Westpac Stadium was unavailable for three of the Phoenix's home games this season due to the Cricket World Cup so the club's management took the opportunity to create a temporary venue at the Hutt Recreation Ground in Lower Hutt.
Many of the club's fans have been calling for the Phoenix to play at a rectangle stadium in a bid to create a better atmosphere as opposed to the concrete jungle with yellow chairs that is Westpac Stadium.
The Hutt Rec is normally home to rugby in the winter and cricket during the summer but it provided a nice surface for the sides to play on this weekend. The near sell-out crowd of 9232 made themselves heard during the game.
Wellington will also play at the Hutt Rec against Newcastle next Sunday and Adelaide on March 7.
Phoenix skipper Andrew Durante said the pitch passed muster after they trained on it during the week, while the fans were able to get an intimate view of the action as the stands were only a few metres away from the pitch.
Wellington were lucky to get to the break with no score on the board after a few hairy moments at the back during the first spell.
Melbourne seemed determined to work 1.94m striker Joshua Kennedy in to the game as he provided a tall target for the City midfielders. Durante and his centre back partner Ben Sigmund were kept busy by the Socceroo, although they managed to keep him in check.
Former Chelsea midfielder Damien Duff had little impact on the contest as he limped off with an injury inside the first 20 minutes.
It was a physical game and Wellington striker Roy Krishna took a heavy knock during the first half and needed treatment. Phoenix defender Louis Fenton was pulled during the second spell after being struck in the head by a powerful shot at goal.
City's physical approach troubled the Phoenix who aren't a side that possess many imposing characters in their side.
Wellington's front three of Michael McGlinchey, Nathan Burns and Roy Krishna are all small men and they were out-muscled at times by a committed City side who seemed happy to defend with numbers behind the ball.
Western Sydney employed a similar tactic last week as they beat Wellington 2-0 and they were able to catch the Phoenix on the break after frustrating them with a smothering defence.
The Phoenix had their chances but both Krishna and Michael Boxall were unable to hit the mark during the final 30 minutes.
The result left Wellington in fourth, while City remained seventh on the ladder.
Wellington Phoenix 0
Melbourne City 0
HT: 0-0
