A-League wrap: Sydney surge continues, Fury stun Gold Coast

Sydney continued their stunning revival in the A-League, moving within striking distance of the top six following a 3-1 win over Wellington.

Midfielder Brendan Gan, starting just his second match of the season, struck in the 14th minute to give Sydney the lead before strikers Mark Bridge (73) and Alex Brosque (76) completed the job before the smallest crowd in Sydney’s history at a rain-soaked Sydney Football Stadium.

It was Gan’s first goal in 15 months while Bridge ended a goal-scoring drought stretching back 13 matches.

Substitute Dylan Macallister pulled a goal back for the Phoenix seven minutes from time but it proved little consolation for the visitors.

Remarkably, the Sky Blues are now just one spot behind sixth place despite starting the season with a run of 10 games without victory.

Sydney have now gathered 14 points from a possible 21 in their last seven matches to revive a season that was headed for disaster.

Elsewhere, the North Queensland Fury snapped a five-game winless streak with a 2-1 win at the expense of an injury-ravaged Gold Coast United at Skilled Park.

United were without eight first team regulars due to injury and suspension and it showed as the hosts lacked the drive and attacking spark usually led by injured star Joel Porter.

But it still took a stunning strike from David Williams and a well-taken free kick from Fury captain Ufuk Talay to seal the three points after the Gold Coast took an early lead.

The home side had the first goal of the evening after a foul on Adama Traore just outside the danger area on 10 minutes.

Brazilian midfielder Robson took the ensuing free kick and his drive deflected through a flurry of North Queensland defenders and trickled past a pedestrian Justin Pasfield.

Williams equalised with a swerving drive from 30 metres out in the 28th minute, a strike that will surely be a contender for goal of the season.

It was captain Talay who scored the winner for the visitors in the 68th minute, curling his free kick into the top left hand corner of the goal to give the Fury their third win of the season.