Western Sydney Wanderers pulled three points clear at the top of the A-League with a 2-1 win over Perth Glory on Friday, while second-from-bottom Wellington Phoenix drew closer to the pack with a victory over Melbourne City by the same scoreline.
Romeu Castelen gave Wanderers the lead on 62 minutes when the substitute finished off a swift counter-attack, but the lead lasted just two minutes as Nikolai Topor-Stanley's foul inside the box gave Andy Keough the chance to draw in-form Glory level from the spot.
Impact sub Brendon Santalab had other ideas, and his late winner for Wanderers opens up a gap between themselves and second-placed Brisbane, with the striker sending a lob looping over goalkeeper Ante Covic to wrap up the win.
FT | 2-1 NIX v @MelbourneCity . Ridenton and Fenton take the 3 points!! #COYN #WELvMCY pic.twitter.com/DhZmzRpVC4
- Wellington Phoenix (@WgtnPhoenixFC) February 26, 2016
The goals came early as struggling Phoenix stunned Melbourne at the Westpac Stadium. Louis Fenton and Matthew Ridenton put the Wellington-based hosts two goals ahead inside the opening 15 minutes, only for Aaron Mooy to pull one back with a 19th-minute free kick.
It was backs-to-the-wall stuff for the Phoenix for much of the remaining 70 minutes, but the ninth-placed club gave themselves an outside chance of claiming a playoff spot with a win that all but ends Melbourne's title hopes.