The visitors were dominant from the outset and sent on their way by star attacker Fernando De Moraes, who scored a brace.

 

He scored once in each half before midfielder Carl Recchia and captain Ramazan Tavsancioglu ensured an emphatic victory for the side's loyal travelling fans.

 

The Georgies made one change to the team that drew 1-1 at Dandenong with Douglas Cameron dropping out of the squad, replaced by James Blackburn.

 

Returning from suspension, striker Peter Koutsoupias earned a place on the bench.

 

Meanwhile, Vaughan Coveny went in with an unchanged squad to the one that beat Oakleigh by a solitary goal in round 21.

 

In driving rain, South sent the early warning signs with Tavsancioglu cutting inside from the right to send a shot fizzing wide inside 20 seconds.

 

Blackburn had a chance of his own for the Georgies on three minutes, but his blocked shot ricocheted off the crossbar in an action-packed opening.

 

South striker Gianni De Nittis opened a gap in the Sunshine defence on five minutes, but after successfully rounding a stranded Martin John, his shot was cleared off the goal line.

 

The Georgies defended with desperation including a last ditch clearance from the feet of Marino Gasparis but it was brought undone by a piece of brilliance from De Moraes on 13 minutes.

 

Turning onto his left on the edge of the area, De Moraes left John powerless with a screaming shot into the top corner of the net.

 

South left back Rhodri Payne managed to hit the frame of the goal with his cross deflecting off the post and wide.

 

Sunshine tried to attack on the counter and after a cross from Leo Shin was half-cleared, Fidell Richards sent a deflected shot inches wide.

 

The best chance for the Georgies fell for striker Taxiarhis Apostolikas on 33 minutes.

 

Richards fed the forward behind the South defence, but he scuffed his shot wide with only Peter Zois to beat.

 

The visitors almost doubled their advantage before the interval after Joe Keenan sliced through the Georgies defence, but his shot hit the side netting in a one-on-one.

 

South again came out blazing at the start of the second half, dominating possession and settling into their attacking half.

 

De Moraes forced John into pushing his 30-yard free kick around the post before the pressure paid off just after the hour mark.

 

Central midfielder Daniel Vasilevski sent a raking pass to Gasparis on the right flank before he squared for De Nittis who struck a dipping ball over John and onto the crossbar.

 

Still in play, De Moraes found himself free at the back post to slam a volley into the roof of the net and double the lead.

 

A cross from Vasilevski on 67 minutes found the head of midfield partner Recchia, but he put a difficult header over the bar.

 

Recchia did get the third with 20 minutes to play after Vasilevski was again brought down in a dangerous position outside the area.

 

He struck a firm free kick into the top corner of the net, leaving John unmoved, to make it 3-0.

 

Former Georgies man Kyle Joryeff almost made his impact off the bench on 76 minutes, but he put his header into the post after a Keenan cross.

 

Vasilevski squandered two chances in the space of two minutes, first shooting wide with Joryeff free in the middle and then placing a shot inches over after a pass from Tavsancioglu.

 

The captain got a rare goal on 83 minutes.

 

Joryeff and Keenan exchanged passes before the former forced John into a parry leaving Tavsancioglu to slide in and score from close range.

 

Joryeff wasted a glorious opportunity to score against his former club in the first minute of stoppage time after Gasparis put him behind, but his attempt at a cheeky chip went well wide.

 

The final whistle brought to an end Sunshine George Cross' run in the top flight while South Melbourne momentarily moved into fifth spot.