Better the Devlin you know?

Good luck to Alex Rufer.

The All Whites midfielder may struggle to win back a starting role in the Wellington Phoenix after his replacement, Cameron Devlin, produced his third manof-the-match performance in the club’s biggest win of the A-League season.

The 21-year-old Australian, handed his first start when Rufer sustained a knee injury, was everywhere in the impressive 3-1 win against former coach Mark Rudan’s Western United at Mars Stadium in Ballarat yesterday and played a crucial role in setting up the opening goal scored by striker David Ball.

Devlin pinched the ball off former Phoenix midfielder Max Burgess and passed through to Mexican star Ulises Davila, who turned Aaron Calver and charged towards the penalty area.

With two defenders on his shoulder, Davila showed sublime awareness to cut the ball back to Ball, who was left alone by former Phoenix Andrew Durante.

The 41st minute strike was just reward for the Phoenix, who had six shots on target to Western’s three and looked the better team throughout.

Western were extremely lucky to avoid an early red card when Jerry Skotadis collected Ball with a coat hanger from behind midway through the first half.

The Phoenix striker was floored by the contact to the back of the head but, much to his teammates’ bemusement, Skotadis escaped punishment for the foul when it seemed for all money he was going to be sent off.

Skotadis eventually found himself in referee Shaun Evans’ notebook when he grabbed Davila in an attempt to stop him breaking through midfield.

Fox Sports pundit Mark Bosnich said he should have been given his marching orders after the earlier challenge: ‘‘It looked like a forearm smash,’’ Bosnich said. ‘‘I’m looking at it very, very closely and I can’t see anything other than it being an elbow and hence it’s a red card, and he didn’t even get booked for it.’’