Wellington Phoenix 4
Adelaide United 2
The sight of hundreds of Wellingtonians topless might not have been what the Football Federation Australia meant when they said they wanted to see more from the Phoenix but it was priceless for the embattled club.
Wellington fans famously take their shirts off if their team are leading after 80 minutes and they did it again tonight.
It meant the Phoenix went on to win their third game of the season and climb, temporarily at least, to third on the A-League ladder, but also meant they had attracted a good crowd of 13,654 with pressure on the club to prove their worth.
Wellington's A-League licence expires at the end of the season and the FFA have offered a four-year extension only - club owners are seeking at least 10 years.
It has prompted widespread support for the Phoenix on both sides of the Tasman and fans turned out in good numbers to show their support for New Zealand's only professional football club.
What they witnessed is what they have come to expect under coach Ernie Merrick: entertainment.
The Phoenix conceded a goal inside three minutes, when Adelaide exploited space down their left flank and the ball fell to Craig Goodwin to slot home.
But they were on level terms less than 60 seconds later then Roy Krishna latched on to a long ball from Ben Sigmund, rounded goalkeeper John Hall who was all at sea outside his box, and calmly finished for his third goal of the season.
And Roly Bonevacia added a double to hand his side their first win in three games.
His second goal in the 51st minute was something special. In the week his partner gave birth to their first child, he struck a bullet of a shot from 25m that Hall was powerless to stop.
He completed a terrific performance when he created Wellington's fourth when he penetrated into Adelaide's box before his cross was palmed into the path of Matthew Ridenton to score his first A-League goal. At that stage, with Wellington leading 4-1, it might have been difficult for non-football fans to pick exactly which club needed saving.
Adelaide, though, played their part in the match. They put the Phoenix under considerable pressure at times - Wellington goalkeeper Glen Moss made a number of excellent saves - and added a consolation to Pablo Sanchez in the 89th minute.
Wellington's owners, the Welnix group, have been increasingly more positive about the club's long-term future.
The best thing the players and fans can do is produce the sort of results they did tonight. Even if some physiques should be best left covered.
Wellington 4 (R. Krishna 4, R. Bonevacia 22, 51, M. Ridenton 68) Adelaide 2 (C. Goodwin 3, P. Sanchez 89). Halftime: 2-1.