Sydney substitute Patrick came on after 67 minutes and within a minute he'd slotted home the winner. But it was a brilliant Clint Bolton who kept Sydney in the contest with a world class display.

The final stages of the game was like the charge of the light brigade as Roar battered Sydney but the orange shirts just could not find a way past a majestic Clint Bolton and a determined FC side in a classic A-League encounter.
The turning points in the game were two world class pieces of defending by Sydney just minutes before Patrick's stunning arrival on the park.
Firstly Mark Rudan's brilliant intercept on Simon Lynch when it looked like a certain goal. Then, Clint Bolton's equally brilliant stop from a Reinaldo header right in front.

After the match, Roar captain Craig Moore was philosphical. "They had one chance and they took it. We've got a great bunch of boys, we continued to press but tonight wasn't our night."

Sydney skipper Mark Milligan was understandably elated, telling Fox Sports, "It's been a tough four weeks and we didn't play the prettiest football but I tell you what, the boys worked hard. Coming up to Queensland we expected them to work hard and be physical."

Sydney handed the captaincy armband to Mark Milligan for the first time and also gave a first start to striker Brendon Santalab alongside Alex Brosque.

Last week's hero Adam Casey began in the unfamiliar role of right back and Terry McFlynn slotted back into the midfield.

For Roar, Ante Milicic started up front for Roar alongside Simon Lynch with Reinaldo playing wide right in the midfield diamond with Marcinho in the hole just behind the front two.

With a great crowd in – including about 100 Cove fans - the match got off to a high tempo and feisty start.

Ruben Zadkovich showed he meant business with a couple of early crunching tackles, one on Matt McKay which could've easily been a yellow.

Ufuk Talay then foulded Milicic giving Roar a free just outside the box. A well-worked move almost got the Queenslanders in from the kick, but FC was able to scramble the ball clear.

It was fast and furious stuff early but with no clear chances created until Lynch wriggled clear of a pedestrian Mark Rudan on 24 minutes but his stinging shot was tipped over by Bolton. From the resulting corner Fyfe stood up to head clear in a crowded box.

Minutes later, Marcinho had a good shot on target from the edge of the box but Bolton easily collected. And from Marcinho's corner, Moore got a clear head on target but it was headed out of danger by Rudan.

While this was going on, Milligan was off the park for about three minutes because of blood coming out of his nose.

The first card of the night went to Josh McCloughan after he hacked down Brosque 30m out. From the resulting set piece, Rudan got on the end of it but he scuffed his header and Moore was able to clear.

Zadkovich did get a yellow for diving in on McKay and taking him out.It was that sort of battle. Players challenging and contesting for the football in a typical state of origin affair.

With seven minutes to go before the break, Danny Tiatto got the ball in front of the Sydney box and set up Marcinho but the Brazilian's shot was well off the target.

Shortly after Craig Moore got onto a corner cross and his header was cleared off the line by Casey and from the rebound, Reinaldo slammed the ball straight at Clint Bolton.

Talay got a yellow for a trailing elbow on Tiatto right on half-time and Tiatto got one himself for a similar indiscretion on Brosque.
The second half began the same way it finished, with Roar on the offensive and Sydney battling hard defensively.

But Zadkovich could've taken the lead for FC via a beautiful counter-attack after just five minutes.
A Talay through ball was measured and the Olyroo jinked his way through the Roar defence before shooting low and wide. A wonderful move that deserved better for the visitor.

Chances were continually being created by Roar but the final ball was missing. Sydney, for its part, were content to hit Roar on the break.

Brosque had a golden chance to score after a throw in caught Roar out and the striker found himself with the ball but he screwed his shot just wide. A difficult chance but a chance nonetheless.

Sydney then made the first change with Adam Biddle coming in for Adam Casey after 53 minutes. Biddle came into central midfield while Zadkovich took Casey's role in the defence.

Shortly after, Massimo Murdocca came on for Ante Milicic. Reinaldo took the striking role alongside Lynch with Murdocca slotting in to midfied for the home side as the lighting pace of the game began to slow up slightly.
After a lull in pace after the break the game exploded into life around the 60 minute mark.

First, Rudan came up with a defensive tackle of the highest order to save a certain goal. A Roar attack down the right and a ball across the FC defence was about to be scored by Lynch before Rudan slid in and cleared.

And just a minute later an equally stunning piece of work from Clint Bolton who saved a point blank header from Reinaldo after Marcinho's pinpoint cross. This surely was one of the saves of the season from the FC keeper.
McFlynn was booked for a wild tackle on Marcinho.

Culina then gambled on Patrick coming on as a sub for Talay after 67 minutes. It paid immediate dividends. A minute later, the sub was Johnny on the spot to get on the end of a low Corica cross after good work from Zadkovich and the Brazilian slotted home coolly right in front.

Against the run of play, Sydney had took the lead as Suncorp was stunned.
Frank Farina gambled with flyer Michael Zullo comiung on with 17 minutes to go for defender Ben Griffin as Roar began to lose their composure in general play.

And Rudan could've made it two ten minutes later with a header that just went over from a Corica set piece.

Tiatto had a long range effort which went wide minutes later but it was looking like a similar scenario.

Roar sub Sasa Ognenovski almost scored within 60 seconds of coming on but once again Clint Bolton saved brilliantly.

It just wasn't to be as the Suncorp hoodoo remains for the home side. On the final whistle, Sydney players jumped for joy like it was a finals match. It meant that much to them.

FOURFOURTWO SAYS
Sydney always seems to enjoy the big matches and tonight was no exception. They were magnificent - none more so than Clint Bolton who is now, officially, back to his royal best. For Queensland, they entertained tonight with an action-packed display... but the Suncorp hoodoo continues, one of the most perplexing mysteries in the A-League.