An inspirational performance by Mile Sterjovski has helped Perth Glory to a 2-1 victory over Wellington Phoenix at nib Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Sterjovski opened the scoring in the fifth minute for the hosts after receiving a quality cross from Todd Howarth before the Glory wasted a host of chances to increase the lead throughout an entertaining first half.
But just after the hour, Sterjovski proved the catalyst for the Glory going further ahead, the former Socceroo lobbing a delicate cross over the Wellington defence from the left and allowing Robbie Fowler to nod home from six metres.
Eighteen minutes from time, the Phoenix were given a lifeline as Ben Sigmund nodded home a Paul Ifill corner.
But despite pressing hard late in the game, Wellington could not conjure an equaliser and instead it was the Glory who produced the best chances as Phoenix stopper Mark Paston saved efforts from substitute striker Anthony Skorich and Perth midfielder Todd Howarth.
The result sees the Glory remain unbeaten in 2010-11, but they drop to second position on the Hyundai A-League table, behind Adelaide United on alphabetical order as both sides are level on every statistic. Wellington, meanwhile, remain in eighth on the table after two consecutive losses on the road.
Perth Glory 2 (Sterjovski 5, Fowler 61)
Wellington Phoenix 1 (Sigmund 73)
Crowd: 10,844 at nib Stadium, Perth