City won for the first time in seven matches and ended a seven-game league losing streak against the Sky Blues, with a 2-0 away win in Sydney on Sunday evening.

The result moved them up a spot to fifth.

While they hadn't won since late January, Joyce was pleased with the way City had been building, with draws against ladder leaders Perth and third-placed Melbourne Victory in their two previous matches.

'"We've had a run where we haven't got the points we deserved, but we showed a lot of character today," Joyce said.

'We've played the best teams in the league the last three games and gave a good account of ourself in all three games, so that's trying to build momentum going into the next games

"We've had momentum performance-wise the last three games against three well-organised men's teams and I thought that was the theme tonight, you don't want to look like a little boys team and I didn't think we did."

Englishman Shayon Harrison's first goal for the club was followed by a second City score when another of Harrison's shots took a big deflection off Sydney's Paulo Retre, securing the result for the away side.

Joyce gave Harrison, who is on loan from English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur, a halftime blast for not working hard enough alongside fellow striker Jamie Maclaren.

He was pleased with both Harrison's second half response and City's improvement after the break in a pressing game the side worked on during their week off.

"The first half I didn't think we controlled it ... we targeted certain areas but we couldn't manage to do it," Joyce said.

"We didn't have enough control when they were in possession.

"The second half we just changed the press a little bit, I thought we were more in control and I don't think they caused us many problems."

He will await results of tests on defender Scott Jamieson, who came off early in the second half with a knee issue.

Australian Associated Press