Victory crash to cellar-dweller Jets in one of the upsets of the season

Newcastle Jets have earned their finest win and the biggest upset of the A-League season, defeating Melbourne Victory 1-0.

The league leaders left their mojo at home, struggling to break down the Jets on a slippery AAMI Park pitch.

Edson Montano scored the game's sole goal in the 54th minute, profiting from two poor mistakes in the Victory defence.

Daniel Georgievski dived in rashly on Serbian winger Enver Alivodic, whose cross caused Nick Ansell all sorts of nightmares.

The young centre-back cleared the ball only as far as the Ecuadorian forward, who found a way past stand-in keeper Lawrence Thomas.

The win boosts the Jets' chances of handing the A-League wooden spoon to Western Sydney, with ramifications too for Kevin Muscat's side.

Victory may live to rue the result, which could impact their chances of gaining home advantage in the finals and a potential Asian Champions League berth.

The A-League title favourites were a shadow of the side that has powered to the top of the table.

The lack of intensity up forward was noticeable, with sloppy errors across the park ruining any momentum.

The Jets should not be denied credit for their smash and grab success, deploying a 3-4-3 formation that stymied Victory.

Newcastle's lead should have come sooner.

In the 43rd minute, Alivodic missed a golden chance to put the Jets ahead, heading wide Andrew Hoole's pinpoint cross.

After Montano's goal, Victory chased the game, stepping up their effort as the Jets retreated.

But chief Victory creators Gui Finkler and Fahid Ben Khalfallah's creative juices weren't flowing.

With five minutes remaining, substitute Kosta Barbarouses missed Victory's best shot for an equaliser.

Clear on goal, the Kiwi winger dragged his shot wide, leaving the Jets able to celebrate a famous win that lifts them out of last place.

Muscat, whose team didn't score for the first time in 13 matches, lamented his team's failure to find the back of the net.

"A disappointing night for a number of reasons," he said.

"We created a number of chances tonight, (and if) one of the early chances goes in, it settles us down.

"There's no excuses and you won't get any from anyone in that dressing room."

Jets boss Phil Stubbins, who has been under pressure for his teams' poor season felt the win answered the critics.

"The boys to a man were fantastic," Stubbins said.

"What better way to vindicate yourselves.

"We're trying to get the club to be at the pointy end of the A-League.

"For us to come here tonight is a little bit of a step in the right direction."