Fired up Durante labels Neumann cheat

Jeronimo scored twice as Adelaide hit three goals in the final 40 minutes to secure a 3-1 victory over Phoenix.

But Wellington is fuming at Jeronimo's dive which led to Phoenix defender Ben Sigmund being sent off by referee Jared Gillett.

"He has dived, he's a cheat in my book," Wellington captain Andrew Durante told Fox Sports.

Wellington coach Ricki Herbert said he was unaware of his captain's remarks.

But Herbert was riled at a goal by Wellington's Jeremy Brockie being ruled offside in the 59th minute, while saying a goal by Adelaide's Cassio some nine minutes later was offside.

"You have seen the video footage, write it yourself, I probably don't need to put words in your mouth," Herbert told reporters.

"At the end of the day we have got an opinion and sometimes we can't voice it and I think that is to be respected.

"But all we ask for, is there an equal sort of line across the board?

"I think Jeremy's goal was a great goal.

"I thought Cassio's goal, that is offside.

"You make your own assessments on those.

"And let's have a look at the review on the dive, if the boy hasn't dived, then fine, we all move on, it happens from time to time.

"But if he has, then maybe there is a chance to make a bit of a statement here."

Adelaide coach John Kosmina was surprised at Durante's comment about Jeronimo.

"That is a bit unfortunate, not a nice to thing to say," Kosmina said.

Referee Gillett was also the centre of grand final controversy last season, after awarding a contentious extra time penalty to Brisbane Roar's Besart Berisha in the side's 2-1 win.

But Kosmina suggested Gillett was in best position to judge whether Jeronimo dived.

"The referees make decisions that you agree with sometimes and they make decisions that you don't," he said.

"Looking at replay, it was a hard one to call.

"And he was in a better position than I was, and probably in a better position than the cameras, because he was right behind it."

It was Wellington's first defeat of the season while Adelaide joined Newcastle Jets at the top of the table with its third win in four games.