Wellington Phoenix have ended their three-game losing streak with a nervy 2-1 win over Newcastle Jets at Sky Stadium.
An early goal from striker Kosta Barbarouses was supplemented by a thunderbolt from midfielder Paulo Retre after halftime, as the team ended their worst run under second-year coach Giancarlo Italiano, keeping them mid-table into the new year.
Italiano handed a first A-League start to 16-year-old forward Luke Brooke-Smith, who became the youngest Kiwi to play in the Aussie competition last week.
Another significant change saw defender Isaac Hughes benched, after conceding an own goal against Auckland FC, a handball penalty against Macarthur and a costly slip for Western Sydney’s opening goal.
After that horror start six days earlier, the Phoenix were quickly on the ascendancy against the Jets, with Barbarouses pouncing on a loose pass in the centre circle and chipping goalkeeper Ryan Scott.
That would have settled their nerves, after their recent struggles, and promoted Barbarouses atop the league scoring race and within a goal of his 100th across a 17-year career.
Newcastle camped in the Wellington third and forced a series of corners. The home side had to survive a goalmouth scramble that saw keeper Josh Oluwayemi block a shot from striker Eli Adams.
Kiwi Lachlan Bayliss forced another save and another corner with a powerful left foot from outside the area, while Adams tested Oluwayemi with another seconds later.
The custodian threw himself at the feet of the advancing attackers and then dived across goal to parry another Bayliss shot with halftime imminent.
At the break, Newcastle had unleashed 13 shots on goal, five of them on target, while defusing Wellington’s only other real threat. They also had eight corners to the Phoenix one.
Brooke-Smith's debut ended after 45 minutes in which he barely threatened the Jets defence.
As the second half began, winger Hideki Ishige put his free-kick at goal over the crossbar, but the Phoenix had a second from a corner that fell for Retre on the edge of the area and his right foot almost pierced the back netting.
Ishige sent another free-kick high and the Jets finally pulled one back, when striker Ben Gibson prodded home a hopeful cross that ricocheted off a couple of defenders in front of goal.
Moments later, Oluwayemi had to fend another Gibson effort wide, after fullback Sam Sutton was dispossessed upfield.
Yellow Fever supporters were able to partake in their traditional shirtless celebration of a lead with 10 minutes remaining, but perhaps without the same conviction as the would have 10 minutes earlier.
Replacement Nathan Walker had a chance to restore the comfort levels, but was crowded by the final defender and sprayed his shot wide.
Newcastle's last chance to grab a share of the points ended, when Oluwayemi rose above the attackers to claim a high ball into the box in the final seconds.
"We've obviously had a few disappointing performances over the past few weeks, so today's goal was to win," reflected captain Alex Rufer. "We did that.
"We've still got a lot to work on, but the most important thing was we got three points.
"I still think, if we had a little more quality with the ball, we could have really hurt them, but three points was the main thing, so I'm really happy and pleased."
The result — a first win at home this season — puts the Phoenix one point outside the top-six playoff contenders for now, before their visit to Melbourne City on Friday.
Wellington Phoenix 2 (Barbarouses, Retre) Newcastle Jets 1 (Gibson)
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