David Williams rattled the Glory crossbar and the home fans’ nerves in the opening minutes, but from there it was one-way traffic, with goals from Lowry, Ikonomidis, and Keogh sealing a convincing victory.

Wellington, on the other hand, turned in one of their most disappointing displays of the campaign. After giving nearly all the top sides a tough time away from home this season, Mark Rudan’s men rolled over for the Popovic juggernaut all too easily.

The absences of Steven Taylor, Andrew Durante, and Mandi seemed to impact them a great deal.

PERTH GLORY

Liam Reddy – 5.5

Made an awful error in distribution very early on, and Williams thumped the resulting opportunity against the bar. Was rarely tested thereafter, although he very nearly made a mess of a high ball midway through the second half.

Ivan Franjic – 7.5

Very nearly opened the scoring with a back-post header, and was an attacking threat throughout, combining well with Ikonomidis and Castro and putting dangerous balls into the area.

Dino Djulbic - 7

Few would’ve expected big Dino to start in a table-topping team at this stage of his career, but fair play to the veteran – he’s stepped in to cover injuries and the side hasn’t skipped a beat.

Another solid, unspectacular display – all the more impressive considering the pace and trickery in the Wellington attack.

Matt Spiranovic – 7.5

Crucial block on Williams’ first effort to prevent an early goal for the visitors. So calm on the ball and under pressure, distributing into midfield with consummate ease. Great to see the classy operator back to full fitness.

Shane Lowry – 8

Opened the scoring with an absolute thunderbolt of a diving header which arrowed straight into the top corner. Put his body on the line to block what looked a certain goal from Krishna. The yang to Spiranovic’s yin in the heart of the defence.

Jason Davidson – 7

Went down early with a knock, but was able to continue and had the upper hand over Fenton. Heavily involved in the second goal, crossing for Castro before Ikonomidis scored. Curled one just wide in the 48th minute from outside the box. Had a fabulous chance in the 82nd minute but leaned back and fired over.

Juande – 7

Hit a long-range effort clean, true, and inches wide of the post on the half hour. A more languid presence in comparison to the Duracell bunny that is Kilkenny, but his positional intelligence anchors the midfield and is key to Perth’s rest defence.

Neil Kilkenny – 8.5

Lovely flat delivery from a corner to set up the opener. Kept things ticking over in his usual fashion, and did well to snuff out attempted breaks from the likes of Singh and Krishna.

His excellent screening work in front of the backline often goes unnoticed. Earnt a well-deserved rest after 73 stellar minutes.

Diego Castro – 8

Worked his usual wizardry, leaving two Phoenix defenders in the dust with a particularly extravagant piece of skill on the byline.

Kurto could only parry his sweet chest and volley, and Ikonomidis cleaned up the scraps. A constant threat with the ball at his feet, and Wellington gave him altogether too much space to operate in. Given a rest after 70 minutes, but the Galician proved he still has plenty in the tank yet.

Chris Ikonomidis – 8.5

Calmly buried a rebound in the 35th minute to make it 2-0. Showed no signs of an Asian Cup hangover as he tormented the Nix backline with his pace, dribbling, and invention.

Smashed one against the crossbar from a tight angle on the hour mark. Just a thrilling player to watch in transition when he takes on defenders.

Andy Keogh – 7.5

Very quiet for the majority of the first 45. Lovely chip over Kurto in first half stoppage time, but he was correctly adjudged offside. More involved in the second, and netted his 50th A-League goal with a long-range daisy-cutter which skidded perfectly into the bottom corner.

SUBS

Brendon Santalab – 6

Huffed, puffed and scrapped upfront to little reward, but the game was won before his introduction.

Jake Brimmer – 6.5

Looked bright and keen to get involved on the ball.

Scott Neville – N/A

Not given enough time to earn a rating.

WELLINGTON PHOENIX

Filip Kurto – 8

Stood up well to constant pressure on his goal, making several acrobatic saves. Very strong hand to claw away Franjic’s looping header, and a superb reach to tip Castro’s well-placed free kick around the post.

Could do nothing about Lowry’s bullet header, and understandably could only parry Castro’s volley before Ikonomidis followed in. The scoreline would have been far uglier without his heroics.

Louis Fenton – 6

Pinned back throughout most of the game, and was unable to support the front three. Disappointing individually but it was a team failure that left him stuck so deep.

Ryan Lowry – 6.5

Perhaps the best of Wellington’s makeshift defence, and undoubtedly possesses some of his brother’s hustle and physicality. Caught ball-watching a few times.

Dylan Fox – 4.5

Hasn’t started since Round 4, and his rustiness showed. Wellington sorely felt the absence of Durante’s leadership in the middle of the back three, and Fox looked unsure and uncomfortable in the system.

Tom Doyle - 5

Looked very shaky without his usual partners in the back three. Bamboozled by the dribbling of Castro and Ikonomidis. That being said, he was not given enough protection from his midfield.

Liberato Cacace – 5.5

Cacace’s strengths are more attacking than defensive, but he was rarely given an opportunity to showcase that side of his game. Franjic and Ikonomidis got in behind him time and again. Improved in the second half when Wellington had more possession.

Alex Rufer – 6.5

Generally comfortable on the ball, but Juande caught him dwelling on it just outside his own box before Keogh scored.

He has come a long way this season, but needs to work on his defensive positioning. Probably Wellington’s best contributor in the second half with some nice passes.

Michal Kopczynski – 4

The Polish import has had limited chances in midfield this campaign, and failed to replicate the work of Mandi, the man usually ahead of him in the pecking order.

Cautious and hesitant backwards and sideways passing killed the verticality of this usually dynamic side. A disastrous sequence early in the second half saw he and Rufer hesitate, and then press the same player, leaving a chasm of space behind them for Castro.

Perth failed to capitalise, but it was a microcosm of Wellington’s defensive issues. Dragged off after 70 minutes.

Sarpreet Singh – 5

Taught a lesson by Kilkenny and Juande, who routinely denied him the ball and the space between the lines he needs to operate. Eventually moved into a deeper role by Rudan to get him involved, but the unfamiliar position did him no favours.

Roy Krishna – 5.5

A game to forget for the Fijian superstar, who was starved of service and ran into cul-de-sacs on the rare occasions he tried to counter.

Denied from point blank range by a brave Lowry block. Wearing the captain’s armband perhaps doesn’t suit him, but his work rate was high and he did try to make things happen in the second half.

David Williams - 5

Denied by both Spiranovic and then the crossbar after Reddy’s errant pass. Isolated and ineffective thereafter, and didn’t press from the front in his usual fashion.

SUBS

Cillian Sheridan – 5.5

The big Irishman was brought on to chase the game, but barely had a sniff upfront.

Antony Golec – N/A

Not given enough time to earn a rating.

Max Burgess – N/A

Not given enough time to earn a rating.