A lacklustre first half contrasted with an entertaining second period at Newtown Park as WaiBOP United scored a stoppage time winner for a dramatic 4-3 revival victory over the Wellington Phoenix.

The Phoenix scored two goals in quick succession straight after the halftime break via New Zealand age-group representatives Logan Rogerson and Andrew Blake, before the visitors came roaring back with three unanswered goals of their own – a Ryan Tinsley penalty and goals from Stephen Hoyle and Mario Ilich - and a 3-2 lead entering the final 20 minutes yesterday.

But the hosts scored their third and final goal through Louis Evans via a set piece move only to be undone at the death by Tinsley's second of the game.

WaiBOP coach Peter Smith was happy with the work his team put in with the ball in the final third but was frustrated by some defensive lapses.

"The way we performed in an attacking sense was good," Peter says, "however to lose three very soft goals when you've dominated the game is a wee bit frustrating."

"But we stuck to the task and got the three points. Today was about getting the three points, that was the main thing, to keep pushing for the playoffs."

Peter says the team responded superbly once they found themselves in a 2-0 hole early in the second period.

"When we were 2-0 down we probably played the best football we've played all season. The way we knocked it about in the attacking third and the composure we showed was top class.”

With the Phoenix first team requiring nearly all of their players due to injury, there was a chance for some of the younger players at the club to show that they could step up to the challenge of the A-League.

The two sides traded half-chances through the first 20 minutes of the match, first as the ball wouldn't sit well for Joe Bell following a corner, and the second as WaiBOP caused the young Phoenix defence all sorts of issues before they scrambled it out for a corner.

The first real opportunity of the match occurred in the 30th minute, when Tinsley beat the offside trap and was in one on one against Lewis Italiano, but couldn't place his shot on goal.

However, if the first half was a half of wasted chances and goalmouth scrambles, the second half started as a clinic on how to finish chances.

Rogerson got the first goal of the match 37 seconds after the restart. He managed to control the ball under pressure from both centre backs, turn on the spot and race towards goal, before rolling the ball past Louie Caunter in goal and into the back of the net.

Just 50 seconds later, the Phoenix found themselves two goals to the good, after James McGarry crossed in from the left flank and found Blake unmarked on the edge of the six yard box, who made no mistake in tapping the ball home.

WaiBOP were given a way back into the match in the 51st minute, after Wade Maloney was fouled inside the area. Tinsley stepped up and made no mistake in converting the penalty, sending substitute ‘keeper Oliver Sail the wrong way.

Hoyle pulled the match back to 2-2 in the 64th minute as he turned on the spot and drove the ball across Sail and into the net. Five minutes later, WaiBOP took the lead courtesy of Ilich's strike; placed to perfection to the bottom right corner of goal.

However, the Phoenix were not finished yet. After winning a free kick near the corner flag, McGarry passed the ball to Singh at the top of the box, who chipped the ball onto the head of Louis Evans at the far post who headed past Caunter.

The match ended in controversy as WaiBOP scored via Tinsley in the 96th minute, despite the assistant referee's flag being raised. However the referee waved away the flag and the goal stood, giving WaiBOP the three points their playoff aspirations needed.

Phoenix coach Andy Hedge was philosophical after the defeat, pleased with the way his young side stuck at their task.

"We were disappointed with our performance in the first half, we didn't really keep the ball as well as we would have liked," Andy says. "Second half we a little bit better with the ball but probably didn't deserve to be two up. If I was truthful I think they probably deserved the three points. Peter [Smith] would have been disappointed if we had of nicked it off of him.

"We're disappointed we lost it in the end after being 2-0 up after halftime and 3-3 for a lot of the game. But I'm really proud of the way the boys stuck in there and held tough against a pretty aggressive WaiBOP side."

The results sees WaiBOP remain in fifth place in the ASB Premiership standings, now just two points adrift of Hawke's Bay United in fourth place. The Wellington Phoenix sit in seventh, five points further back and one ahead of bottom side Southern United.

The ASB Premiership continues on Sunday with Hawke's Bay United hosting Team Wellington, Canterbury United entertaining Waitakere United and Auckland City clashing with Southern United in the SKY Sport televised match at 4.35pm from Kiwitea Street in Auckland.

Wellington Phoenix 3-4 WaiBOP United (half: 0-0) WP: Logan Rogerson 46', Andrew Blake 47' WB: Ryan Tinsley (pen) 52', 90+6', Stephen Hoyle 64', Mario Ilich 69'

Wellington Phoenix 20. Lewis ITALIANO (30. Oliver SAIL 46'), 15. James McGARRY, 24. Logan ROGERSON (35. Ruari CAHILL-FLEURY 78'), 29. Andrew BLAKE, 31. Luke TONGUE, 32. Sarpreet SINGH, 34, Sam GILLESPIE, 37. Sam PHILIP, 39. Joe BELL, 44. Louis EVANS, 45. Max MATA (41. Cherbel KHOUCHABA 64') Substitutes not used: 38 Sam WILSON, 42. Oliver WHYTE Coach: Andy Hedge

WaiBOP United 1. Louie CAUNTER, 2. Scott HILLIAR, 3. Finn COCHRANE, 4. Tyler LISETTE, 5. Adam MITCHELL, 7. Mark JONES, 8. Ryan TINSLEY, 12. Mario ILICH, 17. Stephen HOYLE (9. Dylan STANSFIELD 81'), 18. Alexi Varela (10. Frederico MARQUEZ 67'), 19. Wade MALONEY Substitutes not used: 16. James HOYLE, 22. Cory MITCHELL, 25. Zac SPEEDY Coach: Peter Smith