It is their best start in six seasons of A-League football and they are the only unbeaten team after three rounds, but the Wellington Phoenix quickly accept there is a long way to go and plenty of challenges ahead. For now they are simply savouring the early-season spoils.
A win over season favourites Sydney FC and a draw with two-time defending champions Brisbane Roar - along with a good away point at Melbourne Heart with an under-strength team - has been encouraging for coach Ricki Herbert and his players but no one dares suggest that what lies ahead will be easy.
There is little doubt that the demands of whistlestop trips to and from Tahiti and the need to squeeze two World Cup qualifiers into their tight schedule had an effect but in dominating for long periods early in Sunday's match with the Roar, the Phoenix should have had more than just Stein Huysegems' 16th-minute strike to show for their endeavours.
Once they did give up a goal to the league's top scorer Besart Berisha, the Phoenix settled and salvaged a point after what was, by comparison, a dull second half.
"When you put it into the context of what we've had to cope with in the last couple of weeks it is a very good point to get," said Herbert. "We started well and finished with a spring in our step which surprised me a little because fatigue was always going to be a factor.
