The only A-League match Victory have ever won in Geelong was a 4-2 performance against Newcastle, but despite some of the league's finest interplay, the striking was little more than tepid for the Big V.

While catenaccio-esque defending and a scrambling Johnny Koutroubmis opener decided the match, it was up to Petratos to justify the match ticket - the midfielder scoring one of this season's truly sensational strikes to round out the result.

"I had two more shots before that, they just missed, but I had to keep going and keep shooting and, yeah, just join in," a rather understated, and a little exhausted Petratos explained.

"It was a tough game, I think Victory played well, we attacked as a team, defended as a team. We showed as much as we can and really, just believed in ourselves.

"The goals will come, I get a lot of chances - we've been through the rough patches and I think we've grown for them."

While their win moves the Jets within two points of Wellington Phoenix in sixth place and seals the Novocastrians first win in nearly four years within Victoria, it spells a growing trend for Victory. 

Not only is this their first time failing to score at home in 26 matches, it's also their fifth consecutive match copping the first goal. Injuries aside - and Ola Toivonen's absence hurts their side deeply - it's not the run of form of a Championship contender.

"We're getting punished, we played really well but we're slipping back into it. We need to take our chances," Kosta Barbarouses said.

"We've dealt with injuries really well and we don't use excuses but we need to put pressure on Perth (Glory) and Sydney (FC), and the fact that we've slipped further behind just isn't good enough.

"It's one of those days - I missed a few, Kenny (Athiu) missed a few....it's just one of those days."