Wellington Phoenix scored their first Isuzu Ute A-League victory of the 2022-3 season at Sky Stadium on November 6, mauling Macarthur Bulls 4-1 to the delight of the 6,135 fans on hand to witness the visitors' first venture across the Tasman. Every previous clash between these clubs has taken place in Australia due to the Covid restrictions in place, so Wellington were understandably delighted to welcome one of the A-Leagues newest clubs to these shores and "give 'em a taste of Kiwi!" It was "The Bulls" who threatened first, however, Anthony Carter being gifted possession inside Wellington's defensive third, only to shoot straight at the approaching figure of Oli Sail, thus spurning a golden chance to silence the natives in the third minute. Six minutes later, the visitors squandered another gilt-edged opening, this time with Daniel De Silva leading the charge. He threaded a ball through the inside right channel to Matthew Millar, who slipped it inside to Carter, who turned like the Queen Mary before lashing a shot past Sail but inches past the far post also. Macarthur knew they should have been two goals up, and Wellington wasted little time in reminding them of the fact, carving out two chances of their own inside the next three minutes. Costa Barbarouses sent Oskar Zawada darting through the inside-left channel, from where his cross was cleared into the stride of Bozhidar Kraev. His fifteen yard grasscutter was well-saved by the partially unsighted Filip Kurto, who then grabbed Steven Ugarkovic's twenty-five yard drive after the impressively performed Joshua Laws sent Kraev down the left, from where he picked out Barbarouses with a cross which culminated in the speedster's effort being blocked, with Ugarkovic benefiting from the rebound. After this, Wellington began to dominate possession, but they didn't exactly do a great deal with it. It seemed akin to possession for possession's sake. Indeed, it was Macarthur who carved out the next scoring opportunity in the contest, with Carter, seconds after escaping a deserved booking for simulation, doing Callan Elliot a treat on the left before cutting inside and letting fly, only to see Sail turn his twentieth minute effort over the bar. The resulting corner was cleared by Wellington, sparking a counter-attack as Ben Old sent Zawada racing through once more, only for Kurto to dash out and pluck the ball off the toes of his fellow Pole. This match was being played in the aftermath of the recent death of Lily Davila, wife of Macarthur's former Wellington creative attacked Ulises Davila. Both teams wore armbands sporting her name, while on the half-hour, play stopped so players from both sides could join spectators in offering a minute's applause in tribute to the life of the late thirty-year-old - a rare moment of humanity amid the mayhem taking place on the pitch. Referee Casey Reibelt, one of Australia's leading female referees, who officiated at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup Finals, had her hands full dealing with the at times niggly and at times willing challenges which were taking place in this encounter. She ended up booking five players, but could have added a few more to that count, because a few of the chaps, particularly her fellow countrymen, gave the impression they weren't too impressed at having the law laid down to them by a woman. Welcome to the 21st Century, fellas, and while you're at it, shove your caveman mentality where the sun doesn't shine! Ten minutes before half-time, Old and Ugarkovic combined on the right, with the latter's shot turned round his near post by Kurto. The former Wellington goalkeeper denied Barbarouses seven minutes later, after Sam Sutton's good work on the

left saw his cross chested down by Zawada for the player enjoying his third spell with his hometown club. Right on the stroke of half-time, Wellington broke the deadlock. Ugarkovic combined with Elliot on the right, the fullback delivering an inviting cross to the near post which Old met with a perfectly timed glancing header across goal and in off the far post - 1-0, and barely time to kick off before the half-time whistle sounded. Five minutes after the resumption of play, the home team went close to doubling their advantage. Sutton's storming run from halfway took him past opponents aplenty and into Macarthur's penalty area, where his shot was turned round the post by Kurto as three better-placed team-mates queued up awaiting the pass which would allow them to make it 2-0. One of them, Zawada, headed narrowly over the bar from Clayton Lewis' resulting corner, while after De Silva went close with a twenty-five yarder at the other end of the park, Elliot was denied at the near post by a super save from Kurto as the hour mark approached. Macarthur drew level in the 59th minute, seconds after the introduction of substitute Lachlan Rose. Daniel Arzani, who had given Elliot a torrid time defensively throughout proceedings, invited the newcomer to take his first touch with a probing pass through the inside left channel. Rose duly obliged, poking home the equaliser past the advancing figure of Sail - 1-1. As introductions to a game go, that one takes some beating. But Wellington's response was every bit as effective, scoring twice in as many minutes to finish the game off as a contest. Lewis bagged the first of them, a brilliant twenty-five yard free-kick which arced round the wall and crashed into the net via the underside of the crossbar in the 65th minute. Two minutes later, the home team increased their advantage with a delightful goal. Sutton was the principle architect, coming inside off the left before linking with Kraev, who worked a one-two with substitute David Ball before bringing the overlapping fullback back into play. Sutton duly pulled the ball back into the stride of Ben Waine, who marked his entry to proceedings by sweeping the ball home from ten yards - 3-1. And so nearly 4-1 two minutes later, Ball's majestic chipped finish being disallowed for a foul on Kurto by Waine. But with fifteen minutes still to play, it was 4-1, a goal sparked by Sail, whose raking clearance found Barbarouses. He slipped Ball in through the inside right channel, from where he played in Kraev to swoop from six yards - game over! De Silva poleaxed Laws with a twenty yard piledriver seven minutes from time which brought an early end to the defender's afternoon, while Wellington was denied a fifth goal in the final minute by Kurto's terrific reflex save, the goalkeeper denying Kraev a second goal at point-blank range following a Lewis corner. The fans rejoiced at the final whistle, this being Wellington's first win at Sky Stadium since 15 March 2020, when Melbourne Victory were swept aside 3-0 prior to the team having to relocate to Australia in order to finish that Covid-affected campaign. Who would have thought at the time that some 32 months would elapse before they would enjoy the experience of winning on their home ground once again? Wellington:     Sail; Elliot (booked, 61), Wootton, Laws (Payne, 87), Sutton; Old (Ball, 60), Ugarkovic, Lewis, Kraev (Sasse, 90); Barbarouses, Zawada (Waine, 60 (booked, 80)) Macarthur:     Kurto; Millar, Uskok (booked, 39), McGing, Vujica; De Silva (booked, 90), Baccus (Skotadis, 72), M'Mombwa (Toure, 72); Noone (booked, 45), Carter (Rose, 59), Arzani (Drew, 80) Referee:     Casey Reibelt