Phoenix set new home hot streak

The Phoenix have held on for a 2-1 victory over North Queensland to clinch a record 24th straight match unbeaten at home.

The hosts took a 2-0 lead inside the opening 13 minutes but were forced to hang on for the final 25 minutes with just 10 men after Vince Lia was sent off for a second bookable offence.

The triumph means the Phoenix overtake Sydney United's 23 games without defeat at home between 1996 and 1999 in the old National Soccer League.

The hosts opened the scoring in just the fourth minute when Fury goalkeeper Justin Pasfield embarrassingly fluffed a clearance straight into the path of the Phoenix's Chris Greenacre.

The lead was doubled not long later thanks to a tidy finish by Leo Bertos and Wellington was well on its way to its third win for the season.

The windy conditions made it difficult for either side to put together any fluent football.

But the game took a sudden turn when Lia was shown his second yellow card in the 65th minute and the visitors struck just two minutes later.

Mark Hughes' speculative free-kick took a wicked deflection off the wall and left Phoenix keeper Danny Vukovic stranded as he watched the ball fly into his top corner.

The Fury threatened to produce a late equaliser as the weary Wellington was reduced to rare raids on the counterattack.

The win sees the Phoenix rise to fourth on the A-League ladder with eight points while North Queensland stays second from bottom with six.

Source http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/24/3021602.htm?site=sport&section=football

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