The return of Michael McGlinchey was tonight enough for the Wellington Phoenix to earn a much-needed victory over the Central Coast Mariners.
The midfielder had been absent through injury for more than two months but struck the only goal of a rather uninspiring game on a wet night at Westpac Stadium.
McGlinchey's early intervention eventually proved pivotal as, after spurning several chances to add to their lead, the Phoenix were left to hang on for the three points they required to start a testing week.
Having climbed within a point of the top six, Wellington can consolidate that position with another couple of home games, but it won't be easy. The second-placed Melbourne Victory will be the first to visit on Tuesday before the fourth-placed Brisbane Roar come calling on Saturday, providing a serious test of the improvements made under new coaches Des Buckingham and Chris Greenacre.
As has been the case throughout their reign, their Phoenix appeared potent in patches against the last-placed Mariners but were far too profligate for their coaches' liking, turning what should have been a comfortable victory into a nail-biting evening.
The Phoenix should have had more than the solitary goal to show for their first-half efforts, in particular, having steadily gained supremacy from the kick off. The return of Roly Bonevacia and, in particular, McGlinchey gave the home side the upper hand in the middle of the park, turning that ascendancy into a number of good opportunities.
Most of the openings arrived in the wide channels as the Phoenix sent in plenty of crosses of varying quality. The best resulted in golden chances that went begging, with Jacob Tratt heading over and Bonevacia firing wide, while even the inaccurate deliveries kept pressure on a Central Coast rearguard forced to scramble clear or turn the ball behind on a number of occasions.
McGlinchey was having his way with international teammate Storm Roux, getting the best of the Mariners right back for the goal and turning him beautifully later in the half. But, aside from his fine strike inside Paul Izzo's post in the ninth minute, even McGlinchey's most dangerous raids went unrewarded, much to the coaches' chagrin.
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