Dramatic draws conclude Round 6
Sunday's Hyundai A-League action featured two draws, both high on drama as Wellington took a point from its trip to Melbourne and Shane Smeltz struck late to secure a 2-2 draw for Gold Coast away to Perth.
At Etihad Stadium, Melbourne looked destined for their first home win of the season, when Carlos Hernandez opened the scoring in just the fourth minute but Wellington rallied strongly and Tim Brown secured an equaliser after 30 minutes. The Phoenix probably had the best of the chances for the remainder of the game but were unable to put them away and had to settle for a share of the points.
Both teams move to six points after six games, one point clear of bottom-placed North Queensland. The result was a particularly poor one for Melbourne which has failed to get three points from any of its four home games this season and its return of six points is its worst start to a Hyundai A-League season in the club's five-year history.
A last-minute goal from striker Smeltz, his ninth of the season, has helped Gold Coast United come from two goals down to secure a 2-2 draw with Perth Glory at ME Bank Stadium.
The Glory had opened up their lead by half-time on the back of goals from Branko Jelic and Victor Sikora but United stormed back into the contest when defender Bas van den brink pulled one back in the 52nd minute.
United stopper Scott Higgins produced two brilliant saves to deny Branko Jelic and then Wayne Srhoj in an action-packed 73rd minute, but the misses proved costly as Smeltz scored his ninth goal in six matches when he buried a late finish from Steve Pantelidis' cross.
There appeared little danger when Amaral conceded a free kick at the half-way point, but when it was rapidly taken by van den Brink, he released Pantelidis down the right and his cross was converted by an onrushing Smeltz, who concussed Glory stopper Tando Velaphi in the process.
The result sees league leader Gold Coast move three points clear of second-placed Sydney FC as Perth stays in seventh on the Hyundai A-League table, ahead of a trip to face bogey side Brisbane next Sunday.
In the only National Youth League match on the day, two goals in the second half saw Gold Coast United come from behind to win its first-ever match in a 2-1 result over Perth Glory at ME Bank Stadium.
The Glory took the lead five minutes before the break when Ryan Edwards converted from a close-range header. But United stepped up a gear in the second period, bombarding the Glory goal and equalising through Andrew Barisil's 67th-minute penalty, before Ben Wearing's header gave the visitors the points in an entertaining encounter.