Soccer: Roar present stern test for Herbert's men in double header

Ricki Herbert. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Season-defining double-headers loom for Wellington Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert and other A-League bosses as the halfway point in the 27-week round-robin programme looms.

The Wellington Phoenix face the toughest task in a hectic five-day schedule.

They host Brisbane Roar at Westpac Stadium tomorrow night fully aware the Queenslanders will leapfrog Adelaide United into top spot with a win which would also snap the Phoenix' record unbeaten run at the ground.

Herbert will have little time to reflect on that result - whatever it might be - before joining the team for the long haul to Perth for Sunday's date with the Glory.

The hapless West Australians, who slumped to a seventh straight loss in succumbing 5-0 to Central Coast Mariners in the second game of the double-header at the Sydney Football Stadium, face just as big a test with a home game against the Melbourne Heart tomorrow night before meeting the Phoenix.

It was an emphatic win for the Mariners - their biggest in 129 league outings - coming in just their third game in almost a month.

Perth held Central Coast to just 1-0 at halftime before the floodgates opened with four goals in 30 minutes.

Glory coach Ian Ferguson was livid following another insipid display, coming just six days after Sydney picked up their first - and, to date, only - win of the season at Perth's expense.

"Tonight's performance was unacceptable," an angry Ferguson declared. "It was embarrassing at times.

"At times we did look one-paced. The Mariners did look a lot sharper and brighter. The time has come for changes. I've persevered and stuck by a lot of players and now I need to get some young blood in there."

After Adelaide lost for the first time this season - beaten 2-1 by Melbourne Victory in front of 16,269 fans in a return to Etihad Stadium in the weekend opener - Brisbane had the chance to go top in the early game against Sydney FC at the SFS, and when Luke DeVere gave the Roar the lead after just seven minutes their hopes rose.

Alex Brosque dashed such sentiment in the 35th minute with his equaliser. The visitors could only blame themselves for not taking the win however, as they led a lop-sided corner count 15-1 and had a handy 19-6 advantage in scoring attempts.

Melbourne Heart continued their mid-season revival with a 2-0 win over Newcastle Jets in a game transferred from the under-repair EnergyAustralia Stadium to the Port Macquarie Regional Sports complex.

Nick Kalmar gave the Heart their 54th-minute lead. Gerald Sibon completed the scoring with a last-ditch penalty.

All Whites goalkeeper Glen Moss continues to keep his Gold Coast United team in the frame.

Already with six clean sheets, Moss let in only one as the Coast edged fellow Queenslanders North Queensland Fury 2-1 to remain in fourth place. Gold Coast have given up just seven goals in 11 outings this season - the best defensive record in the league.