A goal in each half from Joshua Rose and a late strike from Adam Kwasnik lifted Central Coast to a 3-0 win against Wellington Phoenix and handed the Mariners their first victory in the New Zealand capital for three years.
Rose scored the opener in the 11th minute and doubled his side’s tally in the 80th minute before Kwasnik completed the comfortable win with four minutes remaining.
The result kept Graham Arnold’s side in third place and left opposite number Ricki Herbert with plenty to think about after back-to-back defeats at Westpac Stadium – a venue where they had previously gone 24 games unbeaten until being thrashed 4-1 by Brisbane Roar 10 days ago.
Yet the Phoenix, who were obviously keen to erase memories of the Brisbane game, started well.
A corner kick from Leo Bertos inside the opening minute just evaded Tim Brown at the near post giving Central Coast keeper Matthew Ryan an early introduction to the game.
The Mariners’ first real opportunity fell to Michael McGlinchey in the 11th minute but after a good break down the right the midfielder blasted the ball high and wide.
A few minutes later and Mark Paston was called into action when the ball ricocheted around the box before eventually coming off Daniel McBreen and the Wellington keeper punched it weakly behind.
The Mariners got the breakthrough in the 17th minute when Rose made a strong run from the left, evaded Jade North who appeared to lose his footing, and then coolly fired the ball home from the top of the box. It was the visitors’ first goal at Westpac Stadium since October 2007, when they last tasted success at the venue.
Aside from a Paul Ifill effort, which flew over the bar, the Phoenix didn’t really create any chances until the final few minutes of the first half.
Vince Lia’s piledriver was blocked by Patrick Zwaanswijk after a good cross from Ifill, then skipper Andrew Durante, in his 100th A-League game, had two headers go wide in quick succession after good balls into the box from Simon Elliott and Ifill.
The opening 10 minutes of the second half saw chances go begging for both sides.
Matt Simon made several strong runs at the Phoenix goal without gaining any reward, while at the other end Wellington won a succession of corners, one of which saw a fierce 30 metre shot from Elliott come thundering back off the crossbar.
Then Zwaanswijk thought his header had put Central Coast 2-0 up only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.
Tempers frayed in the 64th minute when Tim Brown was booked for appearing to kick Ryan in the head after Chris Greenacre’s glancing header had come back off the post and Ryan and the Phoenix midfielder tangled going for the rebound.
It was Brown’s fifth yellow card of the season meaning he will miss next week’s away trip to Newcastle Jets.
Pressing hard for an equaliser the Phoenix were always going to be vulnerable and it was no surprise when Rose finished off another strong run into the box with a second goal. Kwasnik’s strike merely rubbed salt into the wound.