Zoe Mcmeeken. Photo: photosport
Wellington Phoenix's surge up the A-League women's standings continues with a 2-0 home win over Sydney FC - aided by a timely thunderstorm.
Coach Paul Temple's team took control in the second half through goals to Grace Jale and Zoe McMeeken to maintain a four-match unbeaten streak.
They climb from ninth to fourth in the standings although there are other round seven games still to be played, while two-time defending champions Sydney remain rooted to the bottom of the 12-team table.
It was McMeeken's first win of her A-League career and Jale's first of the season.
The result represents a superb turnaround after losing their first three games of the campaign.
"I think these results are what we need to take that next step as a team," Temple said.
"I know they're struggling for form, but they're Sydney FC and they've got serial winners in that team and good players in that team.
"They're still very tough to beat and it's a big step for us as a team to do that today."
The match was delayed for 45 minutes due to a thunderstorm and nearby lightning strikes, with the heavens opening on the stroke of halftime.
"It was really good for us because we were not at the races in the first half," Temple said.
"I really wasn't happy with how we were playing. I thought it was quite a way off how we want to be.
"We weren't on the front foot and didn't show the intensity that I wanted so we had a good break, we reset ourselves. We watched a lot of the game back, looked at the things we needed to improve on and the second half was brilliant and much more like what we wanted to be."
Wellington's next match is a testing affair away to leaders Melbourne City on Saturday.
