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.