With Phoenix boss Ernie Merrick standing down during the week Chris Greenacre and Des Buckingham took charge of the home side and they only had to wait 90 seconds to see their side go in front.

Kosta Barbarouses claimed the home side’s opener, his first goal of the season, with Vince Lia doubling the advantage midway through the second stanza with a goal of the season contender.

Roly Bonevacia came close to netting a long range stunner of his own as the Phoenix continued to dominate proceedings but was denied by a fantastic save from Mariners keeper Ivan Necevski.

The Phoenix put an exclamation point on the result in the dying seconds of injury time with Roy Krishna stroking the ball into an empty net after the home side countered the length of the field.

The three points sees Wellington leapfrog Central Coast into seventh place, still with a game in hand, with both sides at home next weekend.

GOALS

1-0 Wellington Phoenix: Kosta Barbarouses, 2’

Barbarouses was afforded too much space as he dribbled towards goal, inviting a shot from outside the box that took a deflection off Hamish Watson before finding the back of the net.

2-0 Wellington Phoenix: Vince Lia, 66’

A Phoenix free-kick didn’t make it past the wall, with the ball rebounding to Lia who blazed a long range shot into the top corner, sparking wild celebrations on the pitch and in the stands.

3-0 Wellington Phoenix: Roy Krishna, 90+5’

The Mariners almost grabbed a late consolation following a scramble in the box, instead the home side launched a swift counter-attack that saw Roy Krishna finish a fine team goal.

OPTA DATA

Waikato Stadium became the seventh different venue the Phoenix have played a home match at away from Wellington; they’ve been beaten just twice across these 17 matches.

The result was the first time the Phoenix have recorded back-to-back home wins in over a year (Rd 9, 2015/16).

INJURY WARD

Mariners’ stand-in captain Strom Roux had to be substituted before the break with an ankle injury, replaced by Michael Neill.