The hosts were by far the better team in a first half of flowing football before a crowd of 7034 and deservedly went ahead inside the first dozen minutes through Gerald Sibon but they were inches away from a second through Rutger Worm whose header was kept out by the post.

And having survived on just 44 percent of possession before the break Roar turned the tables in the second half to firstly draw level in the 65th minute through Kosta Barbarouses' sixth goal of the season before Jean Carlos Solorzano snatched all three points in the 88th minute.

Second-half substitute Franjic, who had seen his 72nd-minute penalty attempt saved by Clint Bolton, struck the woodwork after being set up by Mitch Nichols but the rebound fell straight into the path of Solorzano who had the easiest of tap-ins.

Roar's eighth win of the season was their sixth since their only defeat to Victory at the same venue in mid-September and stretches their lead at the top of the table to four points from Adelaide United.

Heart meanwhile remain fifth and could be overtaken later on Sunday by cross-town rivals Victory when they take on Glory in Perth, John van 't Schip's team having suffered its first defeat since their 4-0 thrashing from the Roar at Suncorp Stadium in late September.