Mariners ground Phoenix

The Central Coast Mariners have brought the Wellington Phoenix back to earth with a 3-0 drubbing at Bluetongue Central Coast Stadium in their Hyundai A-League game on Friday night.

Just one week after scoring a come-from-behind 2-2 draw against the Melbourne Victory the Phoenix were outclassed by a slick Mariners outfit that have put together impressive back-to-back victories to sit atop the Hyundai A-League table after two rounds.

Mariners forward Nik Mrdja rewarded the 9,052-strong home crowd by netting a brace, his first home goals ever in the Hyundai A-League, with Adam Kwasnik also getting on the scorers' sheet as the Mariners had the game virtually sewn up leading 3-0 at half time.

Mrdja opened the scoring with a beautifully taken chance in the seventh minute after left back Dean Heffernan had turned Steven O'Dor inside out before slipping the ball to Mrdja inside the penalty area. The lanky forward danced his way through three defenders before firing a low shot into the far corner of the net.

Mrdja turned provider just six minutes later when he bamboozled the Phoenix defence before sending the ball out to an unmarked Kwasnik wide on the left who drilled a shot from the outside of his left boot past Wellington keeper Glen Moss.

The Phoenix had a couple of good chances but they were few and far between.

A nice through ball from Michael Ferrante put Vaughan Coveney away for the Phoenix but a copybook sliding tackle from veteran Tony Vidmar inside the penalty area relieved the situation.

Mrdja grabbed his second just after the after the Phoenix failed to adequately clear the ball following a corner. Matthew Osman sent a looping ball to the far post for Kwasnik to feather a touch back across goal where Mrdja turned the ball past Wellington keeper Glen Moss.

Ferrante blew the visitors best chance of the first half when he found himself in space directly in front of goal on the edge of area but he sent his shot over the bar.

Mrdja went close with a header from a pinpoint cross from strike partner Sasho Petrovski, but the score remained 3-0 at the break.

The Phoenix came out with more determination in the second half and probably had the better of play hitting the bar on two occasions – a header from skipper Ross Aloisi and a vicious left footer from substitute Felipe that rocketed off the crossbar from 18 out.

Mrdja went close to grabbing his hat-trick when he turned Karl Dodd inside out to weave his way inside the six-yard box but he ballooned his shot over the bar.

Central Coast Mariners 3
Nik Mrdja (7), (34) Adam Kwasnik (13)

Wellington Phoenix 0

Crowd 9, 052 at Bluetongue Central Coast Stadium