Marquee stars shine in derby wins
Michael Lynch and Scott Spits review all the action from round three of the A-League.
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PERTH secured its second win of the season with a 2-0 win at home to Melbourne Heart yesterday to share top spot with Adelaide and Newcastle on six points. Only the Wanderers are without a win after three rounds.
In the early game yesterday, Wellington Phoenix battled to its second 1-1 draw in a week, bringing a rampant Brisbane Roar back to earth at Westpac Stadium.
The disciplined Phoenix worked hard for 90 minutes to shut down the Roar, which was on a high after demolishing Melbourne Victory 5-0 last week.
First in: Travis Dodd of the Glory controls the ball during Perth’s 2-0 win over Melbourne Heart. PICTURE: GETTY IMAGES Photo: Getty Images
A 16th-minute goal to the Phoenix's Stein Huysegems was cancelled out in the 39th minute by Besart Berisha's cool finish.
The absence of Wellington captain and central defender Andrew Durante, out through illness and replaced by youngster Michael Boxall, was felt particularly keenly in a scrappy second half.
Coach Ricki Herbert admitted that many of his team struggled, particularly the seven internationals who had played three games in the past eight days.
''We started well, but fatigue was always going to be a concern,'' he said.
Herbert said 19-year-old striker Louis Fenton, who laid off the pass for Huysegems' goal, looked a little jaded after taking on big responsibilities for a rookie in the Phoenix's first two games.
All Whites Jeremy Brockie and stand-in captain Ben Sigmund also tired, while New Zealand teammates Tony Lochhead and Leo Bertos lacked their usual fire in pushing forward.
''But it's been a very positive start for us, the best we've had in the whole six years,'' Herbert said.
Roar coach Rado Vidosic says he's happy to return home with one point from a hard trip. ''The first three weeks of the A-League have been very tough for us - Perth, then the Victory at home, then another trip here.
''You just can't prepare for Wellington unfortunately. There's no area in Australia where it's so windy and cold, and the grass is different.''
Having survived the expected Phoenix onslaught in the opening 15 minutes, Vidosic was pleased with the way the Roar fought back to dominate the rest of the first half.
''We knew there'd been a couple of big games for the national team. The key players were definitely tired, and they missed Durante badly in their back line,'' he said.
''We knew once we survived the first 15 minutes, then the game would open up and there'd be more space.
''The last 30 minutes of the first half, we could have scored two or three goals and probably finished the game off.''
A—LEAGUE, ROUND 3
Melbourne Victory 2 Adelaide United 1
Newcastle Jets 2 Central Coast Mariners 1
Sydney FC 1 Western Sydney Wanderers 0
Wellington Phoenix 1 Brisbane Roar 1
Perth Glory 2 Melbourne Heart 0
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