A-League leaders Central Coast Mariners down Wellington Phoenix

Goals either side of half-time ensured high-flying Central Coast Mariners eased to a 2-0 win against 10-man Wellington Phoenix in Wollongong.

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Veteran striker Matt Simon broke the deadlock five minutes before the break and captain Oliver Bozanic slotted home a penalty soon after the restart for a winning margin that could have been far greater.

The Phoenix were on the back foot from midway through the first half when forward David Ball was dismissed for a wild and unnecessary lunge on Simon.

Matt Simon opened the scoring for Central Coast Mariners.
Mark Evans/Getty Images

The contest was effectively over with Bozanic's penalty conversion and only a string of second-half saves from Phoenix goalkeeper Stefan Marinovic kept the scoreline down.

The Mariners looked confident throughout the contest with central midfield pair Bozanic and Danny De Silva a constant threat with their movement and sharp passing.

The Mariners missed several clear second-half chances, most notably in the final minutes as substitute Alou Koul pushed a golden opportunity wide.

It was a sixth win from eight starts for the Mariners and a third in succession for last season's wooden-spooners.