Sydney FC secured just their third win of the Ninja A-League season after seeing off finals-chasing Brisbane Roar 3-2 in an entertaining clash at Leichhardt Oval.
Sydney FC opened the scoring in the 13th minute care of a wonderful strike from midfielder Mackenzie Hawkesby, who drilled a powerful low effort across the keeper and into the far corner on Sunday.
CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR TICKETS TO THE NINJA A-LEAGUE
Brisbane levelled things up shortly after half-time with recently christened CommBank Matildas attacker Laini Freier scoring a long-range effort to make it 1-1.
The away side then took the lead soon after with Brazilian Mariel Hecher firing home before a goal-of-the-season contender from Sydney FC captain Natalie Tobin ensured the topsy-turvy clash was now level.
The Sky Blues though would eventually come out on top and it was substitute Shea Connors who provided the killer touch; coming off the bench to slot home her first goal of the campaign to seal the surprise win.
CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR TICKETS TO THE NINJA A-LEAGUE
The result marks just the third win of the season for Ante Juric’s Sydney FC and while they remain bottom of the ladder, they are now just a point behind 11th placed Newcastle Jets.
As for Brisbane, Alex Smith’s side remain in fifth spot on the ladder having suffered their second loss in three games and they’ve now won just once in their last seven.
The Sky Blues started well and took the lead in just the 13th minute and it came from their creator-in-chief.
Receiving the ball on the right edge of the box, Hawkesby turned and promptly drilled a powerful low effort into the far corner to make it 1-0.
The home side should have made it 2-0 soon after but forward Princess Ibini couldn’t convert from close range after Brisbane keeper Olivia Sekany had initially saved a powerful strike from Indiana Dos Santos.
That would prove to be the end of the action for Sekany though as the Brisbane keeper was soon forced from the field due to injury.
Misjudging the flight of a delivery into the box, Sekany fumbled the ball when trying to claim the cross and in trying to regain possession, fell awkwardly and lay prone on the floor before she could receive treatment.
Six minutes subsequently passed as she was tended to by the medics before she was eventually stretchered from the field and replaced by Keeley Richards.
The side asking most of the questions, Sydney FC almost made it 2-0 before the half was out but Hawkesby’s low effort was well saved by Richards who took enough of the sting out of the shot before her teammate could clear the ball off the line.
Starting the second-half with much more energy Brisbane bagged their equaliser and it came from their newly minted Matildas star.
Gifted the ball care of a poor forward pass from Sydney defender Jordan Thompson, Freier lifted her head, spotted goalkeeper Bethany Mason-Jones off her line and brilliant dinked the ball over her head and into hte back of the net.
Having now scored one, Brisbane soon turned the game on it’s head. After Sydney FC midfielder Maddie Caspers headed wide from a freekick in the 55th minute, the away side took then took the lead just five minutes later.
Connecting with a low delivery into the box, teenager Grace Kuilamu tried an audacious backheel which was initially saved by the keeper however Brazilian Hecher was in the right place at the right time to slam home the go-ahead goal.
However they weren’t in front for long as Sky Blues captain Tobin produced one of the goals of the season.
Standing close to 30-metres out, Tobin absolutely hammered home a freekick which flew past the despairing dive of goalkeeper Richards and into the back of the net to level things up.
The Sky Blues then took the lead in the 72nd minute as substitute Connors had the desired impact.
Brought on in the 67th minute, Connors set about finding her first goal of the season and she duly got it, combining well with Caspers to slot home the Sky Blues’ third of the afternoon to make it 3-2.
The Sky Blues had further chances to wrap up the win and make things a little more comfortable for themselves however they held on to secure all three points.
