Newcastle Jets have moved to within a win of the A-League Men top-six by riding a second-half offensive explosion to a 4-0 win over depleted Wellington Phoenix.
The hosts were frustrated throughout the opening stanza at McDonald Jones Stadium on Friday evening but Olivier Boumal's 51st-minute goal served to open the floodgates, with the Cameroonian international adding a second in the 63rd minute.
Beka Mikeltadze grabbed his ninth goal of the season four minutes later and Eli Babalj completed the procession in the 83rd.
Snapping a three-game losing streak, Arthur Papas's side are now three points behind sixth-placed Sydney FC but have a game in hand over the Sky Blues - who they will face next Friday.
The Phoenix remain equal on points with Sydney although they have two games in hand on them but have an inferior goal difference.
Compounding Ufuk Talay's worries, attacker Jaushua Sotirio made an enforced exit in the 57th and now potentially joins another three injured players and four others on international duty on Phoenix's unavailable list.
David Ball missed the loss through suspension but will be available for their next fixture against Perth Glory next Saturday.
Though the Jets have won plaudits for their willingness to attack this season, the first half of Friday evening's contest gave the indication that they would once again prove unable to convert their cavalcade of chances into actual goals.
Mikeltadze, Boumal, and Angus Thurgate all went close to opening the scoring, with Gary Hooper's saved redirect of a Louis Fenton shot in the 15th the best of the visitor's chances.
The Phoenix would have the best of the second half's early opportunities, only for the Jets to find their feet after Boumal's opener and make good on their box office reputation.
