The experienced campaigner was perfectly placed to meet substitute Terry McFlynn’s cross and bury his first goal for a year.

It was tough on Jets keeper Ante Covic who enjoyed an excellent match at the Sydney Football Stadium but the visitors paid the price for not pushing on to make their numerical advantage pay.

Ruben Zadkovich had seen red early in the second half for a ridiculous challenge on Adam Griffiths but it wasn’t enough to prevent the home team recording a third straight 1-0 win over the Jets this season.

The three points leaves Sydney breathing down the necks of the top four clubs with a game in hand.

Match-winner Corica said: “We needed that three points to stay with the top four and I’ve waited a long time this year for that goal. I’m just pleased it’s come today. It’s massive for us. Now we’ve got to concentrate on next week and beat Perth. If we win 1-0 every game then that’s fine.”

Covic was understandably less pleased and was left to question a lack of character at the death.

He said: “Devastated. To concede a goal at the end like that, a little bit of lack of character in this team. We’ve got to get a bit more mongrel in us. When you go 1-0 down after 93 minutes, it’s just shit.”

After an afternoon of heavy rain in the harbour city the visitors were anxious to avoid a third successive slip up against their hosts, both matches so far this season having ended 1-0 to the men in blue.

More than just bragging rights were up for grabs in this New South Wales derby. A Sydney win would push John Kosmina’s men back into top four contention while a Jets victory would leave the two sides seven points apart.

Sydney FC was deprived of Juninho’s services with the shin injury that will keep him sidelined until the New Year but skipper Tony Popovic returned from suspension.

As for the Jets Mark Bridge, reportedly a target for Sydney FC, returned from an ankle injury with Matt Thompson also back into the starting XI. Brazilian striker Mario Jardel found himself dropped to the bench again.

To add to the excitement, the match saw the Hyundai A-League’s two leading goalscorers up against each other with Joel Griffiths looking to keep Alex Brosque at bay in the golden boot stakes. The fixture also pitted the competition’s two busiest goalkeepers against each other in Clint Bolton and Ante Covic – more than 100 saves between them this year.

After a relatively quiet start to proceedings Bridge couldn’t quite push the ball past Mark Rudan after a fine ball forward from Stuart Musialik on six minutes.

Tarek Elrich looked hopefully at referee Matthew Breeze moments later as his run into the box was halted by Robbie Middleby. However, it was a perfectly timed challenge from the club’s top tackler based on the current statistics.

Joel Griffiths was then clattered by Middleby on the right edge of the box on 12 minutes but Adam D’Apuzzo’s set piece delivery left a lot to be desired and was easily cleared. D’Apuzzo then found himself at the centre of a penalty shout as he appeared to impede Michael Bridges as the Hull City man waited for a cross – all this after an offside flag had robbed the home side of an opening goal.

Skipper Popovic made an intelligent run forward from defence on 21 but although his positioning was spot on, there was too much meat on the pass from Brosque. But with a quarter of the match completed neither keeper had really been called upon to break sweat.

Bridges was left clutching his head after being caught in the head by Jade North’s boot but seemed none the worse for his ordeal after a touchline tangle.

Bridges’ strike partner Brosque was left clutching his knee on 26 after he was brought down by D’Apuzzo but was fit to continue after treatment. From the resulting free-kick none of the Sydney players were able to reach Steve Corica’s delivery, the ball drifting out for a goal kick.

On the half hour Joel Griffiths accelerated into the area to meet Bridge’s cross from the left but headed high and wide under pressure from Popovic. Perhaps it was the soggy conditions but there was little or no spark from either team with precious little composure or quality.

On 34 minutes a goalkeeper was finally called into action and it was Covic who excelled. Brosque skipped away down the left and crossed for Bridges. It looked a goal all the way until Covic threw himself across to grasp the powerful strike at the second attempt.

Elrich teed up Bridge on the edge of the box as the derby finally began to burst into life but the shot was blocked. Corica almost threaded his way through at other end as the tempo stepped up a couple of gears while Zadkovich earned the first corner of the game with a deflected shot on 41 minutes. Corica’s set piece was comfortably gathered by Covic though.

As the first half moved towards stoppage time the Jets earned their first corner but just as Covic had been equal to Sydney’s delivery, Bolton clutched the ball into his grasp.

The two teams headed for the break with nothing to separate them in a match that desperately needed a goal.
Bridge finally produced the Jets first shot on target five minutes into the second half just before the visitors made their first change, Jobe Wheelhouse making way for Noel Spencer.

The derby exploded into life on 52 with Ruben Zadkovich handed a straight red card for a disgraceful challenge on Adam Griffiths. It was the sixth red card in meetings between the two sides.

Bridges climbed well to meet a Popovic cross from the left on 59 but couldn’t keep his header low enough to trouble Covic.

Covic to the rescue again on 62 as he spread himself superbly to deny Brosque and when the Sydney striker reacted first to tee up Bridges, Andrew Durante was there to clear off the line. That was Bridges last action of the night as he was replaced by Terry McFlynn.

Popovic was booked for a late kick on Joel Griffiths as the match remained finely poised going into the final quarter.

Griffiths clashed with Rudan moments later on the edge of the area with the Jets man collapsing to the turf and needing treatment. The former Sydney skipper was extremely fortunate to escape an early shower at first glance.

A tight offside decision then robbed Griffiths of an opening goal with the same player then glancing a 74th minute header wide of the left post.

Bridge thumped a low drive well wide of the right upright on 77 while a long range strike from Musialik sailed harmlessly over Bolton’s crossbar just a minute later.

Ufuk Talay crashed a shot off the Jets wall following a foul by Durante on Brosque as the 10 men pushed forward in search of a winner.

Mario Jardel entered the fray with seven minutes remaining, Thompson the man to make way. Rudan launched himself at a Talay cross on 85 but couldn’t direct his header on target as Sydney continued to look the more likely winner.

Elrich got round the back of the Sydney defence only for Popovic to clear while Bolton got down smartly to his right to parry a fierce strike from Spencer. Jardel somehow missed with the follow up and was probably grateful to see the offside flag spare his blushes.
Just when it looked as though a largely forgettable derby would peter out into a draw, Rudan found McFlynn. He picked out Steve Corica who planted a header beyond Covic to snatch all three points and send the SFS into raptures.

FourFourTwo says... Steve Corica picked a timely moment to end his Sydney FC goal drought as the 10 men snatched all three points. John Kosmina's men just about deserved the win having responded well after the needless dismissal of Ruben Zadkovich early in the second half. Ante Covic was the busier of the two goalkeepers with the Jets failing to make their extra man pay. This win continues Kosmina's unbeaten start as coach and leaves his team well placed to push for a top four spot.