YoungHeart - bottom of the ASB Premiership and without a win since beating Otago United 3-0 back in November - played without inhibition and turned in a top performance.
Goals by Tom Mosquera, Michael Fraser and Seule Soromon gave Manawatu the new year lift they've been desperately seeking after a morale sapping 4-1 home defeat to Otago at the same venue on Sunday.
Wellington Phoenix 'A' were by no means a pushover.
Alex Smith, Manny Muscat, Paul Ifill and Benjamin Totori all took part in the match for the visitors who like their first team, struggled to hit their usual rythmn.
Phoenix 'A' opened the scoring with an early goal but the home side rallied quickly.
Mosquera equalised just after the quarter hour mark, making it his eighth goal in nine competitive fixtures this season, an impressive total given his team's travails this season.
Manawatu nosed into what became an unassailable advantage when Vanuatu international Seule Soromon scored 13 minutes into the second half.
Michael Fraser - who has had his share of injury woes this season - capped off a fitting return, notching his first goal of the season and YoungHeart's third midway through the second half.
YoungHeart Manawatu last faced Wellington Phoenix 'A' on December 7, 2010, when goals by Colin Falvey, Adam Cowan and Dale Higham gave the Palmerstonians a convincing 3-0 win over a team that contained Dylan MacAllister, Mirjan Pavlovic, Diego and Danny Vukovic.
Only four players from that day remain with Manawatu - Cowan, Higham, Nathan Cooksley and goalkeeper Matt Borren.
Manawatu face Hawke's Bay United in the ASB Premiership at Memorial Park on Sunday at 2pm.
ENDS
Match Details
Phoenix Challenge
YoungHeart Manawatu 3
Wellington Phoenix 'A' 1
Scorers:
Tom MOSQUERA (YHM) 16'
Seule SOROMON (YHM) 58'
Michael FRASER (YHM) 73'
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