Southern Coach Mike Fridge said the early goals upset his team and it struggled to implement the agreed game plan
''We knew it was going to be a difficult game. We were very disappointed to lose a goal in the first couple of minutes.
''You set your game plan out and tell the guys to keep it tight in the opening 15-20 minutes and to lose a goal after two minutes was just a big blow to us and that kind of set us back a little bit.
''Then we lost another one on about the 15 minutes mark. I'm hoping for it to be tight for the first 15-20 minutes and by 15 minutes we're 2-0 down.''
Fridge lamented the chance just before halftime which could have changed the course of the game.
''The sending off gave us 11 against 10. George Milne had an absolute great chance in the first half. I think if he's taken that we would be going in 2-1 and I think the whole game might have maybe changed.
''I'm happy with the way we're trying to play. We're trying to get it wide, we're trying to pass it. If any team is organised and compact, whether they have 10 men or not, they can still make it very difficult for you to break down and score.
''We were just lacking a little bit in the last third and didn't create as many chances as we would have liked. But Wellington is a difficult place to come.''
Wellington's first goal came from a fluid attack in which a pinpoint cross fell to striker Michael Gwyther, who watched his header come off the crossbar, allowing Luis Corrales to volley the rebound past Tom Batty in goal.
Wellington doubled its lead on 15 minutes with a touch of class, from a free kick about 20m out. The win moves Team Wellington to the top of the table and it now plays Wanderers SC on December 14th in its final match of 2014 before the Christmas break, while Southern plays away to Hawkes Bay United.
A dominant first half set up Southern's youth side for a well earned 4-3 win over Auckland at Tahuna Park yesterday.
Matt Kelly drilled in a 13th minute penalty after Lewis Jackson was fouled in the box, and according to coach Kevin Scoullar, his side played its best football of the season to subdue the classy Aucklanders.
The highly competitive match boiled throughout, with seven goals, a penalty, several shots hitting the woodwork and a Southern player, Joe Clark being sent off late in the match.
Auckland's 15th-minute equaliser was well fashioned, as a right-wing cross was clipped in at the near post by Thai striker Wisawayot Koschira, who was a thorn in Southern's side for the whole match.
Southern regained the lead when Lewis Jackson scored the first of his two goals. The elegant young striker ran on to a through pass from Kelly and calmly beat Auckland's giant keeper, Eamon Goedin.
Despite playing into the strong wind, Southern played controlled football to set up relentless attacks on the visitors and Jackson, Nathan Wilkie, Neil Connor and Kelly all got into good positions.
The second half required different tactics and coach Scoullar kept a tight defence, while looking to break out and score.
Auckland got in a muddle after having to retake a defensive free kick, and in the confusion, Rahan Ali nipped in, stole the ball and increased Southern's lead with an accurate shot after 58 minutes.
The goal fired up Auckland, and with nothing to lose, players poured forward in attacks that had Southern struggling.
In one flurry of goal-mouth action, there were several shots, two of which hit the woodwork, panic clearances allowed further shots, and keeper Liam Little managed two superb close range reflex saves to keep Auckland at bay.
One breakaway attack by Koschira was fouled by Clark and he was shown a red card, so Southern was reduced to 10 men in the 83rd minute.
Against the odds, Jackson scored again, running on to a long clearance from keeper Little, and his crisp shot made the score 4-2 with four minutes of normal time left.
A minute later, Callum Waters forced his side back into the reckoning, scoring in a goal-mouth melee.
Staunch defence won the day for Southern, and Scoullar, who has had to suffer four draws this season, praised his undermanned team's character.
