Wellington Phoenix are sweating on the fitness of David Ball after the English striker was forced from the field with a hip injury in Saturday's nervy 2-1 win over Central Coast Mariners.

Ball was sensational in the first half, thriving alongside countryman Gary Hooper, who was handed just his second A-League start against the 10th-place Mariners.

He set up Hooper's 13th minute opener and scored the Phoenix's second midway through the first half, beating two defenders and curling a left-footed effort through a crowded penalty area.

HAGEN HOPKINS/GETTY IMAGES Phoenix team-mates Callum McCowatt and Gary Hooper celebrate Hooper's opening goal.

But Ball was forced from the field early in the second half after tweaking his right hip flexor.

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"David Ball I think was exceptional, it was one of those things where I think he felt his hip flexor and it was a change I didn't want to make but at times in happens in the game," coach Ufuk Talay said.

Ball looked in clear discomfort after the match and is now in serious doubt for next Saturday's clash with Western Sydney Wanderers.

"I'm hoping that it's nothing major.

"He felt it so we thought there was no point of continuing on, just come off instead of making it worse.

"It's too early to make a call but we'll find out in the next 48 hours where he stands."

GETTY IMAGES Matti Steinmann makes a break through midfield.

Although Ball's injury soured the win, Talay was able to give Hooper his second start of the season and he said he was delighted with his marquee signing's performance, tapping home from a Tim Payne cross to open the scoring.

"I'm pleased that he started and he got through the game unscathed, which is most important, and he scored his goal," he said.

"Reno [Piscopo] is away now so he gives us that firepower where we can actually play him up top. We played Uli [Davila] as a No. 10, a little bit wider, but we have flexibility with Bally being able to drop into that spot as well."

Brought in to replace Johnny Warren medallist Roy Krishna, Hooper has endured an injury-plagued start to life in the A-League. His only previous start came against Melbourne City in round four, which is when he netted his first goal.

But Talay said Hooper's 62 minute showing against the Mariners proves he is ready to be a key player for the Phoenix moving forward as they target a perfect 12-point January.

"He's been moving very well at training and he needed the match minutes and he's played reserve grade previously where he played 45 minutes and today we gave him 60 and we'll just keep building him up."

While it was not their most convincing win, Saturday's result extends the Phoenix's unbeaten run to eight games and moves the team up to fourth place on the A-League ladder.

"At the end of the day I'm happy about the three points but I wasn't pleased about the second half," Talay said.

"I think Ball coming off injured changed a few things for us. That wasn't in the game plan, but we adapted to it.

"We weren't great in the second half but we were good enough to keep them out and get the three points."

Wellington Phoenix 2 (Gary Hooper 13', David Ball 29') Central Coast Mariners 1 (Luke DeVere own goal 45+1')

HT: 2-1

Attendance: 8201