The Wellington Phoenix ground out a vital 1-0 home win over the Newcastle Jets to move into the top six in the A-League.
It wasn't the free-flowing, attacking Phoenix that the fans have become accustomed to at home over the past few weeks, but everyone will be happy to have secured the three points in their third match in a week which takes them to sixth in the standings.
Dylan Macallister scored the only goal of the match in the 20th minute.
Coach Ricki Herbert says people don't seem to appreciate just how much the travel and midweek games takes out of the players.
He says the Phoenix do a lot more travelling than anyone else and they haven't used it as an excuse for their poor away form because if you want to play in the league you just get on with it, but there were some pretty tired boys out there.
The Phoenix had five players yellow carded with Ben Sigmund's caution proving expensive, being his eighth of the season and bringing a two-game suspension. He will miss the away games against Adelaide United and Sydney FC.
