Melbourne Victory tonight denied Sydney FC the chance to snatch the A-League minor premiership from the Central Coast Mariners.
In front of the largest crowd so far this season, Melbourne's defence dominated Sydney's forwards, while Daniel Allsopp and Archie Thompson tormented Sydney's defence throughout.
That one of Melbourne's goals was self-inflicted by Sydney's otherwise sound Mark Milligan only added to the home team's frustration.
Melbourne had a wonderful side on paper, especially considering the quality of the young players coach Ernie Merrick had available. Their performance was a confidence boost as the squad begins to prepare for the Asian Champions League.
Sydney needed goals. Three more than Melbourne would have been good to ward off any possible threat from Queensland player later in the evening.
And when Steve Corica scored in the first five minutes Sydney seemed to be on track for the premiership.
Sydney had kicked off, Milligan almost giving the ball away to Thompson before Robbie Middleby put over a good cross from the left and Adrian Caceres fluffed a cross from Melbourne's left.
Allsopp shot in from the right of the Sydney penalty area and Clint Bolton took a not-so-easy save.
When Milligan again sent the ball to Middleby on the left he squared to Corica free making a run down the guts. Corica ran past Kevin Muscat and shot under Rodrigo Vargas, beating young goalkeeper Mitchell Langerak inside the right post.
Melbourne came back promptly, Matthew Kemp skimming the crossbar, though Bolton had the goal covered.
Juninho was fouled 25 metres from goal, but his free kick hit the wall and went for a corner, which was flicked into the arms of Langerak.
Middleby was well robbed by Leigh Broxham and Nick Ward went in too hard on Ufuk Talay.
Sydney were playing the ball around. Melbourne were running it, mostly through Thompson, about whom someone down to my right shouted a racist remark he might have learned from reading recent reports of the cricket test against India.
Caceres skied a shot, Ward lofted a shot from the right flank, and Muscat and Ward combined to flatten Alex Brosque.
Milligan was doing well in the centre of Sydney's defence and Middleby got in more decent crosses.
Juninho was playing for possession but some in the Sydney defence persisted in hoicking the ball towards Brosque: pointless because he was always snuffed out by Kemp and Vargas.
An Allsopp shot bobbled through to Bolton, Thompson caused trouble on the edge of the Sydney penalty area and Ward shot another ball high over goal.
Tony Popovic was good winning possession but Muscat overpowered Juninho as the Brazilian cruised into the Melbourne penalty area.
McFlynn was good robbing Ward but Muscat outsmarted Brosque.
Melbourne won a corner from the right, Bolton punched clear and when the ball came back into the box Melbourne headed wide.
Corica called for the ball at Melbourne's right post, Middleby delivered but Kemp beat Corica from behind.
Juninho broke free down the right, broke through a Caceres tackle, possibly could have shot himself but squared to Brosque free coming down the middle. But Brosque had to check to collect the ball and Muscat surprised him.
McFlynn turned Broxham and shot just over the crossbar, Thompson ran at Sydney's left post, Bolton got down to keep him out, and Carlos Hernandez (having a great game) shot just to the left of goal.
Corica fouled Thompson and a good tackle by Vargas stopped Juninho weaving through the Melbourne penalty area again.
McFlynn sorted out Sebastian Ryall but Ryall wasn't impressed and wouldn't shake McFlynn's hand ? giving the crowd someone else to boo besides Muscat. Ryall took it out on Middleby and earned a yellow card.
Broxham fouled Corica and it was half time, after which Ryall was replaced by Steven Pace.
The second half had barely started before Ward crossed from the right and Milligan whacked the ball into the back of his own net.
Sydney won a free kick just outside the Melbourne penalty area. Juninho hit it gently straight to Langerak.
Corica went down in the box but the referee had been happy with the rough stuff and wasn't interested.
Juninho was fouled by Muscat and Pace, Ruben Zadkovich deftly beat Kemp, and McFlynn was good controlling the ball and getting it to Juninho in the right of the Melbourne box. Where Juninho was blocked.
Some big guy who turned up at half time kept standing up in front of me. No need. He was big. He had a clear view of the game. Just as I would if he hadn't kept standing up. The way he was chanting and thrusting his arms out he must have come from the Cove. Where it is expected and necessary to stand. Which is fine. For them. I missed much of the action from this point.
In the 56th minute the blue sky which had greyed a little suddenly grew black and rain tipped down. McFlynn took advantage and beat Muscat in the left corner ? and I couldn't see what happened next.
Melbourne had a long shot, easy for Bolton to take. Then a combination coming in from the left forced some serious scrambling in the Sydney box.
Milligan headed a free kick over the crossbar, Allsopp scored but was ruled offside, and in the 62nd minute Juninho made a smart turn and found Brosque who made a neat turn of his own and scored inside the left post.
McFlynn shot high after a good build up started by Juninho on the left after Melbourne had a chance ? a certain goal except a ball from the left came just behind the player arriving at the six yard box.
Allsopp called a save from Bolton at the left post, Ward shot left of goal, and Melbourne's defence was all over Brosque.
The sun came out, Corica was replaced by Adam Biddle, who seemed to be fouled hugely by Kemp for no reward, and Ward was replaced by Kaz Patafta, "long heralded as Australian football's next big thing" according to the program.
In the 76th minute Thompson outpaced Talay down the right and Allsopp got in front of Iain Fyfe to score.
Three minutes later Brendon Santalab replaced Juninho and Caceres pissed all over Brosque.
Melbourne survived some fierce Sydney attacks and scrambled the ball away, three minutes were added and Thompson got away ? must have been offside ? but Bolton stopped him anyway.
McFlynn hit a great ball across the face of goal but no-one was running for him. Thompson was brought down in the Sydney penalty area but the referee saw nothing in it.
Game over. Two-all. Well done Melbourne. Sad for Sydney. Wonderful for Mariners.
Sitting at the back of the media conference, as usual, were coaches from district associations attending a clinic. I asked the coaches from Liverpool Rangers who they considered the best performers. McFlynn, Corica, Popovic and Vargas were suggested. Strange how no-one wanted to vote for Muscat, even though he had a good game. But apparently he's a "meat head", among other things.
Sydney coach John Kosmina described the result as "gut-wrenching". He said Melbourne were good on the break and got players behind the ball. Sydney didn?t take their chances and obviously lacked an out-and-out poacher. (Didn't mention that Brosque was next to useless the way he was playing him.)
He said Sydney still played well and that augured well for the finals.
Tony Popovic said Sydney had no-one to fear in the finals. Apart from the sand-strewn Sydney Football Stadium pitch, which he said was rubbish.
Melbourne's Ernie Merrick was happy with his new midfield and the performances of Ward, Hernandez and Broxham. Ryall and Kemp also did a good job and were coming together well.
He said he was keen for his team to try for all three points, to entertain and to play good football ? the sort of football they needed to play in the Asian Champions League. His goalkeeper, Langerak, was a great prospect, he said.
Muscat thought there was not between the four teams playing in the finals, so the second chance accorded by playing in the major semi-final would provide a tremendous advantage.
Merrick agreed, saying the finals would be a lottery and teams would need their best players available on the pitch.