Kosta Barbarouses of the Phoenix celebrates after scoring a goal during in the A-League Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The Wellington Phoenix overcame the absence of a handful of key players to restore their five-point lead atop the men's A-League.
The Phoenix have beaten Macarthur FC 2-1 at Campbelltown Sports Ground in Sydney, thanks to a brace from in-form forward Kosta Barbarouses.
Central Coast Mariners' 1-0 win over Western Sydney Wanderers earlier in the evening had cut Wellington's lead to two points. But the Nix's 10th victory of the season keeps them five points clear of Central Coast and moves them eight above third-placed Macarthur.
They did it without regulars Tim Payne, Sam Sutton, Bozhidar Kraev, Nicholas Pennington and captain Alex Rufer, who pulled up lame in the warm-up.
"We're a team first," Phoenix head coach Giancarlo Italiano told media post-match. "We're bigger than all the individuals. It's what has got us through [since] day one.
"We've had so many different things thrown at us this week and it was very easy for the boys to lose focus.
"We lost Rufer five minutes before the game. I was so buoyed by the fact it was like 'okay, no problem'.
"The boys took it in their stride. Fin Conchie came into the team, and they just applied themselves for 90 minutes.
"The fact that we're clear at the top of the table and doing well is a testament to the players and their mentality."
Barbarouses has now scored 10 goals this season and has drawn level with Melbourne Victory legend Archie Thompson as the fifth highest goal scorer in A-League men's history.
Giancarlo Italiano made four enforced changes to the starting XI, with Conchie, Isaac Hughes, Ben Old and Oskar van Hattum replacing the injured quartet of Rufer, Payne, Kraev and Pennington.
Scott Wootton captained the side in Rufer's absence, while Polish striker Oskar Zawada and new signing Youstin Salas were named amongst the substitutes.
Meanwhile the Phoenix women fell to their heaviest defeat of the competition.
The under-strength Phoenix, who were missing nine frontline players due to international commitments and injuries, have been beaten 3-0 by Western United in Melbourne.
The Nix remain ninth on the A-League ladder and are now four points outside the top six, but Temple believes his side can still qualify for the finals.
The Wellington Phoenix have a fortnight to prepare for their next match against Melbourne Victory with the A-League breaking for the FIFA international window.
