Brisbane Roar welcomed in 2016 in style to go top of the Hyundai A-League table with a 2-1 win over Perth Glory.
In front of 17,696 at Suncorp Stadium, Jamie Maclaren and super sub Henrique scored in the second half to secure a fourth straight victory for the Roar.
Perth were content to sit back and soak up pressure in the first half as Brisbane monopolised the ball and created plenty of chances.
With 11 minutes played Jamie Maclaren couldnât stretch high enough to get enough on Dimitri Petratosâ lofted cross and nodded wide.
Just a couple of minutes later Brandon Borrello put his body on the line to thread Petratos through on the break. Petratos then squared to Maclaren in space however the striker couldnât beat Glory shotstopper Ante Covic.
On the 21 minute mark Thomas Broich went from sprawled on the turf to steaming onto goal in just a couple of seconds and his shot forced Covic into a sublime fingertip save to deny him.
Diego Castroâs effort ten minutes later looked destined for the back of the net only for Shane Stefanutto to clear it off the line and stop Perth from going ahead.
Six minutes after the half time break Maclaren would score his seventh of the season to make it 1-0.
In a dazzling move Petratos found Broich, who spun his man before playing it back, then slipped in Maclaren to pick his spot and finish across the keeper.
Only four minutes later Chris Harold caught Roar sleeping as he was played through on the break but he could only shoot straight at Jamie Young.
With half an hour to play, Henrique grabbed a second goal just four minutes after coming on.
The Brazilian looked like heâd blown his chance as he struggled to dig the ball out of his feet just inside the area but when he did so, he clipped it superbly over Covic to make it 2-0.
Yet Glory refused to die and hit back via a change of their own in the form of Hagi Gligor ten minutes after the second goal.
With his opening touch of the game, Gligor thumped a sublime shot past Young to register his first goal in the A-League and hand his side a lifeline.
Josh Risdon got the best of Stefanutto and charged through on goal but Young made a crucial stop to keep his side in front.
Perth continued to press Brisbane for an equaliser until the final whistle but they just about held on to secure their spot at the summit.
BRISBANE ROAR: 3. STEFANUTTO Shane, 7. CORONA, 9. MACLAREN Jamie, 13. NORTH Jade, 14. BOWLES Daniel, 17. MACKAY Matt, 19. HINGERT Jack, 21. YOUNG Jamie, 22. BROICH Thomas, 23. PETRATOS Dimitri, 28. BORRELLO Brandon.
SUBS: 10. HENRIQUE, 11. SOLORZANO Jean Carlos, 15. DONACHIE James, 18. HERVAS Javier, 36. JANNESE Andre.
PERTH GLORY: 1. COVIC Ante, 2. GRANT Alexander, 3. WARREN Marc, 7. SANDOR Gyorgy, 11. GARCIA Richard, 14. HAROLD Chris, 17. CASTRO Diego, 18. OXBORROW Mitchell, 19. RISDON Joshua, 23. THWAITE Michael, 24. REINERS Jamal.
SUBS: 5. GOLEC Antony, 12. TYSON Jerrad, 15. GLIGOR Hagi, 28. KNOWLES Joseph, 29. WILLIAMS Aryn.
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