 6 yard box along with his usually poor crossing, and for Jamieson, the less said the better as he played his worst game for the Red & Black.
On either wing Vidosic & Castelen once again failed to produce, Vidosic as marquee having failed to score or generate an assist since the last Sydney Derby a month ago, and Castelen having gone 9 games without a goal. Both had chances, Vidosic a sliding effort that Glen Moss kept out, and Castelen with a mazy run that lacked a composed finish.
Blake Powell took all the headlines for the Phoenix, scoring 4 goals, three in the first 30 minutes of the match.
His first coming after Castelen failed to track back, letting Tom Doyle stride forward down the flank, his cross was good enough to beat the Wanderers cover defence, it took once bounce before Powell connected with a fine diving header that beat Redmayne. There were question marks on an offside, but the result was 1-0 to the visitors.
His second had an identical build up, Doyle with another accurate cross, flicked on by Hamish Watson, it fell to Powell, who took it down via his chest, then smashed home a side half volley that tracked like a laser beam into the top left corner. This time there was no question that Powell was well offside, but as is the want of A-League officials, no flag was raised and it cost the Wanderers a goal.
The third was a simple long ball into the path of Powell. Scott Jamieson let the ball fly over his head, and failed to take Powell out. Redmayne had flown out of his area, and was stranded in no-man's land, as Powell finished over his head smartly.
Half-time came and went, with Santalab bought on for Pepper, he butchered a golden opportunity to pull a goal back. Vidosic put the substitute clean through on goal with Wellington caught square, with the goal gaping he fired the ball into the jumping castle behind the family stand.
The Wanderers were punished for their profligacy as Powell scored his fourth for the day. Scott Neville was stood up by Michael McGlinchey, the fullback not even bothering to attempt to challenge or a block from the cross by the Kiwi international, it flew over Aspro & Topor-Stanley, Jamieson got caught ball watching, letting Powell ghost in at the far post with another diving header.
At 4-0 down with 15 minutes to go the Wanderers finally got on the scoreboard, Mitch Nichols taking matters into his own hands with his 9th goal of the season. A good 30 yards out from goal he lined up a blasted a rocket into the top right corner, giving Glen Moss no chance at all. There was no celebration, appropriate considering the scoreline at that point.
6 minutes to go saw the deficit reduced to 4-2, as Mark Bridge took advantage of a Louis Fenton mistake in possession, Sotirio pouncing to feed the ball onto Bridge, his right footed shot was straight at the keeper, but a sweeping block with the feet of Moss didn't do enough to stop the ball finding it's way into the back of the net.
With Alberto already out for next weeks Derby, it went from bad to worse for Tony Popovic, who will be without Aspropotamitis as he pulled down Appiah Kubi in the penalty area, conceding a penalty & a straight red for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity. McGlinchey stepped up, Redmayne guessed the right way and got the lightest of hands to the ball, but not enough to stop the shot making it 5-2.
The three goal loss not only keeps Western Sydney in second place behind Brisbane, it also dropped their once impressive goal difference below that of the Roar, effectively handing the Roar a 'half point' in the race for the Premiership.
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