Phoenix remain winless after loss in Perth

The Wellington Phoenix have been punished for a couple of early mistakes in their first A-League women’s match in Western Australia.

Dejected Phoenix players
Photo: photosport

The Phoenix have been beaten 2-0 by the Perth Glory after conceding two goals in the opening quarter of an hour.

Both teams had to play the majority of the match with 10 players after Nix forward Emma Rolston and Glory midfielder Ella Mastrantonio were shown straight red cards for a heated clash in the 34th minute.

Despite their best efforts when it was 10 on 10, Wellington were unable to unlock the Perth defence and find a way back into the match.

“We got punished for two mistakes which…we’ve got to hold ourselves accountable for,” Phoenix head coach Natalie Lawrence said.

“We need to stop making these mistakes that are leading to these goals and start taking our chances as well.”

Lawrence refused to blame the longest road trip in a professional women’s football league for the result.

“We knew that the travel was going to be tough, we knew that the heat was going to be tough and we prepared as much as we could for it.

“There’s some fatigue amongst the girls [and] there’s a little bit of jet lag, but that’s not really an excuse that we’re willing to hide behind.

“New Zealand is where we want to be and where we want to be based and travel is part of it.”

The defeat means the Phoenix are now six points adrift at the bottom of the table, with just one point from eight matches, but Lawrence felt the team “dominated” after the two red cards.

“We had more possession, we had better pass completion, we’ve had more shots, we’ve had more final third entries again than any other game this season so we’re building and getting better and better.

“Game eight and yeah one point on the board but…we believe that we’ve still got 10 games to fight for.

“As long as we keep sticking to our process then we believe the outcome will happen.”

Natalie Lawrence made two changes to the XI which started last week’s 1-0 defeat to Western United, with Football Ferns Kate Taylor and Paige Satchell returning from injuries and replacing Saskia Vosper and Milly Clegg respectively. Marisa van der Meer shifted out to right back with Taylor returning at the heart of the Nix defence.

The Wellington Phoenix women will make the long journey home today before turning their attentions to next Sunday afternoon’s match against Canberra United at Sky Stadium.