Melbourne Victory secured their first win under new coach Jim Magilton with a

2-1 defeat of A-League leaders Central Coast Mariners at AAMI Park.

The Mariners took the lead after nine minutes through impressive youngster

Tomas Rogic but the Victory levelled seven minutes later thanks to a spectacular

Carlos Hernandez strike.

Harry Kewell, who has described his season to date as "a three and a half out

of ten", then secured the winner on 51 minutes with a well-taken angled volley

and the Mariners' hopes were all but dashed by Trent Sainsbury's sending off

just after the hour mark.

Sainsbury saw red for a studs-up challenge on Fabio.

The win moves the Victory to the brink of the top six, behind the Newcastle

Jets on only goals scored with the Jets due to face Melbourne Heart on Saturday.

The Mariners, unbeaten in 16 games prior to last week's loss to Brisbane, slump

to successive defeats for the first time in over two years and their seven-point

lead at the top will be cut when second-placed Wellington and third-placed

Brisbane meet on Sunday.