Soccer: Phoenix maintain hoodoo over Mariners

Joshua Rose of the Mariners wins the ball from Paul Ifill of the Phoenix. Photo / Getty Images

The Wellington Phoenix maintained two remarkable records with their 2-0 A-League soccer defeat of the Central Coast here today.

A classy goal to Leo Bertos in the 10th minute and brutal Paul Ifill strike in the 61st were enough for the Phoenix to lodge a first win of the season, having endured a bye and a 3-3 home draw with Gold Coast last weekend to start their campaign.

Keeping a clean sheet means the Phoenix haven't conceded a goal to the Mariners in their last seven A-League meetings, five of which have been won and two drawn. They also stretched their unbeaten record at Westpac Stadium to 21 matches.

Aside from the goals, chances were at a premium in a scrappy affair which featured some loose passing and a relatively conservative approach from both teams despite the fine conditions.

Central Coast pressed forward more often than the hosts but their attacking edge was blunt, with lanky striker Matt Simon the only real threat from crosses but he never challenged Phoenix goalkeeper Mark Paston.

Mariners 'keeper Jess Vanstratten also had a quiet afternoon and could do little about the two goals.

The first was set up by some creative from right back Manny Muscat, who surged forward off a neat one-two with striker Chris Greenacre. Muscat reached the byline and delivered the perfect pass to winger Bertos, who tapped in from 2m out.

Ifill's goal provided some extra satisfaction for a Phoenix side who were regularly caught offside in the first half, particularly centre forward Dylan Macallister, lining up against his former club.

Ifill timed his run onto a pass from Brown to beat the offside trap - although replays suggested he was possibly lucky to avoid the linesman's flag - surged 30m and blasted a shot off the outside of his left boot into the far top right corner, leaving Vanstratten flailing.

Former Barbados international Ifill created a couple of late shooting chances as the Mariners pushed men forward but blasted his attempts wide.

Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert fielded the same starting 11 and 4-2-3-1 formation employed against the Gold Coast. The defence were more sound and rarely looked like conceding the two late goals that marred their performance last weekend.

Paston suffered a strain to his quad muscle on the half hour mark but played on in some discomfort. Herbert was clearly reluctant to replace the All Whites stopper with Brisbane Roar 'keeper Griffin McMaster, who signed just days ago as a short-term injury replacement for Reece Crowther.

However, Herbert was prepared to field Chilean midfielder Toto (Oscar Roberto Cornejo), for the last 32min and his debut was a solid outing in the middle of the park.

Ifill said it was pleasing to lodge three points despite a display lacking fluency.

"The lads dug in and we need to do that more often, get a couple of goals up and kill the game off. It's something we did a lot better today than we did last week," he told Newstalk ZB.

"It was one of those games when I just couldn't get going and the goal's covered up an average performance really."

The Phoenix cross the Tasman Sea for the first time next week, facing the Brisbane Roar on Friday and Ifill hoped they could lay down a marker.

"I've said it all pre-season, I think games here (Wellington) will take care of themselves, we'll be very hard to beat. But we've got to be harder to beat on the road."

- NZPA