Queensland Roar extended their recent good form to end the home-and-away season with an enticing 4-2 victory over Perth Glory.
The Roar, now with five victories in a row at Suncorp, started strongest with McKay, Nichols and van Dijk creating plenty of chances in the opening stanza but couldn't quite finish the job.
However, it was Perth which struck first through Nikita Rukavytsya, the star striker fresh back from his trial with Eredivisie side FC Twente showed why there is so much interest in him. Rukavytsya caught the ball on the edge of the area off a long ball from Bulloch. He then cut inside four Queensland defenders and placed his shot well out of McMaster's reach.
That was neither the first nor the last time Rukavytsya terrorised the Queensland defense and crowd. Easily the most dangerous player on the field, everything he did kept the Roar supporters on the edge of their seats.
The Roar bounced back fast however, McKay and Pellegrino both attacked the ball, and although both finished up on the deck, the ball trickled away. A flying Danny Tiatto swooped on the ball and set off on an enterprising run down the sideline. His cross floated into the centre with van Dijk getting the header across goal from the far post. It beat Tando Velaphi but not the woodwork. The ever-goal-hungry Mitch Nichols was there for the rebound and cleaned up the crumbs to draw Queensland level.
The first half trailed off with the teams trading blows, Queensland as they usually do at home, establishing dominance in field position and possession but Nikolai Topor-Stanley was containing van Dijk well in the centre.
The second half started much the same as the first. The Queensland crowd roared at the return of Scottish playmaker Charlie Miller who was put on for Tahj Minniecon who seemed to be having an off day. With Miller coming on, that pushed Nichols out to the wing, not his favoured position. Over the next few seasons he is going to become vital to Queensland's attack. Miller can't last forever and Nichols is being well-groomed as his replacement. Glory also made a half time substitution with Nick Rizzo coming on for Wayne Srhoj.
The consistent barrage on the Glory goal continued with Miller, though obviously rusty is still a class above everyone else, making good space for Zullo out wide or McKay in the centre who would in turn whip in a cross or a through ball respectively. Topor-Stanley, who had a great game, was sticking to Van Dijk like an adhesive gel to a well-prepared clean flat surface and although that is the Dutchman's game, Topor-Stanley was getting the better of him all day.
Queensland won a corner, which McKay played the ball to Tiatto about 25 metres out from goal. The former Socceroo lined up his shot, as he has many times in the past, the difference is this one was hit sweetly into the top near corner. There will be a lot of talk about the great goal and game Tiatto played. All I'm saying is you do the same thing twenty times, you're bound to hit one right.
Just four minutes later however, the hero turned, well, back to his regular self when his irrational tackling that seems to be the foundation of his career again cost his team a dangerous free kick and himself a yellow card. Tiatto led in studs up and collect the player's foot late, he had clearly connected with the foot before the ball.
Pellegrino put the ball into the area and Anthony Skorich got above Tiatto to head the ball past McMaster off the inside of the post.
The Roar didn't lie down, au contraire, the Queensland attack got straight back into action. Zullo was catching everything on the left wing. Some of the touches he was pulling out were amazing. One that I could watch over and over again was when he brought the ball down with a back heel - somehow. I don't ask, I just enjoy.
On one of his runs Zullo was brought down by Scott Neville, who was doing all he could to keep Zullo under wraps. Miller came over fast and saw Matt McKay's early run to the line. He took the short option, McKay pushed the ball in front of goal and Van Dijk flicked the ball through Topor-Stanley's legs and into the back of the net. A basic goal seen so many times from so many quality sides. That could have just as easily been Messi to Eto'o or Scholes to Rooney.
Queensland didn't lift off the accelerator though. They kept the momentum going with the 17,367-strong crowd really getting vocal and behind their home team. After a lot of pain and sorrow at Suncorp Stadium the Queensland supporters are really enjoying seeing their team do well.
In the 82nd minute Queensland put in their third goal from set pieces, a great corner by Matt McKay straight into the path of Josh McCloughan who got up well above the rest to put the ball past the posts. The big man is always good in the air but just needed the right ball and when it was forthcoming showed why he comes down to the area every corner.
So Queensland, fending off a few surges from Perth Glory, have forced Adelaide into a tense 24 hours. Adelaide now need a win to finish top two. Central Coast, assured fourth spot may choose to rest players, which could play well into United's hands, but surely form is a much more important thing in the short competition that is the A-League. And that is what Queensland and Melbourne have.