Phoenix cry foul as Roar escape red card

Wellington Phoenix have blown a chance to claim their second win of the A-League Women season after conceding a late goal to draw 1-1 with Brisbane Roar.

Adding to their frustration, Phoenix coach Natalie Lawrence did not believe the player who set up Roar’s equaliser should have been on the field when the goal was scored with 10 minutes remaining.

The Phoenix coaching staff were irate when Roar captain Ayesha Norrie was only issued with a yellow card by referee Anna-Marie Keighley for pushing down on the head of a prone Betsy Hassett.

The push was seemingly in retaliation after Hassett brought her down in a challenge on halfway.

‘‘I don’t know what the referee saw there, but if that’s not a red card I don’t know what is,’’ Lawrence said.

‘‘Once again we leave a little frustrated with some of the officiating.

‘‘I didn’t even realise [Norrie set up the goal] so that really gets to me now. For me, you can’t push somebody’s face against the turf. I don’t know how that is not a red card.’’

Lawrence lamented the lack of video technology in the A-League Women after Keighley’s on-field decision was unable to be reviewed, despite pleas from the Phoenix players who caught a replay of the push on the big screen.

In their previous encounter against the Roar, the Phoenix had what they thought was a legitimate match-winner ruled out for offside, although replays were not conclusive either way.

‘‘There’s positives and negatives to VAR that we all see but ultimately those decisions, at least they get looked at,’’ Lawrence added.

The Phoenix took an early lead when centre-back Marisa van der Meer rose highest to meet Michaela Foster’s freekick from deep in the 26th minute.

But the Phoenix let their lead slip when Shea Connors raced onto a ball over the top from Norrie to draw the Roar level in the 80th minute.

The last-placed Phoenix remain four points adrift of the Newcastle Jets with just five games remaining.