Jamie Douglas at Westpac Stadium
The rise of Wellington Phoenix continued – and in some style - with its first home win in the Hyundai A-League, 4-1 over Perth Glory on Sunday.
Played before a crowd of 10,127, the home fans at Westpac Stadium, Wellington, finally had three competition points to celebrate after four games at home that had also produced two draws and one loss.
Included among the five goals in the entertaining fixture was a red card issued to Perth's Dino Djulbic in the 54th minute.
The win lifted Phoenix into mid-table comfort after six rounds, and provided a timely fillip heading into a tough away schedule with games against the Queensland Roar and Newcastle Jets.
Brazilian playmaker Daniel will be missing from the first leg of the trip, however, after collecting his fourth yellow card of the season and accompanying one match suspension.
For Perth the slow start to the season continued, still winless and anchoring the competition standings.
The first half was a high tempo affair despite the windy and greasy surface conditions, with both sides testing the respective goalkeepers.
The first shot in anger came in the fifth minute when Phoenix attacking midfielder Felipe's 25m free kick went straight to Perth goalkeeper Tom Tomich.
Perth opened the scoring following a beautifully weighted midfield through ball from Jordan Simpson to Billy Celeski in the 10th minute. Celeski, clear and inside the penalty area, slotted the ball through the advancing Phoenix goalkeeper Glen Moss' legs.
The goal ended a barren spell away from home for Glory, having not scored for over 11 hours outside Perth.
Phoenix struck back four minutes later when a corner by Daniel was flicked home from one metre by captain Ross Aloisi who got his right boot in ahead of a goal-bound Tomich.
Soon after Moss denied a shot on goal by Perth midfielder Leo Bertos from just outside the six-yard box.
Phoenix took the lead in the 42nd minute when, from a right flank cross by Daniel, striker Shane Smeltz was on hand to slot the ball home from close range after Vaughan Coveny's attempted strike was deflected.
Tomich was pressed into action early in the second half, smothering a dangerous, in-swinging free kick from Felipe.
Perth defender Djulbic was shown a red card by referee Peter Green in the 54th minute after fouling Daniel. Djulbic had earlier in the half been shown a yellow card for a foul on the Brazilian.
Phoenix took advantage of its numerical supremacy almost immediately when Coveny was on hand to steer a cross from defender Tony Lochhead past a helpless Tomich and give the home side a 3-1 lead.
Smeltz missed a gilt-edged opportunity in the 73rd minute when replacement midfielder Michael Ferrante delivered a fine cross inside the penalty area. The striker's first touch let him down, however, and the ball was cleared.
Ferrante shot narrowly wide soon after as the Phoenix looked to press home its one-man advantage.
The rout was completed in the 83rd minute when Lochhead guided a cross from Daniel past Tomich from close range in front of goal to complete the scoring at 4-1.