This was one game when the Central Coast Mariners used their 'get-out-of-gaol' card, coming back from 1-2 down to over-turn the Red's whirlwind period in the first half and to win 3-2 to break Adelaide's solid run.
Mariners coach Grahamn Arnold suprised with his formation, with back in form Olly Bozanic on the bench, Mustafa Amini in the stands, and played both Royston Griffiths and John Hutchinson, along with non match fit new signing Tomas Rogic.
John Kosmina seems to be closer to settling on his preferred team on the park, and his ability to use Sergio van Dijk, Bruce Djite and Dario Vidosic is lifting their scoring power. He also gave pacy midfielder Osama Malik a marking job on Rogic.
The Coast pressed for more than 10 minutes at the start but Sergio van Dijk was starting to put pressure on the usually rock solid fellow Dutchman Patrick Zwaanswijk.
Nevertheless it was the home side who scored first. Pedj Bojic out on the right flighted a superb cross that found Daniel McBreen in the area, and heading it low he steered the ball past Red's 'keeper Eugene Galekovic for just 'Maccas' second goal of the season. 1-0
Adelaide lifted their work rate further with Djite and van Dijk making runs aided by Vidosic. Within a minute McBreen’s goal Sergio van Dijk grabbed an equaliser when he outfoxed Patrick Zwaanswijk with a feint and turn, blasting it wide of Matty Ryan in the Coast's goal. 1-1
Bruce Djite added a second in the 19th minute. Cameron Watson sent in a long-throw to the area, and Djite was able to get to the ball, brush off Alex Wilkinson and score. 1-2
Chance came and went in the first half, but the Mariners came out after the break with a re-jigged formation and were more able to control the match with better passing and possession than in the first half.
It was not until the 74th minute however that substitute Adam Kwasnik got the Mariners back level. Fellow substitute Oliver Bozanic floated a long cross from the right just as Kwasnik peeled off the left shoulder of former Mariner Nigel Boogard. Kwasnik controlled the ball with a fine touch and he powered an angled shot from the left past Galekovic. 2-2
Adelaide were stung and soon substitute Iain Ramsay got down the left, swinging in a cross, which was nodded on by Vidosic. It found van Dijk who slammed a shot at Mathew Ryan. The young custodian made what he conceded as a reflex save, pushing the shot down and to his right. The ball cannoned into the left upright an rebounded back across goal where Ryan lept on it, clearly on the line.
The Adelaide players remonstrated with the referee, who gave them no joy. Alas some also forgot that the game was still playing out. Troy Hearfield got the ball and surged down the left. He was able to pick out Daniel McBreen with a sure pass. McBreen's shot was parried by Galekovic but it fell to Joshua Rose running in and he placed the ball into the net past a stranded 'keeper from 5m. 3-2
A final save by Ryan, with Rose covering anyway on the line, ended Adelaide's hopes.
With the win the Mariners went 11 points clear at the top overnight, and a handy buffer for their Premiership hopes come Olyroo duty and the early ACL games.
Mariners coach Graham Arnold praised his side after the game. "To come back the way they did is mind-blowing," Arnold said. "I just stayed positive at half-time because I believe so much in the boys, I just told them to play the way we play and stay positive." "The wonderful thing about this group of players is they take the game plan and they go with it, and they believe in it."
"Pushing 'Rosey' (Josh Rose) into midfield meant that he got closer to the game as well,” he said. Rose himself put his goal down to timing and anticipation, and felt that the Mariners returned to some of their best form in the second half after tired legs in the first. "You’ve just got to anticipate things and if your luck is in it will fall for you,” Rose also said. "I think the most important thing tonight was that we played some great football in the second half. The belief is very high at the moment."