KEY POINTS:
After their stunning start to the A-League season, Gosford-based Central Coast Mariners have stubbed their toes and come back to the field.
Unbeaten in the opening five rounds - four wins and a draw and no goals conceded - the Mariners have lost two of their last three and seen their once healthy lead trimmed to just a point by near neighbours Newcastle Jets.
Reduced to 10 players after New Zealand referee Peter O'Leary sent Brad Porter off on the half hour for what appeared a questionable but hardly menacing tackle, the Mariners were unable to find a way back after visiting Queensland Roar had taken the lead after five minutes through James McCloughan.
The Roar failed to take the game by the scruff of the neck and were up against it to hold on. Coach Frank Farina was hardly overjoyed, especially in having five players booked.
Newcastle, too, got home by the odd goal, holding on to beat the under-strength Wellington Phoenix 2-1 after leading 2-0 at halftime and until the last kick of the game - when Steven Old stabbed home from a goalmouth scramble in added time.
Despite their fourth loss - the most by any team - the Phoenix, now back to seventh place, are still just three points out of third. They have the chance to move up the still-tight points table in the early game on Sunday when they play the Mariners at Westpac Stadium.
In front of the biggest crowd of round eight - 13,372 at Hindmarsh Stadium - Adelaide United turned in the best effort, beating yet-to-fire Melbourne Victory 4-1 after taking an early 2-0 lead through an own goal and the first of two from Travis Dodd.
Archie Thompson gave the visitors some hope two minutes into first-half stoppage time, but a second Dodd goal and one from Lucas Pantelis at the death got Adelaide home and into third place on goal difference.
Perth Glory stormed back from 1-0 at halftime at home to Sydney FC to lead 3-1 with 21 minutes to play - but again came unstuck in giving up late goals to Patrick and a second to Alex Brosque.
The draw left the West Australians still searching for their first win, and three points adrift at the bottom of the table.
Brosque has joined Shane Smeltz (Phoenix) and Bruce Djite (Adelaide) at the top of the golden boot standings, with four.
