Ifill bagged a double against Central Coast Mariners, taking his season tally to eight, and Phoenix will need more of his spark against Brisbane Roar on Saturday night if they are to claim the points.

"There's no point going away on New Year's Eve and winning away if you can't pull it up with your two home games," said Ifill.

"We need six points and if we don't take six points, I don't think we're really a serious team for the finals this year."

Saturday nights' encounter will be the third between the teams this season. The first clash back in August ended in a 1-1 draw, while Roar took full points from their latest meeting six weeks ago with a comprehensive 4-1 win at Suncorp Stadium, albeit against a Wellington side down to 10 men.

Ifill, though, feels Phoenix let themselves down back in November and refuses to make any excuses for the effort.

"I think we were pretty poor there and you could point to the fact that Manny (Muscat) got sent off but I thought we'd have got beat anyway," he said.

"I don't think we were great on the day and I think we've improved a lot since then collectively."

Their win against the Mariners halted their mid-season slide down the table which happened to coincide with injuries and ill-discipline, thoroughly testing their squad depth.

The English-born Barbadian international has admitted to some frustrating moments over the last month-and-a-half but he feels, with the return of Chris Greenacre from injury and the signing of Eugene Dadi from Perth Glory, the tide will turn.

"I don't think it's a matter of teams getting used to me I think it's just the way we've been playing. I'd like to think it would've carried on if Greeny had of still been playing," said Ifill.

"I like playing off an out-and-out striker which Greeny and Eugene are and I've been trying to play that role myself which just isn't really my game.

"I've done the best I could and I think I've done alright, especially the last game, but the three weeks before that I was pretty much anonymous.

"I felt like I was just running around for 90 minutes with not much reward. It's nice to get back on the scoresheet and I'm full of confidence again.

"Hopefully I'll be playing off one of the centre-forwards again this week, or maybe both, and hopefully that will work.

"I'm one of those forwards who is just as happy with two assists and we win 2-0 as I am scoring two goals. As long as I'm involved somewhere along the line in and around the goals that keeps me happy."