As the heavens opened, the Roar kept up a constant stream of pressure on the Gold Coast box, but Glen Moss was superb between the posts in a man-of-the-match performance.

United's goals both came against the run of play, as they looked to counter their league-topping neighbours, who were on the front foot throughout.

But Gold Coast were entitled to grievances of their own, with Jean Carlos Solorzano's match-saving 66th minute penalty coming courtesy of a dubious decision from referee Chris Beath.

Kosta Barbarouses and Solorzano linked well throughout the contest, using their speed to get in behind the defence, but the chances weren't taken and both men could easily have had more than one on their individual tallies.

Brisbane seemed on track for another sterling home ground performance from the opening exchanges, and in the opening 10 minutes both Barbarouses and Solorzano were able to work the keeper.

But the visitors were undaunted and in the 14th minute they took the lead. A poorly directed corner cleared the area, but when Adama Traore whipped in a second cross from the other side of the pitch, Dino Djulbic was in the perfect position to rise above the pack and head home the opener.

Brisbane were doing their utmost to claw their way back onto level pegging, but Moss was on fire in goals, first parrying away a scud from Thomas Broich and then making another incredible save from Solorzano's point blank shot.

But with Brisbane hunting in packs deep within the United area, the equaliser had to come, and in the 30th minute it was Barbarouses latching on to a Mitch Nichols' through-ball and opening the Roar's account.

Brisbane came out from the half-time break and were instantly on the offensive, with Barbarouses in on goal but losing control within 20 seconds of the restart.

Matt McKay was the next to be denied by Moss, and then Barbarouses had a goal-bound strike deflected away as the league-leaders turned up the heat.

But again it was United springing a surprise and taking back the lead, courtesy of some magic from Robson, who skipped past Matt Smith and then beat Michael Theoklitos from the tight angle.

Without a loss at home in the 2010-11 season, Brisbane were fighting hard to maintain their record, but Moss remained all but impenetrable, first diving low to his right to stop a long range effort from Eric Paartalu and then blocking a sharp chance from McKay.

Eventually the matter was all but taken from his hands, as Solorzano equalled the score with a successful penalty after John Curtis was controversially ruled to have taken Barbarouses down on the edge of the area.

Brisbane then looked all-but certain to take the lead, but when Broich went one-on-one with Moss, but he inexplicably failed to put his chipped shot on line.

Broich nearly made amends a moment later, but when he squared up for Barbarouses at the top of the penalty box the 20-year-old Kiwi international couldn't trouble the scorers, badly skewing his shot.

With less than 10 minutes remaining, the two sides were given some brief respite, as ground staff were called on to repaint the Gold Coast penalty area, which had been washed away in the unrelenting rain.

Brisbane looked to have regrouped better than their neighbours, but despite further opportunities to Broich and Massimo Murdocca they were unable to steal the three points.

Brisbane Roar 2 (Barbarouses 30', Solorzano 66' pen)
Gold Coast United 2 (Djulbic 14', Robson 55')
Crowd; 13,065 @ Suncorp Stadium