Rojas helps Victory shoot down Jets

Melbourne Victory ... Mark Milligan scores his second penalty in their smashing of Newcastle. Source: George Salpigtidis / News Limited

Archie Thompson's comeback has helped Melbourne Victory soar out of an A-League form slump to hand 10-man Newcastle a five-goal hiding.

Marco Rojas and Mark Milligan both scored twice, Milligan's goals both from penalties, as the Victory won 5-0 at AAMI Park on Sunday to climb to third.

		P	W	D	L	GD	Pts
1	Western Sydney	23	15	2	6	14	47
2	Central Coast	23	13	6	4	24	45
3	Victory	23	12	3	8	3	39
4	Adelaide	23	11	3	9	1	36
5	Newcastle	24	8	6	10	-11	30
6	Brisbane	23	8	4	11	1	28
7	Heart	23	8	3	12	-2	27
8	Sydney	23	8	3	12	-10	27
9	Perth	23	7	4	12	-3	25
10	Wellington	24	6	6	12	-17	24

It broke a run of three losses which culminated in last round's shock 6-2 defeat to Central Coast.

Thompson, sidelined with a hamstring injury while his team lost those games, was in the thick of it on return as the Victory scored three times in the first 30 minutes.

He played the ball which put Rojas clear into the box for an easy goal in the eighth minute.

Rojas, who was given far too much space by the Jets' defence, was again involved in the next, seven minutes later.

The New Zealander's corner kick found Victory skipper Adrian Leijer, who firmly headed home from the near post.

There was almost a replay two minutes later when another Rojas corner found the Victory's other central defender, Daniel Mullen, who also headed truly.

The goal was disallowed as Milligan was penalised for making contact with the head of Newcastle defender Ruben Zadkovich.

That didn't stop the home side for long.

Thompson was brought down after weaving into the box, earning the Jets' Taylor Regan a yellow card and Milligan a 30th-minute penalty, which he converted.

Things went from bad to worse for the visitors early in the second half when Regan gave away another penalty and picked up his second yellow - for dragging down Mullen off the ball - allowing Milligan his second goal from the spot and reducing the Jets to 10 men.

With the win safe, Thompson was subbed off.

But the Victory kept surging.

Rojas showed off his fast feet to dribble past a defender and keeper Mark Birighitti and walk the ball into the net to make it 5-0 in the 66th minute.

The Jets - who rested strikers Emile Heskey and Michael Bridges and were missing Zenon Caravella and Sam Gallaway to injury - stayed fifth.

But their goal difference sank to minus 11, which could prove costly given the tight fight for the bottom two spots in the top six.

The Victory are all but guaranteed of a home elimination final but remain six points shy of the second-placed Mariners.

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