It is three months since the Wellington Phoenix and Central Coast Mariners played out a scoreless draw at Westpac Stadium. It was the 50th A-League game and fourth straight draw, in a run of six, for the Phoenix.
On Thursday night in Gosford the two teams clash for the second
time this season in the last game of round 21 with victory vital for both teams as the jostle for a play-off spot intensifies.
In six games between the two sides, the Mariners have yet to score but they had plenty of chances in that last encounter when they enjoyed 75 per cent of possession but failed to beat a resolute Phoenix defence.
Even away from home, Ricki Herbert's team might fancy their chances especially as the hosts will be without goalkeeper Danny Vukovic and key defender Dean Heffernan - called in to the Socceroos - and suspended Nigel Boogaard.
The Phoenix are also a player or two short with Manny Muscat and Ben Sigmund still suspended.
A win for the Phoenix, who have one or two games in hand over their nine rivals, would put them back in the play-off mix. A loss would leave them with only Adelaide United below them heading into the business end of the season.
Adelaide slumped to their ninth loss of the season in losing 1-0 in Sydney as Sydney FC won for the ninth time in 11 home games this season.
Captain Steve Corica struck four minutes into the second half with a shot which took a slight deflection to earn Sydney the points which ensured they would end 2009 top of the table.
Melbourne Victory blew their chance to join Sydney at the top when beaten 1-0 away by North Queensland Fury who claimed their sixth win of the season - two more than the Phoenix and one more than Adelaide.
A great ball from Fury captain Robbie Fowler set up Dyron Daal who finished the job with a classy strike for their 30th-minute goal.
Further down the Queensland coach, Gold Coast United, in front of 10,024 fans (the biggest crowd of the season at Skilled Park), returned to better form coming from behind to smash Brisbane Roar 5-1.
When Matt McKay poked the ball home with the last touch in a goalmouth scramble, the visitors took the eighth-minute lead. It was to be their only joy as the Shane Smeltz/Kristian Rees double act took centre stage.
Rees grabbed the equaliser a minute into added time at the end of the first spell.
Smeltz hit home a 51st minute penalty to put the home side ahead for the first time. Rees added a third three minutes later before Smeltz ended with a flurry to net a hat-trick and take his season tally to a record 18 goals.
He heads the golden boot by nine goals from Fowler and Brisbane's Sergio van Dijk.
Jamie Harnwell scored twice in Perth Glory's 4-0 home win over Newcastle Jets after leading 3-0 at halftime.
The next full round will be played on January 9-10 with the Phoenix at home to Brisbane and Sydney facing the testing trip to Perth.
A win over Central Coast on Thursday would put the Phoenix back in the play-off mix. Photo / Getty Images
It is three months since the Wellington Phoenix and Central Coast Mariners played out a scoreless draw at Westpac Stadium. It was the 50th A-League game and fourth straight draw, in a run of six, for the Phoenix.
On Thursday night in Gosford the two teams clash for the second
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