The Wellington Phoenix have come from behind twice to beat the Melbourne Victory 3-2 away and climb to fourth place in the A-League football competition.
The Phoenix striker Roy Krishna. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
It's the first time the Phoenix have ever beaten the Victory in Melbourne and the Wellingtonians are now level with the second-placed Victory as well as their next opponents Adelaide United on 33 points.
Usually-lethal Victory forward Besart Berisha missed a 16th-minute penalty, striking the post after the spot kick was awarded to the hosts when Phoenix defender Ben Sigmund was ruled to have fouled opposing midfielder Mark Milligan in the box.
But the goal was coming and in the 34th minute Scott Galloway scored the opener.
The Phoenix's Dutch midfielder Roly Bonavacia equalised from a stunning free kick from well outside the area just after the 41st minute for the 1-1 half-time stalemate.
The Victory's former Phoenix star Kosta Barbarouses dinked home his side's second goal on 53 minutes from a neat through ball for 2-1 to Melbourne.
It was 2-2 15 minutes later, when the All Whites defender Michael Boxall got on the end of another Bonavacia free kick to powerfully head home the second equaliser.
The crowd rose to applaud veteran striker Archie Thompson when he came on as a late substitute for his 200th appearance for the Victory.
Then the key moment came in the 77th minute as Boxall was sent clear down his right flank to square the ball for his team-mate Nathan Burns to tap in for 3-2.
Burns then had to leave the field with a finger injury suffered in scoring the goal.
It's only the second time the Victory have lost in Melbourne this season.
Left back Manny Muscat will miss the next Phoenix game after earning a late yellow card, his fifth of the season, so he's suspended for a week and will miss next weekend's home game against Adelaide.
