“I thought the guys were great,” said Wellington coach Ricki Herbert. “Again it reiterates what we’ve been saying for a long time – this football club is evolving.

"We’ve got a decent side and fantastic fans. It would’ve been nice to have won but it’s certainly not going to dampen our spirits heading into the Christmas break.

“We had the chances against a side that’s right up there with the best and it really was one-way in the second half, that’s for sure.

"They never threatened in the second half and there was only one team that was going to win it. But sometimes you get them and sometimes you don’t.”

Herbert was happy his team was hitting good, consistent form at the business end of the competition.

“We’re playing well, we’ve got a decent squad and things are still coming together – we’re making the right progress," he added.

"I can’t speak highly enough of the players. It’s kind of easy to give up at the end of the year when you’re in a certain position but these guys don’t.

"We’ve got four games left and if we can get 12 points that’s what we’re all about, that’s what this club is about.

"We’ll be giving it everything possible, we’re capable of beating any team in this league at home or away.”

Evergreen striker Vaughan Coveny, again wearing the captain’s armband, echoed Herbert’s assessment of the Phoenix’s progress.

“Two weeks in a row now we’ve really come out and really shown the league that we’re a formidable side that can compete with the best of them," said Coveny.

"It’s really encouraging from a players’ point of view. Now we really want to push on, we don’t want the season to end.

"We’ve still got a chance [of making the top four]. We didn’t lose, we got a point and we’re still in the mix.”