Alex Brosque’s 34th minute goal proved to be the match winner, as he slammed home the ball from the edge of the area to consign Melbourne to last place in the pre-season cup and secure Sydney a belated first victory.

Seemingly intent to arrest their form slump, Melbourne grabbed the ascendency early, refusing to relinquish possession as they attempted to stretch the Sydney defence with their swift ball movement.

Archie Thompson signalled his intentions early as he embarked on a mazy run down the park, claiming the scalp of Mark Milligan in the process before running out of room.

But as the half progressed, undoubtedly hindered by the conditions, Victory’s once slick interplay deteriorated as amateurish errors crept into the game.

Captain Kevin Muscat was the primary culprit, along with much-feted import Carlos Hernandez; constantly sending passes astray as Sydney applied significant pressure in the midfield.

But while Melbourne’s midfield faltered, the combination of Ufuk Talay and Adam Biddle came to the fore and began to dominate proceedings, stylishly distributing the ball and creating openings for the likes of Brosque and former LA Galaxy player Michael Enfield.

And in their first genuine foray forward, the sky blues came agonisingly close to taking the lead through former captain Mark Rudan on 27 minutes.

After Biddle was fouled on the right flank, Olyroo captain Mark Milligan sent in a delicately whipped cross which found Rudan, who flashed a header inches high with Michael Theoklitos well beaten.

And after sustained period of pressure, Sydney broke through for the opening goal in the 34th minute as Brosque pounced on a poor Grant Brebner clearance before clinically angling a shot past a stationary Theoklitos.

Commencing the second period in the same fashion as they did the first, Melbourne almost snatched an equaliser on 50 minutes when a clearance ricocheted just wide of the post off half-time introduction Kaz Patafta following a goalmouth scrimmage, before five minutes later Thompson scorned Victory’s best chance of the match.

Receiving the ball at the halfway mark, Muscat pushed forward before playing a magnificent defence splitting pass which found Thompson, who cut inside and drove across the face of goal.

Having been a non-factor throughout, Hernandez was replaced mid-way through the second half by Adrian Caceres.

It didn’t take long for the Argentinean-born winger to make an impact as he ghosted past one defender before directed his strike wide.

Caceres’ introduction injected much needed enthusiasm into a lethargic Victory line-up, and coupled with the emergence of Patafta, who staked his claim for a starting berth, Melbourne were a transformed outfit.

And in the 77th minute, the on-loan Benfica player almost conjured an equaliser for his side, playing a wondrous through-ball that sent Thompson in on goal, but the Socceroo’s scoring woes continued, shooting wide with only Clint Bolton to beat.

As the game approached injury time, Melbourne pushed numbers forward in attempt to force the game to extra time, and they almost did so through Patafta, but the youngster’s long-range strike rocketed off the crossbar.