New Reds' boss Rini Coolen is encouraged by what he is seeing in his new look side, especially his team's ability to deal with a setback.

Adelaide have struggled to come back from being goal down with in the past, but it was a different story at Dairy Farmers Stadium after Isaka Cernak gave North Queensland Fury an early lead.

"I was waiting how my team should react at that moment, and it was positive," Coolen said 

"We controlled the game for at least 70 minutes, and I was waiting for us to make it 4-1, but then we didn't do well and they scored a goal and we had some problems in the last minutes of the game.

"But the way we played and scored three goals in an away game and to get three points, that's really positive."

First A-League goals to Marcos Flores and Daniel Mullen, plus an own goal by Fury defender Brett Studman, gave United a two goal advantage, but when Fury pegged one back late on, it set up a tense finale.

"We had a lot of good football chances and we scored three goals, so that's more than good, especially in an away game," Coolen said.

"You can't lose when you score three goals in an away game, but we almost lost two points in the last couple of minutes.

"It was a fair result, I think we were much better than them, but even in the last couple of minutes we could have lost two points."

With eight points from four games and six goals from their past two encounters, United's campaign is off to an impressive start, but Coolen dismissed any thought that the Reds are satisfied with their efforts and getting ahead of themselves.

"I don't think so, I think this squad can handle that," Coolen said. "We have to learn a lot of things, that's the reason we train really hard every day, and that won't be a problem for us to feel too confident.

"To be honest it's positive when your team gets confidence...it's better to be that way than to be scared to play football.

"We are doing well at the moment, but we still have to do it better and better. It's good enough for now but not for the future."

Next up Coolen and the Reds face reigning A-League champions Sydney FC, currently without a win from their four games.

But Coolen knows the Reds must beware.

"Last week we said we have two tough games to play, away against Fury and away against Sydney," Coolen added. "We started off well against Fury so that's what we have to do against Sydney.

"It will be a tough game, Sydney is a good team, they need the points and they're playing at home, but if we do well and play the same style of football we did against Fury, then we have a big chance to win."