The announcer politely requested we wait for the siren before entering the playing field but he was already too late. Crowds of ecstatic Mariners' fans had leapt over the barriers at the very moment the ref's whistle sounded, hugging rain-soaked players, kicking balls into the back of the net and dancing around in plastic ponchos.
It was a pitch invasion sanctioned by the club but it was as spirited and spontaneous as any pitch invasion could be, and with no intervention from security, fans happily partied for half an hour in the drenching rain despite the players being whisked indoors 'for health reasons'.
We were supposed to be saying goodbye to the pitch which has been the cause of so much aggravation to fans and players alike in the past two years. But the reality was we were celebrating something far more significant: the glorious resurrection of the famous Mariners' Spirit.
With our nail-biting last minute victory over the fantastic Fury, can anyone now doubt that The Mariners of old are back with a vengeance? The Mariners who have thrilled us so many times in the past with their tenacity, self-belief and their incredible ability to fight back. As we sat in the miserable rain chanting and willing them on to snatch a late goal you just knew somehow they would make it happen.
And when Zwaanswijk scored the unlikely winner at 92 minutes it was truly a beautiful moment. The heavens opened up and washed away all the pain of last season, of the ACL campaign, of the Vukes nightmare. After eight rounds this is no longer a fluke or a few lucky wins but something to really get excited about.
Behold! The Mariners have been reborn: all the guts and grit you always loved but now with added confidence and skill!
And let's hear some credit (yes, even from the sceptics) for Mr Arnold, a man who was so engrossed in the match that he stood in his suit for the whole second half totally oblivious to the downpour. He's either a dedicated coach or a man with shares in a dry-cleaning business.
It might not have been such a happy outcome; after 10 minutes we conceded a goal against the run of play and the first half gave us many chances we simply couldn't finish. Call me demanding but watching Ronald McDonald racing Marvin the mascot at half time was not the excitement I'd hoped for.
I started to get that negative feeling that drifts down when you're behind at half time and staring at some aimless antics on the pitch. What if Fury get another lucky goal ? Are we doomed to be a team with rock-solid defence who just can't score ? Hey, that guy in the Ronald suit is juggling the ball, is that Nik Mrdja in a red wig ???
But my daydreams were interrupted by the start of the second half and the groans from the guy stuck in the beer queue who missed the equaliser from Matt Simon. It was immediate, decisive, it answered all my questions.
This is not a team who will let victory slip away anymore. Those days are gone and although we still seem to have some problems finishing there is too much class in this team not to believe they can maintain their current form.
Class in the form of Perez, who fittingly scored from the spot but was denied a second clear penalty (watch him get fouled in the box with impunity now that his card has been marked 'cheater'). It was wonderful to see him on the pitch and he made a great contribution despite being denied space by the opposition at times.
Also classy were the outstanding performances of McGlinchey, Bojic and the much missed Bozanic. Needless to say Wilko and Zwaanswijk continue to shine.
But it's a tough seven weeks ahead and Mariners fans will be yearning for live football by the time late November rolls around. So far Arnie's Dutch-style defensive game is proving to be a smart move but now is the time The Mariners must dig in and win on the road as well as at home.
They can't afford to slide down the ladder if they want another excited pitch invasion on their return to the shiny, returfed Bluetongue. Like many other fans I have cursed that pitch (especially during the infamous Canberra 'home' games) but on Saturday I just had to take a piece of that hallowed turf home with me.
It's now in my back yard decorated with a wonky old Tony Vidmar car mascot. Something tells me I'll be spending a lot of time staring at that piece of turf in the next seven weeks.
Sad, weird, unbalanced ? The marks of a true fan.
