Steve Barrett at Hindmarsh Stadium
Adelaide United has broken through for its first win of the season with a pulsating 2-1 win over the league-leading Central Coast Mariners at Hindmarsh Stadium on Sunday.
Stirker Bruce Djite goaled twice for Adelaide as the Reds inflicted the Mariners' first defeat of 2007/08.
Djite gave United the early lead when he back-heeled a deft pass from Nathan Burns past keeper Danny Vukovic in the 19th minute, the 20-year-old's strike spoiling Central Coast's season-starting clean sheet.
The Mariners equalised in the 37th minute when Sasho Petrovski managed to clamber a goal through following an untidy scramble inside the six-yard box where United was unable to clear effectively.
Djite was the hero for the home side when he scored in the 88th minute, his diving header off a pin-point cross from Richie Alagich brushing Vukovic's outstretched hand before shaving the post and falling through.
"When you show that much passion, that much commitment, the will to win – that's exactly what we showed – then eventually the uncontrollable, which is luck, will fall your way," said Adelaide coach Aurelio Vidmar of the breakthrough victory.
The Reds hit the ground running, on several occasions threatening to penetrate the Mariners much-lauded defence.
Djite's header in the opening three minutes from a Travis Dodd cross just missed its mark before another Djite hit went just wide past the far post in the 11th minute after Burns had earlier taken on two Mariners defenders and reverse-heeled the pass to the No.11.
Earlier the Mariners failed to capitalise on their first corner when Adam Kwasnik sent a relatively open attempt high and wide. Adelaide's defence collapsed somewhat when Damian Mori, instead of pulling the trigger in trademark style, opted instead to cross to Damien Brown but his attempt was miscued.
In the 16th minute Burns almost nailed his third goal of the season only to be denied by an athletic save from Vukovic.
Burns would turn would-be finisher to distributor when he passed to Djite for the opening goal three minutes later following a defensive error from Tony Vidmar.
The Mariners wrested the momentum late in the first half. Brown's free kick from the right hand side of the box was cut off in the 35th minute.
Two minutes later Mori sniffed a chance in the box only to be denied by Alagich, resulting in a corner, the ensuing play resulting in a Mariners goal.
Adelaide opened the second half positively, Kristian Sarkies with a couple of promising shots and Diego just wobbling one wide in the 49th minute.
Djite was felled by a late challenge from Tony Vidmar in the 65th minute, but recovered and was celebrating less than three minutes later when he appeared to have nailed his second.
He found the back of the net cleanly but his goal was disallowed by referee Matthew Breeze who had blown his whistle for an earlier infringement but didn't pay the advantage.
A couple of opportunities went begging for United but the home side's fortunes would change when Tony Vidmar was sent off in the 79th minute after receiving his second yellow card.
With the Mariners down to 10 men for the duration the Reds did all the attacking, Djite making sure of it when he slammed home the decider in the 88th minute, his second of the afternoon and fourth of the season.
"We had enough chances in the second half –