The home side were 2-0 up after just 13 minutes thanks to goals to Chris Greenacre and Leo Bertos and looked comfortable until Vince Lia was given his marching orders for a second yellow card in the 65th minute.

Mark Hughes'deflected free-kick gave Danny Vukovic no chance but gave the Fury a sniff of a first ever win over the Wellington side.

But the Phoenix dug deep to cling on for the win that stretched their unbeaten run of Hyundai A-League games at the venue to 23, equalling the record set by Sydney United in the NSL from 1996 to 1999.

A goalkeeping blunder by Justin Pasfield, who totally miscued a goal kick, gifted Greenacre his third of the season as he rounded the hapless keeper to slot home with just three minutes gone.

Greenacre thought he had bagged a double in the 12th minute when Daniel's ball into the box was headed by Gareth Edds and the Englishman prodded it home but it was disallowed for offside.

A minute later and it was 2-0 when the Fury failed to deal with the loose ball in their box and Bertos drove it low past a despairing Pasfield, who should have got a hand to it.

The visitors enjoyed a good period of possession midway through the first half, but barely threatened Danny Vukovic's goal.

It was the Phoenix who finished the first half the strongest with Daniel, starting in place of the injured Paul Ifill (groin), Nick Ward and Leo Bertos particularly prominent.

Ward had the best of the opportunities in the lead-up to the break when Manny Muscat - playing at left-back in the absence of Tony Lochhead (groin) - threaded a great ball into the box but the midfielder couldn't control it six yards out and the chance went begging.

Vukovic was called into action early in the second half when Osama Malik got on the end of a good David Williams cross and the Phoenix keeper made a great reflex save.

The game was turned on its head in the 65th minute though when Lia, in his first game back from injury, was sent off for a second yellow following a challenge on Ufuk Talay.

Hughes'free-kick deflected off the wall leaving Vukovic no chance and getting the Fury right back in the match.

Substitute Jason Spagnuolo had a golden chance to earn his side a point late in the game but he chipped the ball just wide and Wellington hung on.