Soccer: Phoenix lose little ground despite postponed game

Coach of the Phoenix, Ricki Herbert. Photo / Getty Images

With results falling their way, the Wellington Phoenix lost little in having Sunday's scheduled match with runaway Hyundai A-League leaders Brisbane Roar postponed.

The Phoenix stayed at home while the mop-up continued in the Queensland capital but are still unsure when and where the game will be played.

Tomorrow week has been touted as the new date but with Suncorp Stadium apparently out of action for a month, there has been no indication of where the match might be played.

Should January 26 be confirmed, it will be a tough ask for Ricki Herbert and his players who have home games against Perth Glory on Sunday and the Newcastle Jets a week later.

They then have away games against Adelaide on February 5, and Sydney four days later before wrapping up their season at home to North Queensland Fury.

While the top four, with a slight reshuffle, remain the same and all but assured of playoff spots, the battle for the remaining two places remains as keen as ever.

Melbourne Victory were denied a much-needed win over perennial rivals Sydney FC in an action-packed match at the Sydney Football Stadium. Juho Makela snatched a stoppage time equaliser for 1-1 after Danny Allsopp had given the Victory their 52nd-minute lead in a game in which the home side led a massive shot count 32-18.

The visitors continue to gather yellow cards with three of four issued in the last 10 minutes as they sought to hold on for maximum points.

Melbourne Heart, two points and one place ahead of the Phoenix, also had visions of a much-needed win in Perth but had to content themselves with a come-from-behind 1-1 draw.

The Glory went ahead in the 35th minute and were denied a second when the officials decided the ball had not crossed the line. Later replays showed the home side had scored. Given that let-off, the Heart grabbed a point when Alex Terra equalised in the 71st minute.

Central Coast Mariners continued their climb up the points table with a 2-0 away win in the battle with the Newcastle Jets.

In front of the best crowd of the season (13,467) at EnergyAustralia Stadium, regular goal-grabber Matt Simon and substitute John Hutchinson ensured the Mariners had the points which took them into second place ahead of Adelaide United on goal difference.

Mariners coach Graham Arnold was satisfied with the win.

"Overall for our third game in a week, with Wellington, Brisbane and then Newcastle, I was very proud of the boys' performance," Arnold said. "It was a bit sloppy at times but overall I have to be happy with a 2-0 win."

The Jets hold on to sixth place despite the loss but will have to regroup with a seriously undermanned squad (due to injury) when they travel to play Gold Coast on Saturday.

The Jets were dealt a blow when skipper Kasey Wehrman hobbled off the ground with an ankle injury in the sixth minute.