After talks of an impending points deduction against Western Sydney simmered down midweek, the Wanderers return home this weekend to face a Wellington Phoenix side in desperate need of a win. It was billed to be a battle of the league’s two best-supported clubs. But while the quality of football and fanfare lived up to the hype, the fixture itself will forever be remembered for the flares. Indeed, it took Wanderers fans just 10 minutes to impose their pyrotechnic will. But as the Fox Sports coverage did their best to hyperbolise the away side’s stupidity, the Victory fans’ flare-featured goal celebration fell on deaf ears. In truth, flares are a blemish to the modern game and a cancer to the growth of football in Australia. The flares at the weekend led the FFA to fine the Wanderers $50,000 and a suspended 3 point sentence. But as for the other flare-guilty clubs: nothing. Consistency? I don’t know what you’re talking about. Nevertheless, the Western Sydney Wanderers enter Round 19 joint-top of the league with Brisbane Roar and ahead on goal difference. Their opponents at the weekend however are in all sorts of trouble. Winless since the 5th of December last year, [...]