Central Coast Mariners surged to the top of the Hyundai A-League table on November 11 by scoring their sixth successive victory over Wellington Phoenix, on this occasion at Westpac Stadium. But as the 1-0 scoreline suggests, this was not a match which will live long in the memory, something to which the 6,528 present will doubtless testify. Defences dominated proceedings throughout this dour contest, with plenty of enterprising play in evidence until each side reached the attacking third of the pitch, at which point the likes of Central Coast's Patrick Zwaanswijk and Wellington's Andrew Durante were to the fore. With defenders of that calibre in their element, it was little wonder goalscoring opportunities were few and far between. The first materialised in the eighth minute, Joshua Rose's poor back-pass forcing Mathew Ryan to come charging out of goal and clear his lines, a result of Jeremy Brockie's anticipation seeing the striker appear on the scene far sooner than Rose would have preferred. Brockie was in again two minutes later, this time courtesy Louis Fenton's measured through ball. But Zwaanswijk's splendidly timed tackle put the skids on that opportunity, and another twenty minutes were to pass before the deadlock was threatened. When it did, Zwaanswijk was the architect of the move, his raking 29th minute ball forward being of the inch-perfect variety, much to the delight of Mile Sterjovski, whose sublime touch to control the ball took Tony Lochhead out of the equation. Durante, too, was beaten by the striker as he cut inside towards goal, but Sterjovski undid his good work by firing the best chance of the match thus far past the far post. Wellington responded instantly, Manny Muscat sending a twenty-five yarder sizzling past the post at the other end of the park on the half-hour, a shot which proved to be the last one fired in anger during the opening forty-five minutes. The second spell was a little livelier, and the visitors should have opened the scoring five minutes into it. Rose and Sterjovski worked a one-two on the left which allowed the fullback to progress towards the by-line. Confronted by defenders, Rose steered the ball into the stride of Tomas Rogic, who thrashed a shot over the bar. Central Coast's playmaker had fired another one in anger inside the first thirty seconds of the match which prompted a comfortable save from Mark Paston, who didn't have reason to dirty his gloves again for an hour.

Wellington's 'keeper's next involvement in the match came about as a result of a raking Ryan clearance which allowed Rogic to get in behind Ben Sigmund. Paston blocked his progress, but the rebound fell invitingly for Daniel McBreen, who blazed the ball wildly over the bar from ten yards. Three minutes later, a Lochhead free-kick offered Wellington their best chance of the match to this point, his delivery just a stride too far in front of Durante as he darted in to meet it beyond the far post. Muscat was fortunate to only be booked for a nasty lunge at Nick Montgomery right in front of the dug-outs in the 67th minute - there hadn't been a hint of malice in the game prior to this incident. Central Coast's response was to extract revenge in the best manner possible. The resulting free-kick saw the ball worked across to Rogic, who turned up on the left flank on this occasion. He cleverly evaded two opponents before angling a beautifully weighted pass into the stride of McBreen, who took the ball on his stride before lifting it over Paston and into the net by the far post from just inside the penalty area. That 68th minute effort was one which the game had been crying out for, but Wellington offered little in response to going behind. Indeed, Central Coast could have doubled their advantage thirteen minutes from time when McGlinchey picked out the head of Trent Sainsbury with a corner. The defender directed his eight-yard header straight at Paston, who was to the fore again five minutes later when denying both McGlinchey and Rogic after McBreen had headed Montgomery's free-kick into the danger zone. Wellington mustered just one threat on goal after falling behind, via substitute Benjamin Totori, who took on Rose before firing over an early dipping cross-shot which had Ryan watching nervously as it narrowly cleared the crossbar. This apart, the home team was, to be blunt, toothless in attack on this occasion, and there were a few boos in evidence come the final whistle in a match which, in truth, wasn't the greatest advert for the greatest game in the world. Wellington:     Paston; Bertos, Sigmund (booked, 59), Durante, Lochhead (Lia, 74); Fenton, Muscat (booked, 67), Smith, Ifill (Boyd, 87); Brockie, Huysegems (Totori, 72) Central Coast:     Ryan; Bojic, Sainsbury, Zwaanswijk, Rose; McGlinchey, Montgomery, Rogic (Hearfield, 88), Hutchinson; Sterjovski (Ibini-Isei, 64 (booked, 86)), McBreen Referee:     Lucien Laverdure