Juninho guides Sydney home

Sydney FC's revival has continued at Newcastle's expense, with the Hyundai A-League glamour club seeing off the Jets 1-0 at the SFS on Saturday night.

A well-taken Alex Brosque goal - his second of the campaign - in the 36th minute was enough to quell a committed but under-strength Jets outfit before 13,755 fans.

Bottom of the Hyundai A-League table just two weeks ago following an embarrassing home defeat to Wellington, FC has now recorded back-to-back victories to consolidate their spot in the top four.

They move to within a point of second-placed Newcastle after the Jets' first loss of the season.

Goals have been hard to come by in the Hyundai A-League this season and this game needed only one to settle it.

Juninho picked out Brosque with a lovely ball and the oft-maligned striker did the rest, turning Jade North and stroking the ball past Ante Covic into the bottom left corner.

The tiny South American was lively and at his enterprising best in his first game back after a three-week injury lay-off, further underlining his value to the sky blues.

He left the field to a standing ovation after 85 minutes.

How the visitors could have done with some of Juninho's ingenuity.

The Jets were happy to sit back and hit Sydney FC on the counter, ensuring there was a distinct lack of goalmouth action at either end during the opening stages of the first half.

Sydney's Terry McFlynn manufactured arguably the best chance of the half, laying off a neat ball for Ruben Zadkovich to spray just wide after 26 minutes.

Newcastle did manage several forays into the home side's third - Matthew Thompson noticeably finding plenty of space down Sydney's right - without offering a genuine threat.

Adam Griffiths provided Mario Jardel with a half-chance at the 34th minute, but the Brazilian poked the ball well over the bar.

Brosque's goal two minutes later was just what the game needed, meaning the team from the Hunter had to release the handbrake in search of an equaliser.

Newcastle's commitment to the cause could not be questioned, with three players - Griffiths, Thompson and Adam D'Apuzzo - receiving first half yellow cards.

Jets coach Gary van Egmond removed Jardel from the action at half-time and went for fresh legs and a more attacking approach.

It almost paid dividends in the 53rd minute, Griffiths header from a D'Apuzzo free kick flying menacingly over the Sydney crossbar.

Zadkovich tried his luck from distance on the hour, bringing the ball down and hitting his volley just wide of the left post.

Brandon Santalab flashed a header to the wrong side of the right post minutes later and then Juninho shot across the face of goal as the Jets came under the pump.

Newcastle did come close to pinching a point when Denni's close-range effort was saved by Sydney 'keeper Clint Bolton in the 88th minute.

But in the end Brosque's goal was all it took to separate the sides.