A second-half brace from captain Bruno Fornaroli capped a dominant 4-0 win for Melbourne City over Newcastle Jets in the A-League.

The Jets were left to rue Andrew Nabbout prodding wide from a gilt-edged fifth-minute opening and Tim Cahill broke the deadlock for the hosts at AAMI Park seven minutes later.

Fornaroli sent a free-kick agonisingly wide before the break and City could not turn their superiority into further goals until the 65th minute.

Nick Fitzgerald lofted a cool finish beyond goalkeeper Jack Duncan eight minutes after replacing Cahill and then Fornaroli took centre stage.

The Uruguayan nonchalantly chipped in a penalty after substitute Bruce Kamau was clumsily fouled by Daniel Mullen and rifled in his 17th of the season from close range as Newcastle's defence wilted.

City lie third in the table, strengthening their grip on a top-six place, while Newcastle are eighth having missed out on the chance to pull level on points with Western Sydney Wanderers in sixth.