Soccer: Phoenix lose second successive home match

Simon Elliott of the Phoenix is tackled by Matt Simon of the Mariners. Photo / Getty Images

A new streak has started, but it is not the sort the Wellington Phoenix would have wanted as they tonight slumped to a second successive home loss in soccer's A-League.

After setting an Australian national league record of 24 matches unbeaten at the same venue over more than two years, Wellington have been hammered in back-to-back matches here during the last 10 days after Central Coast secured a thoroughly deserved 3-0 win tonight.

An unlikely double to fullback Josh Rose and a late goal to former Phoenix striker Adam Kwasnik sealed the points as the Mariners remain in third spot with 24 points, while the Phoenix are seventh but in danger of slipping further off the top six with Melbourne Victory and Heart yet to play.

The Mariners ended a run of seven matches without a win, or even a goal, against the Phoenix, dating back to January 2008 at the end of Wellington's first season in the league, while Wellington have now lost all seven matches in which they have conceded the first goal this season.

Central Coast outplayed a disjointed Wellington team, who failed to get enough decent balls into the area and shots at goal to threaten the visitors.

A 30m Simon Elliott piledriver, which hit the crossbar, and a Chris Greenacre glancing header, which hit the post, were their only real chances.

Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert made several second half changes but they were to no avail as his team was outplayed in every facet and can have no complaints with the result.

To make matters worse, midfielder Tim Brown picked up a yellow card, his fifth booking of the season meaning he will be suspended for next Saturday's match at Newcastle.

Herbert stuck with the same starting 11 who won 1-0 at Perth last Sunday and initial signs were good for the home team as they dominated the early exchanges.

But All Whites midfielder Michael McGlinchey sparked the Mariners into life in the 11th minute, blasting a shot over Mark Paston's goal after finding himself unmarked at the far post.

The visitors proceeded to dominate the first half against a lethargic Phoenix team and they richly deserved the game's opening goal, a strike worthy of any stage.

Left fullback Rose charged onto the ball, wrong-footed Phoenix defender Jade North, and fired 20m bullet past Paston and into the net to score Central Coast's first goal at Wellington since Sasho Petrovski's stoppage-time winner in a 2-1 victory in October 2007.

Paston, the All Whites goalkeeper, had to produce two top saves to deny the visitors a second goal as they found plenty of chinks in Wellington's defensive armour with McGlinchey, who copped plenty of stick from the crowd, in the thick of the action.

Wellington did not have a serious attempt at goal until the 29th minute when Paul Ifill rifled a shot over the crossbar, though they had a purple patch leading into halftime and captain Andrew Durante, in his 100th A-League match, had two good chances but could not convert either.

Rose sealed the points in the 80th minute with a solo effort that Paston will feel he should have saved, and Kwasnik returned to haunt his former teammates with a goal four minutes from time.

- NZPA