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AAP
AAP
Anna Harrington

Phoenix denied two penalties in stalemate with Mariners

Wellington Phoenix and the Central Coast Mariners have fought out a 0-0 A-League draw. (John Davidson/AAP PHOTOS)

Wellington have been left to rue what might have been after having two big penalty shouts contentiously denied in a dramatic 0-0 A-League Men draw with Central Coast.

A win on Saturday would have had the Phoenix breathing down the neck of the top six.

The Phoenix were the better team on the day and were denied penalties in the 32nd and 64th minutes in front of 14,064 fans at Christchurch's Apollo Projects Stadium.

"We definitely should have had at least one penalty. I think he's clipped the legs in both instances. But obviously the referee's decided not to give it," stand-in Phoenix captain Scott Wootton told Sky Sport.

Kazuki Nagasawa appeared to be tripped by Brian Kaltak, then went down under further contact from the Mariners centre-back in the 32nd minute.

Nagasawa again appealed for a spot-kick in the second half after young Mariners centre-back Diesel Herrington appeared to bring him down.

But after a lengthy VAR review, the shout was waved away.

"I thought they were quite similar with both, really," Wootton said. 

"I think the second one definitely, I think he's just about to strike it with his left foot, and the guy swipes his standing leg. Obviously, it's gone to VAR, they've decided not to give it. 

"The first one, I think very, very similar, he's in the six-yard box, almost, and he's just about to take a shot. His momentum has maybe fallen ever so slightly, but then the trip makes him fall over. 

"So I thought they were harsh not to be given."

Brian Kaltak (left) and Wellington's Kazuki Nagasawa.
The Mariners' Brian Kaltak (left) passes the ball away from Wellington's Kazuki Nagasawa. (John Davidson/AAP PHOTOS)

Ninth-placed Wellington and 10th-placed Central Coast are both on 18 points, three points outside the top six.

The Phoenix were still without injured captain Alex Rufer and veterans Marco Rojas and Tim Payne, while Lukas Kelly-Heald was also sidelined.

Mariners star Mikael Doka smashed a shot over the bar in the 17th minute, wasting a wonderful build-up from Kaltak and Storm Roux.

Two minutes later, exciting Wellington youngster Nathan Walker forced a near-post save from Dylan Peraic-Cullen.

Teenage Mariner Arthur De Lima turned a header wide on the half-hour mark.

Matthew Sheridan made a crucial interception to stop De Lima shooting in the 55th minute, and Mariner Christian Theoharous dipped a shot over the bar a minute later.

Wellington kept pressing for an opener and Hideki Ishige forced a wonderful save from Peraic-Cullen in the 84th minute, before Corban Piper turned a header wide a minute later.

"Coming here and getting a point here, it's what we've been working for," Kaltak told Sky Sport.

The Mariners have a tight turnaround, travelling to face in-form Western United in Tarneit on Wednesday.

The Phoenix return to Wellington to host Brisbane on Thursday.

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