Defending A-League champions Melbourne Victory recorded a seventh straight victory over Adelaide United as Nick Ward and Grant Brebner scored to secure a deserved 2-0 win in the grand final re-match at Hindmarsh Stadium.

Ward opened the scoring after just six minutes before Brebner sealed only Melbourne's second win of the season with a minute remaining. Melbourne, who beat Adelaide in all six meetings last season including February's grand final, moved up to fourth, while the Reds, who have not beaten the Victory since October 2007, slipped to sixth after a third defeat of the new campaign. Adelaide were boosted by the return of Robert Cornthwaite and Kristian Sarkies, making his first appearance since February.

But Melbourne silenced a packed home crowd after just six minutes as Ward raced onto Adrian Leijer's hopeful ball down the right wing and sent an early curling cross into the area which somehow went inside the near post with goalkeeper Eugene Galekovic unable to scramble across his goal.

Adelaide settled following the early setback and started to edge possession, but the visitors continued to threaten as striker Archie Thompson lifted a shot from the edge of the area onto the roof of the net before Tom Pondeljak, who scored the only goal in last season's grand final, also tried his luck from the edge of the area.

Adelaide's first effort on target arrived in the final minute of the first half as captain Travis Dodd floated a cross into the area but Adam Hughes directed his header straight into the arms of Victory goalkeeper Glen Moss. Adelaide made a bright start to the second half with Lloyd Owusu threatening without reward, while at the other end Ward tested Galekovic from the edge of the area.

Dodd had a glorious chance to equalise for Adelaide with 16 minutes remaining, but after finding space on the edge of the area he sent his first time half-volley rising over the crossbar. Galekovic kept the home side in the hunt two minutes later as he acrobatically turned Thompson's rising angled shot over the crossbar.

But with a minute remaining Thompson capitalised on a defensive mistake in the corner to surge into the area and sent a cross across the face of goal which was turned goalwards by Reds defender Cornthwaite. Galekovic managed to avert the own goal but second-half substitute Brebner pounced to blast home from the edge of the six-yard box to seal the win.