Phoenix looking for reinforcements
Wellington Phoenix coach Natalie Lawrence is hoping she can call on some reinforcements for their trip to face champions Melbourne Victory following a brutal start to the new A-League Women season.
The Phoenix have begun Lawrence’s reign with two heavy defeats, a young squad decimated by injuries lacking the quality to stick with rivals for the full 90 minutes. Defensively they have been poor, conceding eight goals in two games.
Stand-in skipper Kate Taylor, a player who has been dealing with her own injury issues, has struggled for form, shown up by import strikers for the second week in a row.
It was her failed clearance that gifted Western United the opening goal on 16 minutes on Saturday.
Adding to their misery, Marisa van der Meer and Chloe Knott were both forced from the field in the 4-1 loss, their second defeat by that scoreline in the first two weeks of the competition, adding to the injury toll.
Van der Meer hurt an ankle in a tackle while Knott suffered a suspected broken nose when she clashed heads with opposition player Emma Robers and left with blood streaming down her face.
The Phoenix welcomed Michaela Robertson back for Saturday’s clash after she missed the first round loss to Melbourne City with a concussion.
She was a bright spot, combining well with Michaela Foster and Paige Satchell down the left wing in a lively debut.
But the Phoenix were still missing captain and first-choice goalkeeper Lily Alfeld, Football Ferns forward Emma Rolston and midfielders Grace Wisnewski and Isabel Gomez.
Their returns can’t come quick enough with another difficult assignment coming up on Sunday, playing two-time defending champions Victory away in Melbourne.
Rolston was given time off after her ongoing back troubles flared up while on Football Ferns duty, delaying her debut, but Lawrence was hopeful to have her recruit available to face Victory.
Gomez and Wisnewski are also nearing a return. Gomez resumed training last week after recovering from a foot injury and was due to play 30 minutes for an academy team yesterday.
‘‘Once we get some of these players back the competition for spots gets really high,’’ said Lawrence.
She will know more about the status of van der Meer and Knott in the coming days.