Roar deal for Brisbane as City profit from a penalty.

Melbourne City has recorded its first home win under its new guise win a gritty 1-0 win over Brisbane Roar at AAMI Park on Sunday.

A converted Aaron Mooy penalty just moments into the first half ensured City would celebrate in front of the homes fans for the first time in nine months, consigning champions Roar to the bottom half of the table in the process.

As soon as referee Shaun Evans blew his whistle to end the match, a sense of relief and reprieve blew around AAMI Park as the pressure on the club and manager John Van’t Schip lifted.

Despite the much needed three points, it was a performance that still highlights the serious improvement required if the club is to move from the mediocre past of the Heart to the bright lights and high expectation of being a member of the City group.

City, particular in the second half squandered numerous chances to improve the score line but failed in front of goal when it counted.

If not for the penalty coolly converted by Mooy, which itself was a dubious decision by Evans, City hardly looked like scoring, and probably wouldn’t were it not for the spot kick.

Brisbane were also guilty of messing up in front of goal. The visitors let a handful of chances fly in the first and should have easily gone into the break one or even two goals to the good.

Former skipper Matt McKay was the worst offender, sending a shot high over the bar when he should have scored then smashing a shot against the crossbar during the first 45.

City couldn't make the Roar pay for their indiscretions in the box when Eric Paartalu glanced his free header from a free kick wide of Jamie Young’s far post.

After the fruitless first 45 the game had a 0-0 draw result written all over it. That was until Evans ruled that Mate Dugandzic was bundled over in the box by Daniel Bowles and sent City to the spot.

It looked a harsh call with contact extremely minimal.

That didn’t bother Mooy the slightest and he sent Young the wrong way to put the ball into his net and lift the home fortunes of City, who enjoyed their best form of the match after.

On the flip side Brisbane seemed to crumble and offered very little in terms of a comeback.

More poor finishing hampered the game more in the last half hour, James Brown and Dave Williams were the latest to catch the infliction, wasting glorious chances to make it more for City.

It mattered little as the Roar hardly threatened Tando Velaphi’s goal

The result eases the pressure on Van’t Schip and the entire club while questions still remain around the Roar.

The most successful club in the competitions history and reining champs looked a shadow of its further self.

This was a match Roar would usually dominate as its failure to properly replace Besart Berisha becomes even more painfully clear.

Melbourne City: 20.Tando Velaphi (GK), 4.Connor Chapman, 5.Erik Paartalu, 6.Aaron Mooy, 11.Damien Duff (15. David Williams 46′), 14. James Brown (7.Iain Ramsay 75′), 17.Jason Hoffman, 19.Ben Garuccio, 23.Mate Dugandzic, 24.Patrick Kisnorbo, 25.Jacob Melling (8.Massimo Murdocca 84′)
Unused Subs: 1.Andrew Redmayne (GK), 3.Robbie Wielaert,

Brisbane Roar: 21.Jamie Young (GK), 2.Matt Smith, 5.Corey Brown, 7.Mensur Kurtishi (12.Jean Carlos Solorzano 67′), 10.Henrique, 13.Jade North, 14.Daniel Bowles, 17.Matt McKay, 18.Luke Brattan (8.Steve Lustica 77′), 23.Dimi Petratos, 28.Brandon Borrello (4.Adam Sarota 63′)
Unused Subs: 30.Matt Acton (GK), 15.James Donachie,