Red-hot Wellington Phoenix have taken advantage of some sloppy defensive lapses from Adelaide United to record a thrilling come-from-behind 2-1 triumph over the Reds at Hindmarsh Stadium on Friday night.
The victory saw the Phoenix further strengthen their hold on second position and extended United's winless spell to six weeks.
Bruce Djite opened proceedings for the fast-starting hosts and the Reds, who held sway for prolonged periods of the second half, had plenty of chances.
But two costly errors in defence was all it took for the visitors to strike twice, through Tim Brown, shortly after Djite's opener, and Dani Sanchez late in the first half.
Adelaide started a captivating first half in positive fashion when Cameron Watson, in the opening minute, went for a run in space down the right wing before spraying his wide-open cross over the bar.
The aggressive Reds opened with energy and purpose and it didn't take long before they were rewarded when Djite picked up the crumbs after Dario Vidosic was dispossessed inside the penalty area and found the bottom right-hand corner of the net in the 10th minute.
Almost immediately from the kick-off, Djite was primed to notch an early brace before Wellington's desperate goal-line clearance ended the flurry momentarily.
Moments later, United very nearly made it two goals in the space of barely 60 seconds when Vidosic curled a free kick from the left of the box, which Djite almost got on the end of, before Cassio hit it past Phoenix gloveman Mark Paston and banged it into the right post.
The visitors' vaunted defence was under siege as Adelaide played some of their most inspired football for the season.
Wellington withstood the onslaught before equalising in the 13th minute courtesy of some sloppy defensive work from the home side.
Veteran Paul Ifill gathered a lobbed through ball, back-heeled to himself, penetrated and dished a clever left-foot pass to Brown who was given far too much latitude and slotted it from close range past wrong-footed Reds custodian Eugene Galekovic.
Adelaide tried to make swift amends when Nigel Boogaard's nod sailed over the top five minutes later, before another chance for United to skip ahead went begging when Vidosic's 21st minute hit from the left was comfortably cleared by Chris Greenacre.
On the advance, Djite chipped a nice cross in the 28th minute which Sergio van Dijk was fractionally too far forward to reel in, while Ian Ramsay's close-range deflection from his non-preferred right boot in the 32nd minute just missed to the right.
While Adelaide were creating more opportunities, Phoenix was holding sway in the middle overall and were unrushed in repelling the Reds' exciting attacks.
Osama Malik copped the night's first yellow card in the 37th minute after he blatantly grabbed Manny Muscat from behind as the Phoenix right back was bursting forward.
On the ensuing set piece, the Reds failed to adequately clear and they paid the ultimate price when Alex Smith's cross found Spaniard Sanchez, who bunted an easy 38th minute goal virtually unguarded to send Wellington into the sheds in front.
Star Brazilian left-back and dual club champion Cassio, back playing his first game in three months after sustaining a serious foot injury, almost equalised in the 53rd minute when he thumped a free kick from 30 metres out which forced Paston into a desperate dive after the ball that brushed Smith on the