Ponte Preta edged past Santos with a narrow 1-0 win at the Estádio Majestoso on Saturday.
The hosts were eliminated from the Copa do Brasil on Thursday but bounced back to claim their third league win of the season.
Edu Dracena, Durval, Léo and Arouca returned to the starting line-up for Santos but they were still on the back-foot from the outset.
There were numerous chances during the first half but Neilton failed to connect with a cross to the far post and Santos goalkeeper Aranha pulled off a fantastic save to keep out a header.
Roberto Tigrão matched Aranha’s fine one-handed stop when Montillo tried his luck from outside the area with a powerful effort.
And Ponte Preta should have been ahead after Rildo played the ball across the face of goal to William, but the striker slid the chance wide of an empty net from just a few yards out.
The hosts eventually made a breakthrough five minutes after half time, through striker Rildo. Diego Sacoman returned a long throw from Aranha back up-field and the striker turned Dracena in the box, before curling the ball beyond the goalkeeper.
William tapped home at the far post from a Rildo strike late on, but the goal was ruled out for offside, before Santos had a late penalty shout when Neilton went down under a heavy challenge in the box.
The defeat under interim coach Claudinei Oliveira means the Peixe failed to claim fourth place from Cruzeiro, while Ponte Preta now sit 12th in the table.
