<\/p>\n
\nWellington Phoenix celebrate a goal against Central Coast Mariners.
\nPhoto: Marty Melville\/Photosport\n<\/p>\n
Wellington Phoenix are off the bottom of the A-League table, after beating Central Coast Mariners 3-1 in Wellington.<\/p>\n
Midfielder Corban Piper scored the first goal in the 31st minute, after Kasuki Nagasawa pounced on a poor pass from a Mariners defender.<\/p>\n
Nagasawa surged forward, finding an unmarked Piper, who neatly tucked away the opening goal.<\/p>\n
The Phoenix lead lasted until just before halftime, with the Mariners equalising through Sabit Ngor, after replacement goalkeeper Eamonn McCarron failed to cleanly stop a Miguel Di Pizio shot from long range.<\/p>\n
McCarron had come into the game, after starting goalkeeper Josh Oluwayemi left in the 11th minute, with an ankle injury.<\/p>\n
The Phoenix re-established themselves early in the second half, after video review ruled a Mariners handball inside the area, which Manjrekar James converted from the spot.<\/p>\n
A third goal followed three minutes later, courtesy of winger Carlo Armiento.<\/p>\n
The win is the third from nine matches this season for the Phoenix and moves them up to seventh place in the 12-team competition on 11 points, nine points behind leaders Auckland FC.<\/p>\n
The win, which was the biggest Phoenix home win since April last year, completes a solid weekend for the club, after their women’s team posted a record 7-0 win over Sydney FC yesterday.<\/p>\n
Both teams now break for Christmas, with their next matches just before the New Year.<\/p>\n