Kalifa Cisse was the villain as he cost Central Coast Mariners the chance of pulling off one of the upsets of A-League season away at Sydney FC.
Instead Alex Brosque netted his first hat trick in the competition and Adam Le Fondre made history in a 5-2 victory over the 10-man Mariners at Jubilee Stadium on Friday.
Connor Pain and Aiden O'Neill both scored for the visitors, though Aaron Calver had the final say to provisionally lift the Sky Blues to the top of the table.
Central Coast were dreaming of their first victory of the campaign early when Pain beat Andrew Redmayne at his near post for the opener.