As the top 6 'movement' reaches its crescendo Marconi Stallions dominated the previously rampant Brisbane Strikers but in the end it was the 63rd min 'hat-trick' goal by Norman Tome that sank Brisbane.
It was Norman Tome's 2nd hat-trick in his NSL career, with an earlier one for Sydney Olympic, and it overshadowed former Marconi player Kris Trajanovski's brace for the 'banana benders'.
With a slender hope of making the top 6 the Stallions took the field without Brendan Renaud but with Ralph Bove and Royce Brownlie whose absence earlier in the season hampered Marconi's engine room.
The Brisbane team came south with their top scorer Foster and recent form dropping them away from the coveted top 2 spot. Both teams though still had plenty to play for as the top 6 race hots up.
Marconi started brightly with a James Afkos run down the right putting pressure on the Brisbane defence and rattling Jonathan McKain who knocked it just past his own left post for a corner. A minute later Maisano hit a speculator over the crossbar.
Lawrence Drake for Brisbane made a run into the area on the left but the Marconi defence cleaned up.
In the 11th min Norman Tome headed one wide when lightly marked in the area, and quickly at the other end Brisbane won a free kick, which Michael Turnbull in the Marconi goal was only able to parry away.
In the 15th min Angelo Costanzo made a run and his shot from 20m could not be held by Jason Kearton in the Strikers goal however he regathered before Royce Brownlie could intervene.
A minute later Brownlie out sped a defender but his shot on the run was parried away by Kearton to the 'storming' Norman Tome who slotted it under the Brisbane defence and into the left side of the goal.
Brisbane got a free kick 30m out of the Marconi goal and Fernando Rech's shot bent into the top left hand corner of the goal. Somehow, Turnbull got a hand to it to prevent it entering the net.
Marconi had more of the possession but it was real end to end stuff for much of the first half.
In the 29th min Tome pinched the ball from a defensive error but as he closed on the goal he hit the ball wide of the keeper and of the right hand goalpost.
Brisbane was also pressing and in the 32nd min won a corner kick. From the corner Kris Trajanovski rose to head home the ball past Turnbull.
In the 39th min John Maisano hit a 30m shot which cannoned off the crossbar.
After the half time break Brisbane again pressed with Trajanovski directing a glancing header alas straight to the keeper, and from the throw out Royce Brownlie lobbed the ball over the defence to Christian Care but after he miss-kicked at it the ball outran him for the keeper to gather.
In the 50th min Tome hit a weak header at Kearton and then a Maisano shot went wide on the left side.
Drake crossed to Trajanovski in the 57th and the experienced striker being almost unmarked made no mistake taking the goal.
Under pressure from Tome Brisbane's defender Shane Stefanutto made a bad header and the ball lobbed into space for Tome to head in.
In the 63rd min Marconi substitute Steven Bozinovski got down the right wing, to the line, and cut back a beautifully weighted and directed cross which Norman Tome volleyed seemingly without any nerves into the bottom left hand side of Brisbane's goal for a well earned hat-trick.
Brisbane kept up the pressure with Grierson, Drake and McKay all getting into scoring opportunities, whilst Marconi's Brownlie and Bozinovski both had two chances each to improve the Stallions goal difference ahead of the final round.
Marconi was best served by Norman Tome, Ralph Bove, Royce Brownlie, Michael Turnbull, and Steve Bozinovski when he came on. Brisbane can thank Kris Trajanovski, Lawrence Drake, and Adam Webber for their contribution.
Marconi Stallions coach, the vocal and astute Lee Sterrey, said he was "We deserve to finish on a good note and we just have to go out and play good football in the last game. We have overall performed well this season, and in the end we've come good." He was pleased with Tome's performance but reminded all that he had missed plenty of goals earlier in the season. "I thought we should have led 2-0 in the first half."
Brisbane's outspoken John Kosmina indicated that he thought, "Marconi stayed focussed thought the game and we didn't. We played some good football and some dumb football" Brisbane host Perth Glory at Ballymore next week but only are safe in the top 6, however even with Marconi's renewed momentum toward the top 6 they need to beat South Melbourne away on Friday night and then wait until Sunday to see whether neither Power or Spirit win.