Thank goodness the coach kept him on

Phoenix vs Jets

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ANDREW GORRIE/Dominion Post Zoom

Phoenix fans in yellow.

ANDREW GORRIE/The Dominion Post

ALL-OUT EMOTION: Paul Ifill, flanked by Manny Muscat (left) celebrates his crucial goal in extra time against the Newcastle Jets.

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Just before he scored the crucial goal in extra time, Phoenix star Paul Ifill asked to be substituted.

"Ricki said `get back out there' and he was right, you know," Ifill said last night. "I just felt that I didn't want to let anyone down. I was struggling a little bit defensively and I didn't want to let anyone down going that way.

"Luckily enough I found a little bit of extra energy to stick the ball in the back of the net. That gives you a bit more to keep going so it worked in the end."

Ifill managed to find the energy for an 80-metre celebratory run to the Yellow Fever zone after scoring to put the Phoenix 2-1 ahead in the 105th minute, though his team-mates were too exhausted to follow.

"It probably tired him out," captain Andrew Durante said of the run.

"He should have just stayed where he was. It was just pure emotion, though, and it ran through the whole team."

Ifill admitted he was relieved, having had a number of chances in normal time, including one in the final seconds. He rounded Jets goalkeeper Ben Kennedy but his touch was too heavy and it took the ball away from goal.

"I was so tired and my legs just went a little bit," he said.

"The boys have let me know that I should tuck them away ... because a few boys didn't really need the extra time.

"But that's one of them things. That's the makings of a good team that we missed a chance like that but went straight out into extra time and created more chances."

Ifill was a constant threat, as usual, with the ball seemingly following him at every chance.

"I've not been this tired in years. I was involved in every part of the game and that's what I'm here to do, to try and get on the ball and make things happen so I was pleased."

- © Fairfax NZ News