Phoenix deliver again
Wellington Phoenix is back in the top six after a 3-0 win over Newcastle Jets in Wellington on Wednesday night.
Following a disappointing outing against Sydney last Sunday the Phoenix bounced back well to extend its unbeaten home run to 12 games with another coming up at Westpac Stadium against Perth Glory on Sunday.
Ricki Herbert made two changes to his starting line-up from last weekend-s 3-1 loss to Sydney.
Goalkeeper Mark Paston failed a fitness test on his injured hip handing Reece Crowther his first start at home and bringing assistant coach Jonathan Gould on to the bench.
Sunday-s goal scorer Costa Barbarouses was brought in to join Chris Greenacre up front with Paul Ifill moved out wide in place of Leo Bertos who was given a spell on the bench.
The Jets were without the suspended Adam D-Apuzzo and Fabio Vignaroli which saw Jobe Wheelhouse and Kaz Patafta promoted to the starting XI.
Barbarouses had a lively game in his first start of the season, his speed causing the Jets defence all sorts of problems, and he had a hand in two of the three goals.
It was his strike that Jets keeper Ben Kennedy fumbled which allowed Tim Brown to pounce for the opener, then the teenager-s neat back heel to set up Greenacre for the team-s second goal was all class.
Ifill rounded off another good personal performance with Wellington-s third in stoppage time.