Soccer: Luck with Sydney as officials allow disputed goal

Bruno Cazarine of Sydney takes a shot on goal as Nikolai Topor-Stanley of the Jets defends. Photo / Getty Images

Glamour A-League club Sydney FC are off the bottom of the table for the first time this season but they needed a hotly disputed goal to do it.

Playing at the Sydney Football Stadium, the home side beat Newcastle Jets 1-0 with Bruno Cazarine's 77th minute controversial goal separating the New South Wales sides.

In what was an otherwise dour clash between the competition's bottom two clubs, Cazarine got the decisive breakthrough and Sydney's second win in three games to keep their finals hopes alive.

The controversy came in the lead-up when Sydney midfielder Hiro Moriyasu made a break down the right before getting to the by-line and cutting the ball back for the Brazilian striker to tap into an empty net for his fifth goal of the season.

However, replays showed the ball had just crossed the line before Moriyasu's cross but it was missed by assistant referee Ben Wilson and the goal was allowed to stand despite the protest of the Newcastle players.

Wilson had raised his flag, not for the ball being out but for a foul as Moriyasu tussled with Jets defender Nikolai-Topor Stanley just outside the box.

Jets coach Branko Culina was bitterly disappointed with the manner of the goal but resisted the temptation to criticise the referee and his assistant.

"It's part of the game ... hopefully one day we'll get a decision go our way like that as well," said Culina. "We've seen that too often those kind of decisions can ruin and determine the outcome of the game."

The loss left Newcastle at the bottom of the table with little prospect of advancing in the immediate future.

They are home to Adelaide United on Saturday and host leaders Brisbane Roar four days later.

For the second time in as many outings, following their win over the Phoenix midweek, 10-man Roar scored four in swamping previous pace-setters Adelaide 4-0 at Suncorp Stadium.

The home side did not go ahead until the 44th minute when Reinaldo scored.

Nine minutes into the second half the Brazilian departed, sent off for a second yellow card. But even one short, the Roar went on the rampage.

Within a minute Matt Smith doubled their lead and two goals in four minutes from livewire Kiwi striker Kosta Barbarouses completed the rout which left Adelaide coach Rini Coolen in awe.

"They play a very high level, they're definitely the best team we've played against and definitely the best team in the league," said Coolen.

"They are getting better and better. The way they played, and the movement, and the transition moments, it's a really high level. It's the biggest level in the league and the kind of level that belongs in Europe."

Barbarouses is now one of four players at top of the golden boot with five.

Melbourne Victory's up and down season went back down - beaten 1-0 at home by Gold Coast United who have lost only once this season. A 56th minute Roddy Vargas own goal handed the Coast their win.

It was the same story up north as Central Coast won 1-0 over North Queensland Fury to move into third place.

Central Coast's next assignment is the trip to Wellington on Saturday.

The Phoenix, one of four 1-0 winners in week 13, will take heart from their win in Perth in a game in which rookie referee Kris Griffiths-Jones struggled as he booked nine players and sent off Perth captain Jacob Burns.

There is no respite for the beleaguered West Australians as they face Adelaide away tomorrow and are back at home on Sunday to play the Victory.