A-League: Wellington 2 Brisbane 0

Paul Ifill broke the Wellington all-time goal-scoring record as the Phoenix beat the Brisbane Roar 2-0 in the A-League on Wednesday.

Wellington scored a goal in each half at the Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin as they gained their second consecutive win and moved to equal-third place on the ladder with 15 points.

They played the more direct football and their victory was acclaimed by a disappointing crowd of 4628.

The defeat was a major disappointment for Brisbane, who have now suffered their third consecutive loss, after going on a record-breaking run of 36 games unbeaten.

Brisbane attacked from the kick-off but were set back in the eighth minute when Matthew Jurman was yellow carded for a foul on Manny Muscat.

The Phoenix had another let-off in the 16th minute when Andrew Durante’s back-pass to goalkeeper Tony Warner was almost intercepted.

The Phoenix had only occasional forays into Brisbane’s half but, in the 26th minute, Ben Sigmund headed wide from a cross.

However, it all came right a minute later when Ifill cleverly wrong-footed Jurman and blasted a right-foot shot into the top left-hand corner of the net.

It was his 22nd goal for the Phoenix, breaking Shane Smeltz’s club record.

Issey Nakajima-Farran tested Warner on the ground at the other end but the keeper was safe and they missed their most clear-cut opportunity in the 35th minute when Mitch Nichols headed over the top.

The Phoenix led 1-0 at the break despite Brisbane having 60 percent possession, controlling the ball well and having more shots at goal (3-1).

Tim Brown put the ball in the back of the net early in the second half but the whistle had already gone for off-side.

Warner was proving safe and reliable in goal as Brisbane lifted the tempo in search of the equaliser.

But the Phoenix continued to have their moments too.

And, in the 81st minute, Ifill slipped a through-ball to Nicholas Ward who, put in space, crashed the ball past the goalkeeper to make it 2-0.