Brisbane Roar ended Wellington Phoenix’s four-game winning streak and jumped into second place on the A-League ladder with a 2-0 win at Westpac Stadium on Sunday.

The Roar dominated possession for much of the game and, although Wellington battled hard to create chances, they too often struggled for cohesion in the attacking third.

Brisbane are just five points astray of leaders Central Coast Mariners, with the Phoenix third a further two points back.

Besart Berisha’s clinical finish in the 41st minute and a superb strike from Mitch Nichols in the 80th secured the win in front of a vocal 13,000 Phoenix home crowd.

Brisbane’s patience in attack and precision passing created problems for the home team almost from the first whistle.

Dynamic midfielder Massimo Murdocca’s vision and combination with Henrique and prolific striker Berisha threatened early on, but the Phoenix’s makeshift defence, missing stalwart Manny Muscat through suspension, survived a series of free-kicks and corners.

The Phoenix’s best chances in the spell came on the counter attack, influential midfielder Dani Sanchez forcing a solid save from Brisbane ‘keeper Michael Theoklitos after Paul Ifill sent him clear one-on-one in the opening exchanges.

The Roar always had options off the ball, Thomas Broich taking on a deeper, more central role as the game wore on. But it was the quick thinking of midfielder Erik Partalu that led to Brisbane’s first goal, five minutes out from the break.

He knocked a long ball through to the edge of the area, and Berisha finished for his 13th goal of the season.

The Phoenix lifted their game in the second spell, pressuring Brisbane’s midfield and creating clear-cut chances down the left with excellent work from Sanchez and Tony Lochhead.

But Nichols’ thunderbolt strike 10 minutes from the final whistle destroyed any hopes of a Phoenix comeback.