Nicholas Pennington of the Phoenix celebrates after scoring a goal. Photo: Photosport
The Wellington Phoenix have kicked five points clear at the top of the A-League ladder following a 2-0 win over Western United.
It stretches the side's unbeaten run to seven matches and means they have already matched their win tally from last season, when they qualified for the finals.
Head coach Giancarlo Italiano declared himself to be "quite happy" post-match.
"They were very good. I felt as though we scored at the right time both early in the first half [and] early in the second half.
"The conditions were pretty poor for good football. When it did calm down and we stuck to what we had trained for it was pretty good."
Italiano was forced to bring club captain Alex Rufer and fellow midfielder Nicholas Pennington off inside the final half an hour.
"We kind of lost a little bit after that, just more balance than anything especially with the build-up.
"But I didn't really think at the end they had much getting in behind.
Nicholas Pennington celebrates scoring a goal. Photo: Photosport
"I thought [Daniel] Penha was their strongest player. He was the only one that was going to do anything, and I felt we dealt with him quite well."
It was the perfect start for the Phoenix, who would score with just three minutes on the clock.
Created on the back of a trademark dash by Kosta Barbarouses who in turn linked with Bozhidar Kraev, setting up Nick Pennington to hammer it home.
A free kick for Western United offered the opportunity to equalise but Daniel Penha strike just hit the cross-bar to save the hosts who took a 1-0 lead into halftime.
The Phoenix would again strike within minutes of the second half, after a free-flowing passing move that started with Paulsen on the edge of Wellington's box.
Pennington played a major role in the build-up to the goal before heading down a Tim Payne cross that deflected off Western centre back James Donachie and into the back of the Western net.
David Ball shot narrowly wide of the right-hand post in the 72nd minute before Finn Surman flashed a header across goal half a dozen minute later.
Barbarouses also had a cut-back from the byline with 10 minutes to go that just evaded Ball.
Wellington managed the remaining seven minutes of normal time plus stoppage time to secure their ninth win from 17 matches this season.
After two home games in five days the Wellington Phoenix will next embark on a two-game road trip, starting with a visit to Macarthur FC on Sunday week.
