Sydney produced an outstanding comeback and defensive effort to strangle the free-scoring Adelaide Thunderbirds and go outright top of the national netball league.

In the battle of the two unbeaten teams, Adelaide led by eight early in the second quarter but was shut down by a relentless Sydney side which triumphed 46-40 at the Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre.

Melbourne Phoenix consolidated third spot with a 60-45 home win over the struggling Hunter Jaegars with Sharelle McMahon scoring 30 goals at 81 per cent, while the Melbourne Kestrels enjoyed a 60-33 victory at the AIS Canberra Darters.

Catlin Thwaites scored 37 goals at 85 per cent for a Kestrels outfit which notched just its second win of the season.

In Sydney, the Thunderbirds lost a regular season game in that city for the first time in five years and tallied by far their lowest score of the season.

The Thunderbirds, whose previously lowest total of the season was 56, were held to a single digit goal tally in each of the final three quarters.

Sydney coach Julie Fitzgerald admitted to feeling nervous after a difficult first quarter for her side which trailed 16-9 at the opening break, but was cheered by the performance over the remainder of the game.

"I kept saying (to my team) that it was a lead that we were only going to be able to bring back gradually," Fitzgerald said.

"It was a significant win, because we came from behind to do it, when you lead from the front and win you don't learn a great deal from the game."

Thunderbirds coach Margaret Angove made a number of changes during the game, but along the co-captain Peta Scholz conceded they did not have the desired effect.

"They (Sydney) probably worked us out a bit, and we stopped driving and they had the moves covered," said wing defence Scholz who was making her 150th Commonwealth Bank Trophy appearance.

Conversely, Sydney coach Julie Fitzgerald made just one significant change, switching goal defence Mo'onia Gerrard and wing defence Alison Broadbent after the first quarter.

The more established circle defence combination of Broadbent and goal keeper Liz Ellis proved more effective in shutting down Adelaide's prolific shooters Kristan Heinrich and Natalie Medhurst, while the tigerish Gerrard helped nullify the influence of wing attack and Australian representative Natalie Von Bertouch.

Down by seven at quarter time, Sydney cut the deficit to four by the half and led by two at the final change after restricting the Thunderbirds to only seven third-quarter goals.

For Sydney, Catherine Cox scored 30 goals at 83 per cent and Susan Pratley 21 at 76 per cent.

The Thunderbirds had five fewer overall attempts and shot 77 per cent to Sydney's 81 per cent.

Medhurst, who didn't miss an attempt in the Thunderbirds last two matches, made 22 of her 24 shots, but it was a frustrating night for recalled Australian representative Heinrich who made 14 out of her 19 attempts.

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