Pre-season promise as Phoenix rise

South West Phoenix coach Tim Slack has declared that his team has already set a performance benchmark after their opening pre-season game.

The Englishman's first game in charge ended in a 2-2 draw against top tier club Subiaco at Hay Park on Saturday and he said the players had shown what they were capable of in a "really promising" afternoon.

"We matched them in every department," Slack said.

"This is our benchmark and we have to make sure we don't drop below this standard."

Phoenix twice led during the match against the team who finished 9th in last season's National Premier League before being pegged back.

Ryan Francis scored from a long-range free kick in the opening minutes before 2015 leading goal scorer Lee Stewart also found the net to give Phoenix a late 2-1 lead.

"I'm really pleased, we had a performance from all the players," Slack said.

Phoenix played an open, fast and attacking style which Slack said was the team's goal and also praised the energy of the young players who turned out in the match.

"We had four guys playing who were 16 or 17," he said.

Slack singled out the performance of goalkeeper Bruno Canetti, who spent last season playing for the club's under-18s, and others including James McCleary and Francis.

Phoenix has an intraclub friendly this weekend before playing Kelmscott Roos in their first night series match on February 7.