The Wellington Phoenix have thrashed visitors Newcastle 4-0 to go level with the Jets on the A-League football table, but just out of the playoff places on goal difference.
The Phoenix led 3-0 at half-time through goals to stand-in captain Tim Brown, teen sensation Marcos Rojas and replacement striker Chris Greenacre, then midfielder Dylan Macallister sealed things just before full-time.
After 10 minutes the spirits of the home crowd of 6,053 were lowered by striker Paul Ifill falling to injury, just a week after another star, goalkeeper Mark Paston, had his season ended with a knee fracture.
The Yellow Fever applauded Ifill off the field as the hometown playmaker was stretchered off with an injury to his left leg. He was taken to hospital where x-rays showed no signs of a fracture.
Elsewhere the Melbourne Victory denied the Phoenix an outright playoff place at the end of the weekend with a 2-0 home win over Perth and the Brisbane Roar extended their league at the top, also winning 2-0 at home over another struggling outfit, the North Queensland Fury.