Phoenix climb ranks after thrashing Melbourne

ANDREW GORRIE/Fairfax NZ

Wellington Phoenix forward Paul Ifill celebrates his goal in the first few minutes of the game.

Wellington Phoenix have sailed into uncharted waters with a 3-1 win over the Melbourne Heart that has lifted them to second on the A-league table.

On the back of a brilliant Paul Ifill double and a Chris Greenacre header the Phoenix responded to a turnout of 13,601 with a performance full of poise and confidence.

The only dark spot on a bright day was a potentially serious leg injury to winger Leo Bertos who was stretchered off after 76 minutes.

In an uncustomary black strip designed by the players for a local charity auction, the Phoenix ninth win of the season was difficult to fault bar an isolated Alex Terra goal before the break.

With eight games to play Ricki Herbert's team combined solid defence with a positive attack that did not ease off despite leading for the vast majority of the match.

Never before have the Phoenix occupied such a lofty place on the table so late in the season and their challenge now will be to press on toward the playoffs.

Yesterday they found a template that should serve them well as they eye an away date with Adelaide on Friday.

Their intent was clear early as they attacked down the left flank and Ifill had his first on three minutes after a

Tony Lochhead cross floated over a despairing Aziz Behich's head and landed at the striker's feet.

Ifill calmly unwrapped the gift and put the ball past goalie Clint Bolton for a 1-0 lead.

The Phoenix couldn't be accused for sitting on their early lead even if the Heart's reply appeared to catch the defence slightly off guard.

It came from a nice ball through from Argentine Jonatan Germano to Terra who got a left foot ahead of the scrambling defence to beat Mark Paston going the wrong way on 35 minutes.

The Phoenix attack looked noticeably more effective down the left hand side of the pitch in the first half where Ifill, Lochhead and occasionally Dani Sanchez formed a creative trio.

But it was Bertos who provided the home team's second goal when he fired in a cross after 53 minutes to Greenacre who split two defenders for the 2-1 lead.

Ifill continued to look dangerous whenever he had space and his fifth goal of the season came after Manny Muscat put him one-on-one, a formality for the classy Englishman's right foot.

Muscat was spirited home on match day from Melbourne where he had been awaiting the birth of his first child and made it a worthwhile trip with a strong performance.

It could have been worse for the visitors with Daniel thundering a free kick into the post with eight minutes to play and Tim Brown tidying up to put the ball in the back of the net, only to be judged off side.

It was a pleasing reversal of the Phoenix 1-0 loss to the Heart last December and one that ticked most of the boxes as the season enters its final stanza.

Alex Smith was a spark in the midfield, pressuring on defence and creating headaches for the visitors when he chose to press forward and Ben Sigmund and captain Andrew Durante solid in a defence that never really looked in trouble.

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