Melbourne City have slumped to an embarrassing 5-1 defeat at the hands of the Wellington Phoenix at Westpac Stadium this afternoon.
A hat trick from Nathan Burns, coupled with goals from imports Rony Bonevacia and Roy Krishna did the damage on a miserable afternoon for the team in red and white.
David Williams pulled one back from the spot for the visitors, though it proved to be nothing more than a mere consolation for a side lacking form, confidence and consistency in their game.
City started off the brighter of the two teams and dominated vast periods of the first half with Mate Dugandzic blasting the ball high over the bar after being played in by Williams inside the opening seconds of the match.
Aaron Mooy then went close with his free-kick from 25 metres, forcing Phoenix goalkeeper Glen Moss into a nervous save as Williams failed to make contact with the follow up.
Mooy again tested Moss minutes later, with the Kiwi shot-stopper making a smart save to deny the lively Socceroos midfielder.
Jacob Melling was next to come close for City, flashing his fierce drive from outside the box just wide of Moss’ right-hand post.
For all their good work, City were undone by a touch of bad luck when Erik Paartalu inadvertently flicked the ball into the path of Burns who duly rounded Andrew Redmayne to open the scoring in the 34th minute.
Although the linesman lifted up his flag for an offside, referee Jarred Gillett correctly overruled him, allowing the goal to stand.
Burns almost doubled the lead moments after when he somehow missed right in front of goal after some brilliant lead-up play by the dangerous Krishna.
Despite this reprieve, the lead would be doubled immediately after as Michael McGlinchey set up Bonevacia who coolly slotted the ball past a hapless Redmayne in goal.
Despite struggling for the majority of the half, the Phoenix headed into the half-time break with an unlikely 2-0 lead, with their opponents down on their luck.
Van’t Schip rang the changes at the break with Mate Dugandzic and Erik Paartalu making way for James Brown and youngster Stefan Mauk as City went in search of a comeback.
Any hopes of one were dashed within the opening minutes of the second half as McGlinchey set up Burns who cleverly set himself up to slide the ball across the face of goal into the net.
With the City defence at sixes and sevens, Krishna took advantage and scored his side’s fourth of the game with a magnificent finish into the top corner of the net.
The experiment of fielding Ross Archibald at right-back had backfired for van’t Schip with the Dutchman replacing him with regular Jason Hoffman soon after.
City managed to pull one back as Williams converted from the spot after substitute James Brown had been brought down in the box by Bonevacia.
Hopes of a miraculous comeback were ended when referee Gillett adjudged veteran defender Rob Wielaert had held back Phoenix skipper Andrew Durante from a corner delivery.
Burns stepped up and at the second time of asking dispatched the penalty confidently to complete a 5-1 mauling of the visitors who suffered their record worst defeat in the competition.
The disappointing result will no doubt increase the pressure on under-fire manager van’t Schip with the Abu Dhabi owned outfit earning just six points from eight games with only one win in that period.
Wellington Phoenix 5 (Burns 33′ 47′ 85′, Bonevacia 40′, Krishna 50′) defeated Melbourne City 1 (Williams 68′) at Westpac Stadium
Wellington Phoenix: 1. Glenn MOSS (GK), 2. Manny MUSCAT, 4. Roly BONEVACIA (23. Matthew RIDENTON 87′), 8 Alex RODRIGUEZ, 9. Nathan BURNS, 10. Michael MCGLINCHEY, 13. Albert RIERA, 18. Ben SIGNMUND, 19. Tom DOYLE (5. Michael BOXALL 82′), 21. Roy KRISHNA (7. Kenny CUNNINGHAM 75′), 22. Andrew DURANTE
Unused Subs: 20. Lewis ITALIANO (GK), 11. Jeremy BROCKIE,
Yellow Cards: None
Red Cards: None
Melbourne City: 1. Andrew REDMAYNE (GK), 3. Rob WIELAERT, 5. Erik PAARTALU (21. Stefan MAUK 46′), 6. Aaron MOOY, 7. Iain RAMSAY, 11. Damien DUFF, 15. David WILLIAMS, 23. Mate DUGANDZIC (14. James BROWN 46′), 24. Patrick KISNORBO, 25. Jacob MELLING, 27. Ross ARCHIBALD (17. Jason HOFFMAN 52′)
Unused Subs: 20. Tando VELAPHI (GK), 26. Marc MARINO
Yellow Cards: Wielaert 82′, Melling 89′
Red Cards: None