AAP
Dejected ... Brett Emerton. Photo: getty Images
ADELAIDE United maestro Dario Vidosic scored twice to orchestrate a 3-0 drubbing of an off-key Sydney FC on Monday night.
Vidosic's first-half brace, and a second half tap-in by Iain Ramsay at Hindmarsh Stadium, ensured the Reds kept snapping at the heels of ladder leaders Central Coast.
Second-placed Adelaide remain two points shy of the Mariners, who earlier on New Year's Eve downed Perth Glory 1-0.
Vidosic's double took his tally to eight goals in an influential season - he also hit the crossbar with an audacious curling 20-metre free kick, and struck a side post with another hat-trick attempt.
But more importantly for the 10,934-strong Adelaide crowd, Vidosic helped break the Reds' two-game losing sequence, opening his account with an 18th-minute header.
Creative Marcelo Carrusca delivered a nifty pass that Iain Ramsay wisely let run for teammate Cassio, streaming down the left. Cassio's cross found an airborne Vidosic, whose header floated into the top right corner of the net.
Just 11 minutes later, Vidosic sliced through slack defence before passing to frontman Bruce Djite, who was felled by a tackle from behind by defender Sebastian Ryall.
Vidosic calmly slotted the penalty and the Sky Blues were on their way to a ninth loss in 14 matches.
Adelaide winger Ramsay rubbed salt into Sydney's wounds in the 61st minute after Djite outmuscled Ryall, charged at goal, and aimed a low left-footer at goal.
The shot was well saved by diving goalkeeper Vedran Janjetovic but the rebound fell kindly into Ramsay's path and he tapped in from just two metres out.
Sydney, without injured star Alessandro Del Piero, were hampered by the loss of midfielder Adam Griffiths, who hobbled off in the 12th minute with a leg injury.
The Sky Blues have now conceded a whopping 30 goals this season and will return to the bottom of the ladder should Melbourne Heart defeat or draw with Newcastle on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, few would argue Western Sydney Wanderers are the A-League's big improvers but they plan to show just how far they have come in a New Year's Day blockbuster against Melbourne Victory.
The sides last met in November and the Victory triumphed 2-0 away from home, despite playing most of the match with 10 men after defender Sam Gallagher was sent off. Both sides have hit form since, and few would have predicted the rematch at Parramatta Stadium on Tuesday night would be top-four clash.
Wanderers coach Tony Popovic felt his fledgling side showed its inexperience in the first meeting.
''We've improved a lot since then,'' Popovic said on Monday. ''It was a unique circumstance for us, playing against 10 men so early, and possibly we weren't prepared for something like that.
''We got punished on that day and we learned a lot from that match, and since then we've shown a gradual improvement. We're hoping tomorrow we can show that out on the pitch.''
With 10 points each from their past five matches, both the fourth-placed Wanderers and third-placed Victory are closing the gap on competition pacesetters Central Coast and Adelaide. And in Ange Postecoglou's Victory, Western Sydney face the league's best offensive side.
There are few bigger threats than New Zealand sensation Marco Rojas, whose spectacular double strike steered Melbourne to a 3-2 win over Newcastle on Friday. ''He's on fire,'' Wanderers captain Michael Beauchamp admitted.
AAP
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