Nix keep playoff hopes alive

It was one way traffic in Wellington this afternoon as the Phoenix picked up a comfortable three points in difficult conditions, downing a very poor Perth Glory side by four goals to nil.

Wellington signalled their intentions early, and should have been a goal up within minutes but Tim Brown headed Mardoc Rojas’ cross just wide.

The home side took the lead in bizarre circumstances after ten minutes. Former Glory midfielder Nick Ward struck the crossbar with a header, and when the ball dropped out of the air Tando Velaphi somehow contrived to punch the ball into his own net.

The Phoenix almost added a second in from an unlikely source – goalkeeper Danny Vukovic. Vukovic, who has agreed to move to Perth for next season, launched a massive punt down field. The bounce completely deceived Velaphi, but struck the crossbar and bounced clear to safety.

Wellington registered 14 efforts at goal in the first half but were unable to convert from more than one opportunity. Skipper Andrew Durante crashed a header off the post and when the ball fell to Dylan Mcallister, he missed from almost on the goal line when it looked impossible to do anything other than score.

Despite being on the back foot for most of the half, Glory should have gone into the interval on level terms. Great work down the right from Josh Risdon resulted in a superb cross into the air but Todd Howarth’s header flew wide with the goal at his mercy.

They were made to pay for the miss almost straight after the restart when Macallister doubled Wellington’s lead as his deflected free kick deceived Velaphi and found the net. Two became three on the hour mark when Vince Lia volleyed home from 15 yards after Rojas had worked hard down the left to set him up.

The game was done as a contest and that stage and the remaining half an hour was played out with few incidents of any real significance until the home side made it four late on. Indeed, there were more fresh air shots than chances during that period.

Glory did strike the woodwork in a rare foray forward when Mile Sterjovski’s inswinging corner was caught by the wind and deceived everybody before coming off the post.

Substitute Chris Greenacre bagged the fourth goal to boost his side's goal difference and make it another hammering for Perth.

The win, in front of 5,115 spectators at Westpace Stadium, takes the Phoenix above the Newcastle Jets to one point behind sixth placed Melbourne Heart in the race for a playoff spot.

Wellington Phoenix: D Vukovic, M Muscat, T Lochhead, T Brown, T Hearfield, V Lia, B Sigmund, N Ward, M Rojas, A Durante, D Macallister.

Subs: R Crowther, C Greenacre, O Cornejo, Daniel.

Perth Glory: T Velaphi, S Neville, N Sekulovski, J Mitchell, J Risdon, S McGarry, T Amphlett, M Sterjovski, H Fondyke, B Jelic, T Howarth.

Subs: R Pearson, B Griffiths, A Taggart, C Edwards.