A-League Men cellar dwellers Western United have beaten Newcastle 2-0 to snap a seven-game winless run and leave the "flat" Jets to rue a missed opportunity to edge towards finals.
Daniel Penha gave United the lead at AAMI Park with a wonderful Panenka penalty in the 16th minute before Noah Botic nodded home in the 55th on Friday night to secure their first win since December 15.
United's third win was also their first clean sheet of the season.
"It's always nice to win. It's been a while, of course," Aloisi said.
"We felt we deserved the win tonight but we felt in other games we deserved more out of those games.
"So we just kept on plugging away and making sure that the players still believed and still work for each other and they showed that tonight, they've been showing it all season.
"Even when the results haven't been there, they keep working hard for each other and that's we all we can ask for and the effort's there."
The win was soured when United defender James Donachie was sent off in the 90th minute for a studs-up tackle on Brandon O'Neill.
United remain last but 10th-placed Newcastle stay five points outside the finals places, spurning a chance to gain on sixth-placed Sydney FC.
"We looked a bit flat today," coach Rob Stanton said.
"We had a lot to play for but we missed the opportunity and played a team that was a bit more desperate, a little bit more clinical when they took their chances.
"We didn't respect them enough, I guess.
"But when you're tired or fatigued you cut corners and I thought we cut a few corners tonight."
In a game played in the shadows of Taylor Swift's packed MCG concert across the road, United and Newcastle made sure that away from the blank space in the AAMI Park stands, the spectators who did attend were at least entertained.
United goalkeeper Tom Heward-Belle and Jets counterpart Ryan Scott were superb, though Newcastle attacker Trent Buhagiar was left to rue a wasteful day in front of goal.
Penha earned United a spot-kick when his flick forced a handball from Nathan Grimaldi, then cheekily dinked the penalty over a diving Scott.
United doubled their lead when Josh Risdon floated a wonderful ball in towards Botic, who looped home a header.
Donachie came under VAR scrutiny after he slid in to challenge O'Neill for the ball but overshot it and caught him in the leg with his studs, prompting the straight red.
Both Aloisi and Stanton described the challenge as "clumsy".
He will miss Tuesday's clash with Melbourne Victory, as will Risdon, who picked up his eighth card of the season.
Stanton said O'Neill had suffered a corked lower leg in the tackle and would need to prove his fitness for next Sunday's home match against Macarthur.
Newcastle's Kosta Grozos (hamstring) was forced off in the 24th minute while Thomas Aquilina (knee) was withdrawn at halftime as a precaution.
