Two goals up inside 25 minutes and playing with verve and confidence against a Newcastle Jets side that had, to that point, been second-best, Melbourne City could have been forgiven for thinking that by the end of Friday night they would be sitting on top of the A League table for just the second time in the club's history.
An hour later John Van 't Schip's side was a shellshocked, sorry sight, wondering how it had not just surrendered such a commanding advantage but actually gone down 3-2 in a match they could have put to bed before half-time.
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Jets come from behind to burn City
Newcastle has registered consecutive wins for the first time in almost 20 months after a stirring second half comeback to down Melbourne City 3-2 at AAMI Park.
Credit must go to the Jets for showing the character, courage and commitment to come back from such a deficit and score three times away from home to take all the points in a win that, overnight at least, puts them at the top of the table.
Scott Miller's team is nothing if not resilient, and this win, achieved with two goals by Milos Trifunovic, one with a header, one from the penalty spot, and another from Ben Kantarovski, will certainly strengthen their self belief.
Initially City carried on where they left off on Sunday in that 3-1 win over Central Coast, taking the game to their opponents and seeking to impose themselves from the off.
It didn't take long for the hosts to get their noses in front and it was Aaron Mooy, who was this week described by Socceroo coach Ange Postecoglou as the best player in the A League, who made the breakthrough in the 12th minute.
He was aided by Ben Garuccio, another of City's youngsters given a first team chance in recent weeks after recovering from injury.
The left-back dispossessed David Carney and slipped a pass to Mooy. The Socceroo midfielder dropped his shoulder, evaded Carney's challenge and shot from outside the penalty area, his drive taking a big deflection off former City defender Jason Hoffman to give Mark Birighitti no chance in the Jets goal. City doubled their advantage 10 minutes later, and it was a goal young midfielder Stefan Mauk will long remember.
City won possession and Mauk and Mooy exchanged passes in midfield before the ball was swung wide to Garuccio on the left. The full back played it through to Mauk, who exchanged passes with David Williams before sweeping past Birighitti, taking a deflection off Jets captain Nigel Boogard on the way home.
Carney was the Jets matchwinner last week with that wonderful long shot against Victory and he was their most threatening outlet when they did get the ball forward. Hoffman won possessing well down the left and found the ex Socceroo, whose shot was headed clear. He then headed over the bar himself while Williams fired wide at the other end after being set up by Mooy.
The Jets got themselves back into this game in the 58th minute through a rare Ben Kantarovski goal, the midfielder netting only for the second time in 110 games.
Newcastle's Serbian winger Enver Alivodic got clear on the left and his cross fell to Mateo Poljak at the other side of the penalty area. Poljak's lofted ball was met by Kantarovski, whose header evaded Thomas Sorensen's dive.
City substitute Corey Gameiro had a good chance to restore his team's two goal buffer when the ball came to him after Birighitti punched away Bruno Fornaroli's shot shortly after, but the youngster shot well over the bar.
Buoyed by their goal and sensing some nerves in their hosts, Newcastle went in search of a leveller.
And their more adventurous second half performance did bring a reward through a contentious penalty decision when referee Jarred Gillett pointed to the spot after Hoffman's cross struck Wade Dekker on the arm. Trifunovic coolly drove the ball high past Sorensen and the Jets got their equaliser.
That was in the 74th minute, and five minutes later the Jets had completed their smash and grab raid when the Serbian striker rose highest to head home from Carney's free kick. It was a loss that could haunt City, who looked to be back on track after that win over the Mariners. They next visit struggling Adelaide next Thursday in a game that carries plenty of pressure for both clubs.