Perth Glory returned to Melbourne Knights' Somers Street ground for the first time in two years, winning three-one in a more tightly contested game than the scoreboard indicated, helping Glory gain some breathing space at the top of the Ladder with Olympic Sharks.
The principal difference between the sides was the deadly way in which Glory finished its chances. Nick Mrdja, Damian Mori with two, and Brad Hassell each buried their chances to race clear after Anthony Pelikan had opened the scoring for Knights from the penalty-spot.
Glory goalkeeper Jason Petkovic had saved a second spot-kick from Pelikan just after the hour when the game's balance may well have swayed back to Knights.
"I thought it was a good entertaining game," said Glory coach Mitch D'Avray after the match. "It could have been seven-five - good for the paying customer - not always good the coach."
Knights' coach Andrew Marth was naturally disappointed with the outcome, if not the endeavour. "I thought we created enough chances to get a result or thereabouts," he said. "It was just the quality of the finishing where I believe we're still behind. I wasn't disappointed in the way we played - just (disappointed) in the final third again."
After a balanced opening quarter-hour, Scott Miller gave away the penalty that brought the game's first goal. Pelikan had received a ball inside the area and with his back to goal and Miller behind, tantalised the Glory defender and drawing an injudicious challenge which felled him.
Pelikan took the spot-kick, sending Petkovic the wrong way.
Andrew Gumprecht had a chance to bring Glory back into the match when he latched on to a poor punch from Knights' goalkeeper Martin John and volleyed from 25 metres low to the far-post. The ball whistled past the diving John, but Daniel Vasilevski was able to clear from the line.
But Glory equalised just before the half-hour in a rapier move down the left. Mrdja received a ball from mid-pitch and ran at Rodrigo Vargas, wrong-footing him as he came the inside route, and setting up a right-foot shot which comprehensively beat John.
Glory extended the lead within five minutes again after a move down the left. Gary Faria took advantage of a miscalculation by Vargas who assumed a ball was Faria's when its possession was very much in the balance. Faria then played a quick pass up the line to Mrdja who in turn passed inside for Mori, now running into the area.
From this distance and in such situations, backing Mori would be the surer bet, and so it proved as he netted his eighth goal of the season.
The Knights did not let this reverse put a halt to its adventurous play, and twice before the break looked sure to level. The better chance came after good work on the right near the bye-line by Nick Sabljak who held possession until he saw a crossing opportunity. His cross found Uruguayan import Gustavo Biscayzacu who despite his diminutive stature, won a header at the far post sending the ball to Leon Buhic at the six-yard line. With the Glory defence completely at sea, Buhic's flying header went over the bar.
But Glory went further ahead in the last minute of the first-half when again Mori and Mrdja combined to productive effect. Mori took possession up the right, and then ran square across the ground, setting up some space for Mrdja with a back-heel as he drew the defence. Mrdja sent forward a short pass to Hassell who chipped John from 25 metres.
Marth replaced Buhic for Henry Fa'arodo at the break. The Solomon Islander came into immediate action and almost brought Knights back into the match in the early moments of the second-half. His left-foot hammered shot from just inside the area required a save of excellence from Petkovic to turn it around the post.
"Henry is a keen young boy," said Marth. "He should be able to (be instantly effective)."
If the Glory thought that was a good intervention by Petkovic, the giant keeper outdid that by diverting Knights' second penalty, awarded on the recommendation of the grandstand side assistant, after Vasilevski's cross from the right was handled by Michael Garcia. Pelikan stepped up to attempt to reprise his first-half spot-kick. Petkovic dived to his left to deflect the ball away from goal.
"If the penalty (went) in - we all know it's a different game," said D'Avray.
Marth went for broke, substituting defender Vargas for Xhezair Sulemani, opening the game up even further as a consequence.
With chances opening up for both sides the only surprise was that just one more goal eventuated from the many created. Mori outran two defenders from the half-way line onto a ball and put it past John from 12 metres with just ten minutes remaining, and causing as mass exodus of the home support.