In a game that neither side really deserved to win, a single controversial moment midway through the second half saw Sydney FC take a 1-0 win over the Newcastle Jets in the basement clash at the Sydney Football Stadium. The result moved Sydney up two places ahead of both Newcastle and the North Queensland Fury.
Both teams were missing a couple of key players, mostly injured. Yet, the benching of Newcastle's Ljubo Milicevic and Kasey Wehrman, came as a surprise. Following their dust-up mid-week at training many expected the duo to be left out all together, yet coach Branko Culina chose that the two were too important not to be included.
The game commenced like one with two teams battling at the bottom of the league. There was little skill, but much enthusiasm. There were, though, a number of chances to both sides, yet the ability to find the target left a lot to be desired.
Labinot Haliti was the first to try his luck, but he did not connect properly when the ball was fed to him and the shot fell easily to Ivan Necevski. Sydney relied on the expected attackers with both Cazarine and Brosque but their accuracy matched that of their opponents.
The litany of missed chances mounted through the half, yet it would be Sydney who finished the better and should have at least tested goalkeeper, Ben Kennedy. When Sydney captain Terry McFlynn opened up the Newcastle defence with a delightful ball to Brosque, the forward's shot flew well into the stands.
The second period commenced in a similar vein to that of the first, with both sides appearing content to provide a display that could only be considered the worst so far this season.
It would be Newcastle who took the game forward and created a couple of decent chances. Marko Jesic stung the hands of Necevski and Ali Abbas should have done a lot better when he was fed a cross to the far post by Haliti.
Then in the 76th minute controversy. The assistant referee on the Sydney attacking side did not make the correct decision when the ball went out of play. A long ball down the right was chased by Hirofimu Moriyasu with Nikolai Topor Stanley trying to allow the ball to go out.
The decision backfired as Moriyasu nipped in and crossed the ball for Bruno Casarine to tap in at the far post. The problem was that that ball had already crossed the line. The assistant referee was actually caught out unsighted as he had flagged a foul by Topor Stanley and stood stationery some five metres from the goal line.
The Newcastle players, and coach, complained vehmently to the officials but nothing could be done to reverse the decision.
Sydney had gained some momentum and with five minutes left the two transgressors form earlier in the week were finally allowed onto the field. Yet, their efforts were all in vain and Sydney's defence could not be penetrated.