In what was head coach Coolen's first win in charge of the Reds, he said that the team that ran out against Heart upheld the belief that they could get the job done despite losing Sergio van Dijk before kick-off and being without a host of experienced players.

"We know we have problems (with the injured players) but we can handle it, that's what we told each other and the whole team was really strong together," Coolen said.

"I think the real winners were the supporters and the fans today. They saw a good game, five goals, and the three points. If you have to play a game in your stadium, the people who watch the games have to see something and I think they saw it.

"Both teams could have won the game at the end and I think we were the better team, I think the result was fair, and it makes me happy that everyone saw a good game to watch.

"We've been working so hard as a group to get the three points, especially in the beginning of the season. You only get confidence when you win games, and that's what we did today."

Adelaide midfielder Lucas Pantelis singled out fleet-footed duo Mathew Leckie and Iain Ramsay, before applauding the overall team effort to grind out the win.

"For me, today was the Iain Ramsay show and the Matthew Leckie show," Pantelis said.

"Those two boys played very well tonight, but in saying that the whole team really fought hard.

"Melbourne Heart to their credit kept coming at us but to our boys we've got to keep our heads up very, very high because we kept going and got the win.

"This is a massive win for us, it's a stepping stone for the next couple of weeks. We've got two tough away games coming up so it's a massive confidence booster for the team."

The diminutive midfielder acknowledged United's victory was made more significant given the number of injuries to key members in the Reds' outfit.

Captain Travis Dodd, Nigel Boogard, Robert Cornthwaite, Lloyd Owusu and Fabian Barbiero are all sidelined with injury and Pantelis said the Reds' win was testament to the depth and character of the squad.

"We're not hiding the fact that there are a lot of key players out at the moment," he said.

"That's the character we have in the whole squad. Regardless of who is out there we just look to give 100 percent.

"To have a makeshift midfield to a degree, and a makeshift attacking line to a degree as well it's very positive.

"It just goes to show football is not about the first XI, it's the whole 20, 22-man squad that we have together.

"There's a mixture of youth and older guys and experienced ones and it's something that is very positive for the club."