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English forward David Ball scored his first game after suspension to give Wellington Phoenix a much-needed 2-0 win over Newcastle Jets at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday.
The Phoenix broke the deadlock against the game’s streak in the 22nd minute when the former Manchester City youth’s shot deflected sharply from Jets captain Nigel Boogard.
Ball missed the last two games by suspension after receiving a red card against the Central Coast Mariners a fortnight ago.
Ashley Feder / Getty Images
Phoenix forward David Ball opened the scoring with a deflected effort midway through the first half.
But it provided the crucial breakthrough the Phoenix so desperately needed after a toothless performance against Melbourne Victory on Wednesday.
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Ball’s attacking partner Ben Waine justified his continued selection and capped a team’s clinical display by scoring with an opportunistic blow from long range to double the lead in the 53rd minute.
The New Zealand Under-20 international launched a low shot from 25 meters after a Clayton Lewis pass bounced off Johnny Koutroumbis and fortunately landed on Waine’s path.
Phoenix coach Ufuk Talay made three changes to his starting eleven, adding Ball, Lewis and Joshua Laws for Mirza Muratovic, Cameron Devlin and James McGarry.
Laws played the first half out of position as a left back, but retired at halftime after a heavy collision with Koutroumbis.
Goalkeeper Oli Sail made a series of crucial saves, including one from a plummeting header from Valentino Yuel early in the second half, to keep a clean sheet and further cement his starting position after jumping ahead of Stefan Marinovic. .
Sunday’s result snapped a four-game winless streak and knocked Phoenix off the bottom of the A-League table.
Wellington Phoenix 2 (David Ball 22 ‘, Ben Waine 53’) Newcastle Jets 0
HT: 1-0
