The Nix found themselves 2-0 down after two penalties were conceded in quick succession in the first half, but managed to get a consolation at the spot when Roy Krishna converted at the hour mark, however it fell apart from there.

Merrick was unhappy with the poor start and highlighted Wellington only began to be competitive after the two-goal deficit.

“I don’t think we can take anything out of that performance, we started off very nervously and it took a while before we really started playing any fluid possession play at all,” Merrick said.

“I thought we started off a little bit rusty and a little bit intimidated, I don’t think it’s an indictment on the players at all.

“I think we have a very good team who up until today played really good football, if you give away two penalties and have a player sent off, it’s totally unrealistic to think you’re going to come back and win the game, but the boys fought right to the end.”

Wellington fell apart in the final 20 minutes of the game and conceded four goals in the process.

Merrick also said the persistence to stay in the game was a positive sign and believed the smashing was the first real bad performance displayed in season 2016/17.

The Scotsman drew memories of the past games against Sydney FC where he thought his men were hard done by.

“I actually think this is the only poor standard game we’ve played,” he said.

“I thought against Melbourne City when we were beaten 1-0, I thought we were in a good chance of at least getting a draw out of it and we controlled the second half.

“Against Perth we were well beaten but against Sydney last week I think we got a decent one of out of those four offsides that were on side, I think we might have got all three points and I thought that was our best performance.

“It was actually the first time I had all the players for the week and for the game because the previous two games we suffered big time from the All Whites commitments in North America.

“Last week was getting all the players together playing good football at home. We lost Marco Rossi today, just an impingent to his thigh and we didn’t want to risk him because it might’ve been a one week injury that could be a five week injury.

“Dylan Fox was just inexperienced to play against the likes of Berisha who did a good job.”

And after only scoring one goal this season, Merrick seemed unfazed by the stat.

Wellington is back at home next week with a meeting with Newcastle Jets.