A goal in the 87th minute to Brisbane's Jamie McLaren has given the Wellington Phoenix a reality check following a busy week in the capital.
Phoenix captain Andrew Durante. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Just moments shy of their third clean sheet in eight days, a mistake at the back has hurt Wellington as Brisbane Roar have held onto fourth place on the A-League ladder.
Wellington started brightly, and in the 4th minute Roly Bonevacia's clever ball found Kosta Barbarouses but his cross evaded his Phoenix teammates.
Brisbane Roar's Jack Hingert fashioned the first effort on goal, as Glen Moss watched his driven shot onto the outside of the post and away for a goalkick.
Tommy Oar then ran hard and straight at the Wellington back four and the veteran custodian did well to comfortably spoon his effort around the post.
With momentum swinging both ways, Roy Krishna then fired in a dangerous near-post shot but Michael Theo's block rolled agonising away from the on-rushing Shane Smeltz.
In the second half Bonevacia rippled the net - but unfortunately for one half of the stadium it was the side netting, after a sharp late run.
Gui Finkler and Michael McGlinchey then entered the contest with Smeltz and an injured Vince Lia making way and the Brazilian had an early effect feeding Jacob Tratt for a shot driven at Theo.
Petratos then flashed a fierce snap shot in the 65th minute, but Moss was equal to the task, holding well.
A controversial moment in the 67th when Barbarouses appeared to be bodychecked right on the eighteen-yard box but no foul was given - before Bonevacia snuffed out Brisbane's counterattack, cleanly executing a tackle from behind.
But it was substitute Maclaren who grabbed the headlines and the three points for the visitors after he bamboozled Wellington captain Andrew Durante to finish comfortably past Moss.
Wellington Head Coach Des Buckingham was disappointed with the result, but heartened by the effort from the team across the three matches.
"We've created as many chances as they have, looking at what I just looked at," Buckingham said.
"We're just disappointed to have conceded in the 87th minute in the way we did after what was a good performance on the back of good results over the past couple of weeks.
"I don't think fitness is the reason we lost the game, I just think it was a lapse in concentration and unfortunately in the 87th minute that's cost us.
"Mistakes happen and that's fine, we will put our heads down, reassess everybody and make sure everyone's fine for Adelaide and go again next week."
The result has pushed the Phoenix down into sixth on the A-League ladder, their next match is against Adelaide United next Sunday.
-RNZ
