The Newcastle Jets and Adelaide United remain wedged in a cluttered A-League midsection after a scrappy scoreless draw Friday night.
Both clubs blew a chance to rise up the ladder in a defence-dominated encounter before 8400 spectators at Hindmarsh Stadium.
The sixth-placed Jets and eighth-placed Reds created just three shots on target between them, with Adelaide surviving the final half hour with 10 men.
The Wellington Phoenix are second to last and face third-placed Sydney FC at Westpac Stadium Sunday afternoon.