The win - in front of a home crowd of 7170, a figure not helped by the decision to schedule the game for 7pm on a Sunday - lifts City to 19 points and keeps them hard on the heels of second-placed Newcastle, who have 20, and in touch with leaders Sydney on 25.

More to the immediate point, with the second Melbourne derby due on December 23, City sits nine points clear of a disjointed Melbourne Victory and look to be the team with the greater momentum.

Dean Bouzanis, excellent when called upon at short notice after first choice goalkeeper Eugene Galekovic injured himself in the warm-up in the win at Newcastle last week, retained his position for the round 10 clash at AAMI Park.

Teenager Nathaniel Atkinson came into the side for an A-League debut, and started wide on the right. Osama Malik, back from suspension, replaced Manny Muscat at right back, the latter himself serving a ban after exceeding the limit on yellow cards.

Atkinson certainly made a huge impression in his opening 45 minutes of senior football, running, chasing, contesting possession and taking men on as City drove forward.

The hosts should really have taken the lead in the eighth minute when Ross McCormack's header from Luke Brattan's corner was cleared off the line by Daniel De Silva. The ball rebounded to Stefan Mauk at close range, but the midfielder could only fire straight at Mariners goalkeeper Ben Kennedy.

Mauk tested Kennedy again four minutes later with a snap shot that the keeper saved well to his left hand side, before Brattan thundered a long-range effort just wide shortly after.

Atkinson, an 18-year-old from Tasmania, certainly didn't look intimidated on his debut, showing plenty of strength to hold off Mariners veteran defender Josh Rose in one skirmish on the flank, then excellent touch to get round De Silva and Connor Pain.

Mauk again spurned another great opportunity in the 25th minute when Nick Fitzgerald and McCormack linked to provide him with a gilt-edged chance, but with just Kennedy to beat he could only manage a weak shot on target that was easily forced out for a corner by the Central Coast goalie.

Mariners centre back Josh McGing then almost put one through his own net from Brattan's corner, Kennedy having to react smartly to palm over, while at the other end the Mariners broke quickly, forcing an intervention by Iacopo La Rocca to clear Pain's corner.

Atkinson then made space for himself down the right and drove over a cross which only needed a touch; fortunately for the Mariners, the ball evaded an army of City attackers.

Michael Jakobsen, City's captain, was the next to squander a good chance from a neat move involving himself, Atkinson and Fitzgerald before the ball was played back to the Dane, only for his shot to be directed straight at Kennedy.

The Mariners steadied after the interval and got themselves back into the game as they pressed City and began to put some threatening moves together.

Pain had a chance 10 minutes after the restart when City's defence got into a muddle and failed to clear, but his shot was deflected for a corner.

The hosts managed to get their noses in front four minutes later through a goal of stunning directness and tremendous efficiency.

Bouzanis, whose distribution is one of his strong points, played a long ball out to the left flank for Brattan. The City midfielder nodded a pass to Fitzgerald who played the ball back, allowing Brattan to find McCormack in space inside the area. The Scottish international took a touch before finding the back of the net with a cool finish.

It was the least Joyce's men deserved after their barrage in the first 45 minutes, but the slender margin meant they couldn't relax.

Central Coast's Dutch midfielder Wout Brama was optimistic with a long range drive that Bouzanis dealt with comfortably, and the City goalkeeper was more than equal to De Silva's 78th-minute shot. Blake Powell then volleyed over as the visitors stepped up their efforts to find a leveller.