Better the Devlin you know?
Good luck to Alex Rufer.
The All Whites midfielder may struggle to win back a starting role in the Wellington Phoenix after his replacement, Cameron Devlin, produced his third manof-the-match performance in the club’s biggest win of the A-League season.
The 21-year-old Australian, handed his first start when Rufer sustained a knee injury, was everywhere in the impressive 3-1 win against former coach Mark Rudan’s Western United at Mars Stadium in Ballarat yesterday and played a crucial role in setting up the opening goal scored by striker David Ball.
Devlin pinched the ball off former Phoenix midfielder Max Burgess and passed through to Mexican star Ulises Davila, who turned Aaron Calver and charged towards the penalty area.
With two defenders on his shoulder, Davila showed sublime awareness to cut the ball back to Ball, who was left alone by former Phoenix Andrew Durante.
The 41st minute strike was just reward for the Phoenix, who had six shots on target to Western’s three and looked the better team throughout.
Western were extremely lucky to avoid an early red card when Jerry Skotadis collected Ball with a coat hanger from behind midway through the first half.
The Phoenix striker was floored by the contact to the back of the head but, much to his teammates’ bemusement, Skotadis escaped punishment for the foul when it seemed for all money he was going to be sent off.
Skotadis eventually found himself in referee Shaun Evans’ notebook when he grabbed Davila in an attempt to stop him breaking through midfield.
Fox Sports pundit Mark Bosnich said he should have been given his marching orders after the earlier challenge: ‘‘It looked like a forearm smash,’’ Bosnich said. ‘‘I’m looking at it very, very closely and I can’t see anything other than it being an elbow and hence it’s a red card, and he didn’t even get booked for it.’’ (David Ball 41 min, Callum McCowatt 55, Ulises Davila 80) (Alessandro Diamanti pen 89) 1-0
Ball’s goal was his second of the season. He came close to scoring earlier in the match, beating Durante on the outside and flashing a shot across goal. However, the Englishman was superbly denied by Filip Kurto.
Kurto’s opposite, Stefan Marinovic, was called into action early in the second half but did well to deny Scott McDonald from close range in what was Western’s best chance of the match.
The Phoenix were dealt a blow on the eve of kickoff with Jaushua Sotirio forced out with illness. His unavailability opened the door for Callum McCowatt to return to the starting 11.
And, like Devlin did three weeks ago, 20-year-old McCowatt took his opportunity with both hands and scored the Phoenix’s second goal 10 minutes into the second half after a lively run from Reno Piscopo, made possible when Luke DeVere beat Besart Berisha to a header.
The goal was McCowatt’s first in the A-League and his first for the Phoenix since their FFA Cup loss to Brisbane Strikers.
Phoenix coach Ufuk Talay went to his bench in the 78th minute, bringing on marquee striker Gary Hooper, who he has previously indicated could make his second start against Central Coast Mariners next Saturday.
Hooper made an immediate impact, setting up Davila two minutes later for his eighth goal of the season.
Western pulled one back from the penalty spot with one remaining in regulation time after captain Steven Taylor was pinged for hand ball while attempting to block Valentino Yuel’s shot.
The penalty was scored by Alessandro Diamanti. The win extends the Phoenix’s unbeaten streak to seven games and moves them back up to sixth place on the A-League ladder. It will taste that much sweeter knowing it came against Rudan, who walked out on the club and took three players with him.
Wellington Phoenix 3
1 HT:
Western United