Adelaide United made it 10 games unbeaten in the Ninja A-League after a double from Lucia Leon fired them to an impressive 3-1 win over Wellington Phoenix.
It took Adelaide just four minutes to find the breakthrough as captain for the day Ella Tonkin powered home a header at the back post after she was picked out via a Dylan Holmes corner.
Completely against the run of play, Wellington bagged their equaliser on the approach to half-time as Olivia Ferguson pinched a loose ball inside the Adelaide half before brilliantly lobbing goalkeeper Claudio Jenkins who had raced off her line.
The away side regained the lead in the second-half though as winger Leon curled one over the head of Wellington keeper Carolina Vilao from a wide angle to make it 2-1 in the 56th minute.
Adelaide then spurned the chance to go 3-1 up in the 80th minute after Worts was denied from the spot by Vilao however the away side did seal the win in the 86th minute as Leon scored her second of the game to put the result to bed.
The result stretches Adelaide United’s impressive unbeaten run out to 10 matches and they now sit just two points behind second-placed Melbourne Victory.
As for Wellington, Paul Temple’s side’s unbeaten run comes to an end and they remain in eighth spot on the ladder; four points outside the top six with just six games left to play.
The Reds were dealt a blow before the game with news Emily Condon was ruled out after picking up a knock in training but Adrian Stenta’s side still had little trouble in finding the opener.
Timing her run to perfection, Tonkin charged towards the back post and connected perfectly with Holmes’ corner to power her header past Vilao and into the back of the net.
Tonkin came close to bagging a second in the 13th minute after Vilao spilled a Fiona Worts freekick inside the six yard box before the goalkeeper was then called into action again less than 60 seconds later.
Released through on goal after some excellent work from Worts, Chelsie Dawber could only find the side netting when presented one-on-one with the keeper in what was a massive let-off for the Nix.
In what was almost an identical play to that of the 13th minute, Vilao again spilt a Worts freekick and was fortunate Tonkin could get a toe on the follow-up before the keeper then watched on as an opportunistic effort from Dawber bounced back off the crossbar in the 33rd minute.
But for all their good play, Adelaide’s advantage remained at just one and an error inside their own half before the break would prove to be costly.
Nipping in to intercept a sloppy square ball from Matilda McNamara, Nix forward Ferguson took a touch to move clear of Tonkin before coolly chipping the ball over Reds keeper Claudia Jenkins who was out of her box and stuck in no man’s land.
Adelaide re-established their lead in the 56th minute though and whether she meant it or not, winger Leon made it 2-1.
Receiving the ball out on the right hand side, Leon lifted her head and shaped to a whip a right-footed delivery into the box however the ball ended up sailing straight over the head of Vilao and into the back of the net.
The away side looked to make it 3-1 soon after when Worts found time and space inside the box however the English forward saw her fierce effort tipped over the bar by Vilao.
The keeper was then called into action from the resulting corner, palming the ball away from underneath the crossbar before Tonkin the poked the rebound wide of the upright.
In what had become the theme of the day, Vilao was then called into action once again, this time brilliantly tipping a McNamara header onto the bar as Wellington battled to stay in the game.
Things then got complicated in the 76th minute as Adelaide were awarded a penalty by referee Beth Rattray but only after she had initially waved play on.
Chasing down a ball over the top of the Wellington defence, Dawber got herself in front of Tiana Jaber who then kicked the Adelaide forward in the face as she attempted to hook the ball to safety.
Right behind the play, referee Rattray decided no penalty would be awarded and play continued before then blowing her whistle in order to Dawber to receive treatment.
But after both squads had finished a quick drinks break the referee then pointed to the spot and booked Jaber for her part in the collision, only for Worts to then see her spotkick brilliantly saved by Vilao – four minutes after the incident initially occurred.
Not deterred by spurning the chance to go 3-1 up, Adelaide forward Worts then hit the bar with a header from a corner before the away side eventually nabbed the goal that would secure all three points.
Struggling to deal with another set-piece, Phoenix midfielder Maya McCutcheon headed the ball across the six yard box and straight to Leon, who reacted quickest to poke the ball beyond Vilao to seal the win.
