Wellington have made it four straight A-League preseason victories, with Roy Krishna's second-half strike securing a 2-1 win over Central Coast on Saturday in Nelson.

Kosta Barbarouses scored from the spot in the 22nd minute to put the Phoenix ahead, but the Mariners drew level through Connor Pain on the half-hour.

Central Coast went down to 10 men before the break when Jacques Faty was given a straight red for bringing down Krishna, who was through on goal.

The Fijian striker's header early in...

Wellington Phoenix coach Ernie Merrick is confident about the character of his new signing Marco Rossi despite the player being banned during the match-fixing scandal that engulfed Italian football in 2011.

The 28-year-old, who has previously played for Parma, Sampdoria, Bari and Perugia, has signed a two-year deal with the A-League club.

The centre-back was banned for 20 months in 2012, not for match-fixing but for not reporting match-fixing during his time at Bari.

While there was no mention of...

Wellington coach Ernie Merrick has called for an end to the A-League salary cap, arguing the competition is too mature for a system that's become outdated.

Each club can spend up to $2.6 million under the cap but are allowed to sign two marquees outside of it along with a season-long guest player -- essentially a third marquee.

With loyalty bonuses and other conditions thrown in, Merrick believes the set-up has passed its use-by date.

"I just don't know why we bother with a salary cap," he told...

The Wellington Phoenix are "disturbed" by Football Federation Australia's handling of a disciplinary case against Melbourne Victory player Besart Berisha.

The A-League club has asked for an explanation about the process which saw Berisha's sanction following a red carding this month reduced.

The 30-year-old Albanian was penalised and later handed a two-game suspension for kicking out at Phoenix captain Andrew Durante while getting treatment during Victory's 4-1 win on April 2.

But FFA's disciplinary...