Valère Germain of Macarthur FC celebrates after scoring. Photo: Photosport
It's back to back losses for the Phoenix.
With the wounds from their derby defeat barely healed, the Phoenix have been beaten again.
Wellington went down 2-1 to Macarthur in the capital this evening, after a pair of epic saves by the Bulls' custodian ended another frustrating night for the Phoenix.
The consecutive losses see the Phoenix fall to sixth on the A-League ladder, with a record of three wins, three losses and a draw.
Skipper Alex Rufer admits things aren't quite clicking.
"We keep shooting ourselves in the foot.
"Something we were very good at last year was defending our box and for whatever reason, we have not been good at that but we have to keep moving."
Rufer praised his attack as one of their better games with the ball, though conceded defence cost them.
"Just really sloppy goals, we are killing our forward players."
The visitors struck in just the seventh minute after an awkward bounce saw Isaac Hughes pinged for a handball in the area.
Valère Germain stepped up to take the shot, and though initially saved by Josh Oluwayemi, the deflection landed generously at the feet of Germain, who made no mistake with his second attempt.
Philip Kurto would make the first of two stunning saves, the former Phoenix player haunting his old side with a miraculous denial of Tim Payne at the half hour mark.
With plenty of chances to equalise before oranges, it appeared the home side would head to the sheds trailing until another Kosta Barbarouses goal levelled things back up.
Marco Rojas drove his way into the area and set it up superbly for Barbarouses to hammer it home from close range.
Shortly into the second half and a Phoenix breakout required a crucial clearance from Jake Coleman as Barbarouses surged forward looking likely for a second before the intervention.
Less than five minutes later and Jed Drew came within inches of reclaiming the lead, his effort just rolling in front of the goal.
A second stunning save by Kurto denied the Phoenix again, as Barbarouses again found himself in front of goal, but Kurto held his ground as the pair collided and the ball went astray.
The Bulls then charged ahead, when Dean Bosnjak chipped on into the roof of the net on the back of some superb interplay between Ariath Piol and Walter Scott.
Mohamed Al-Taay thundered one toward the net in an ambitious late attempt to square things, but his powerful strike sailed just wide.
With six minutes of added time, Wellington couldn't find a second goal and Macarthur took the points and leapfrog the Phoenix on the table.
Scorers
Macarthur 2 (Germain 7', Bosnjak 75')
Phoenix 1 (Barbarouses 44')