Melbourne wins to claim A-League lead

SYDNEY, Australia – Melbourne went to the top of the Australian A-League table with a 1-0 win over Brisbane on Sunday.

Archie Thompson scored the only goal of the match in the eighth minute with a diving header from a free kick.

Brisbane appeared to have equalized in the 79th minute when substitute Josh McCloughan headed home an accurate corner but the referee ruled Roar captain Craig Moore had impeded the goalkeeper.

"We got punished for poor defending, again," former Australia captain Moore said.

"No longer can I sit up here and make excuses. We are where we are because of the silly goals we give away every week."

Sydney had a chance to reclaim top spot when it faced Perth in Sunday's late game.

The Gold Coast missed its chance to take the outright lead in the standings when it conceded a stoppage time goal and drew 1-1 with Adelaide United.

Matthew Leckie's low shot from 20 meters in the 93rd minute revived Adelaide which had dominated the first half of the match but had gone behind to a Steve Fitzsimmons goal after 64 minutes.

Gold Coast was reduced to 10 men in the 33rd minute when defender Kristian Lees was sent off for bringing down the goal-bound Leckie.

"After the send-off happened I would've been happy with one point, I would've signed my life on it," Gold Coast coach Miron Bleiberg said.

"I don't think (Adelaide coach Aurelio Vidmar) deserved to lose or Adelaide deserved to lose but I felt sorry and disappointed for the boys."

Adelaide had 62 percent of possession and eight more shots on goal than Gold Coast in the first half but Gold Coast gained parity in the second.

"Our first half was excellent, the movement off the ball, the movement right throughout the team, everyone was really committed and I felt really sorry for the boys tonight, very sorry for them," Vidmar said.

Central Coast followed its 4-0 win over Melbourne in the previous match with a 5-1 thumping of bottom-placed North Queensland. Nik Mrdja struck twice and Pedj Bojic, Ahmed Elrich and John Hutchinson scored as the Mariners moved to fourth on the league table.

"That was a hard game that easily could have been five each," Central Coast coach Lawrie McKinna said.

"I was pretty disappointed with the first half but their finishing tonight was unbelievable."

Wellington got its first away win in 12 matches, beating Newcastle 1-0 thanks to a goal by former Milwall striker Paul Ifill.

Ifill's composed finish sealed an important win for a Wellington team which included several players backing up from New Zealand's World Cup qualifying win over Bahrain last weekend.