<\/p>\n
Wellington Phoenix have thrown away a golden chance in their battle to avoid the A-League Women wooden spoon, conceding a late equaliser against Brisbane Roar.<\/p>\n
Shea Connors finished a breakaway effort to cancel out Marisa van der Meer’s first-half header in a 1-1 draw at Sky Stadium on Saturday.<\/p>\n
The Phoenix started the afternoon five points adrift at the bottom of the table, eager to avoid another last-placed finish after their inaugural season last time out.<\/p>\n
Natalie Lawrence’s side played above their station, bossing the Roar for much of the afternoon, finishing with 61 per cent possession and 20 shots.<\/p>\n
Brisbane were without Matildas pair Katrina Gorry and Larissa Crummer, who were held back by coach Garrath McPherson after knocks on international duty.<\/p>\n
Wellington’s lead came from a set-piece, with Mackenzie Barry earning a free kick out wide after 26 minutes when Indiah-Paige Riley mowed her down.<\/p>\n
Free-kick specialist Michaela Foster sent a teasing cross into the box which Van der Meer headed past keeper Hensley Hancuff, who was torn between attempting to punch clear and staying on her line.<\/p>\n
Hancuff bounced back shortly after to deny Emily Clegg’s well-struck shot with a superb one-handed save at the near post.<\/p>\n
Wellington were well on top and searching for a second when Brisbane hit them with a sucker-punch 10 minutes from time.<\/p>\n
Ayesha Norrie controlled a goal kick and quickly played a through-ball to Connors, who raced clear and finished clinically for her third strike of the campaign.<\/p>\n
Lawrence fumed that Norrie was still on the pitch after the Roar captain lashed out at Betsy Hassett, shoving her in the head in an off-the-ball incident around a half-hour earlier.<\/p>\n
“That really gets to me … I don’t know how that’s not a red card,” she said.<\/p>\n
“We deserved to win that game. I don’t think we’ve been that dominant in a game yet in our history.”<\/p>\n
Wellington substitute Paige Satchell missed a 96th-minute chance to win it, running out of road to shoot after a one-on-one battle with Hancuff well off her line.<\/p>\n
The result keeps Wellington four points behind second-bottom Newcastle Jets, who lost 4-0 to Melbourne City on Saturday afternoon.<\/p>\n
The Phoenix have two matches in hand on the Jets and will travel to Newcastle in three weeks.<\/p>\n
The point keeps Brisbane Roar in seventh, six points behind the finals places and needing an unlikely late rally to make the top four.<\/p>\n
“Our job is to make sure that we are there when someone slips up … things can turn around quickly,” McPherson said.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n