With finals football still on the line for Brisbane it was a strangley muted performance by the home side.

Henrique, with his first start since rejoining Roar, got the early goal (13') in front of just over 12,000 people at Suncorp Stadium.

The Slippery Fish hit the target from just beyond the penalty spot, after latching onto a pinpoint cutback from Eric Bautheac.

Coach John Aloisi said it was always going to be a tough game.

Even so, he added: "They only had one real chance in the first half, and in the second we showed them just what we could do and controlled it.

"We should have won the game more comfortably, but all in all, we're really happy because we needed those three points.

"It was great to see Henrique score. He played well and kept causing them problems, as did Eric (Bautheac), Fahid (Ben Khalfallah) and Massimo (Maccarone)."

Roar had two goals scrubbed out: Henrique for offside and Massimo Maccarone for a foul in the build up

But the big talking point from the game wll be how Roar were not awarded a penalty in the 36th minute for handball. 

Defender Kye Rowles brought his right arm out from behind his back, deflecting a ball off the boot of Henrique. Neither the match officials nor VAR saw anything in it.

Man of the Match, Bautheac, said the focus was now on finishing the game strongly.

"This win is very important because we only have a few matches left," Bautheac said.

"Now, we have two games that are like finals for us, and to get the win was important for us and our confidence.".

Central Coast, playing for pride - and still in a race to avoid the wooden spoon - had their moments.

The best of them came in the first half. Andrew Hoole smashed a freekick off the crossbar on 27 minutes and Connor Pain, with a close range bullet, brought out a top shelf save from goalkeeper Jamie Young.