Belgian international striker Stein Huysegems marked a Wellington Phoenix Invitational XI’ first pre-season hit out with a hat-trick as his side beat Wellington Olympic 4-0 at Porirua Park on Tuesday night.
Phoenix head coach Ernie Merrick stressed it was little more than a training game, played over 35 minutes each way, but was pleased with the way his team performed.
“It was a good opportunity to see the under-20 players we are trialling in a game situation,” Merrick said.
“We moved the ball well at times and considering we only had seven contracted players on the field it was satisfying.”
The seven became six 15 minutes from time when Cameron Lindsay was injured and the only available substitute, New Zealand under-20 defender Alec Solomons, had been used at halftime leaving the Phoenix to finish the game with 10 men.
Huysegems gave the Phoenix the best possible start with a first minute well-taken goal, and he added a second with a neat turn before halftime after good work by under-20 international striker Hamish Watson.
The Belgian added a third before Watson set up under-20 team mate Tom Biss for the fourth.
Wellington Phoenix Glen Moss (Scott Basalaj 55m), Louis Fenton, Luke Adams, Andrew Durante, Luke Rowe, Vince Lia, Tom Biss, Cameron Lindsay, Justin Gulley (Alec Solomons 35m), Stein Huysegems, Hamish Watson.
