Smeltz snatches draw for Phoenix
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Last ditch effort...Smeltz slotted the penalty in the 89th minute. (Getty Images: Corey Davis)
Wellington's Shane Smeltz converted his second penalty in the 89th minute to salvage a draw against the Newcastle Jets at EnergyAustralia Stadium on Monday.
Smeltz opened the scoring from the penalty spot early in the second half, but the Jets struck back with two goals in 10 minutes thanks to a superlative long range effort by Tarek Elrich and a tidy finish from Kaz Patafta.
But the Phoenix talisman snatched the point in the final minutes of the game when Chinese import Gao Leilei was taken down in the area.
The result left the Phoenix second from bottom, one point behind the Jets who have made a disappointing start to their title defence, with only one win from seven matches.
Elrich told Fox Sports it was a disappointing end to the match.
"Two penalties, that just goes to show our defence was solid," he said.
"They couldn't break us up in individual play and they ended up getting two penalties which I think no team likes to cop, especially when they've scored two goals from open play."
Injured Jets player, Sean Ontong says the result was frustrating.
"I think the boys were extremely unlucky and I think we should have the three points, but then again that's football," he said.
"To be honest it wasn't really an entertaining first half, but we made up for it in the second half.
"The boys did a lot better, held onto the ball a lot better and created a lot more opportunities."
Jets: 2 (T Elrich 59', K Patafta 68')
Phoenix: 2 (Smeltz 52' p, 89' p)
