South Melbourne won local bragging rights after its two-goal victory over Melbourne Knights at Bob Jane Stadium in a six-goal extravaganza, consigning their cross-town rivals to its first loss of the season.
The game turned during a five minute period midway through the second half sparked by returning midfielder Bill Damianos who smacked a 25 metre free-kick into the top corner of the net from a free-kick, and then minutes later, floated a corner onto the head of Nick Tolios who netted close-in.
"(South coach) Danny (Wright) told us before the game that it was between me and Steve Panopoulos (to take free-kicks). I just felt confident and stepped up to take it, and it went in," Damianos said.
"It was the strength of the squad that got the result today," said Wright after the game.
Despite the loss, Knights' player-coach Andrew Marth drew some comfort from the fact that there were a number of youngsters being fielded by both sides who are holding their own at NSL level. "Knights have always relied on the young boys coming through. We're going to push these young guys (to the fore) as much as we can."
If the six goals weren't enough to give the ten-thousand in attendance something to talk about, then two send-offs, and a crunching tackle that sent South's New Zealand international Vaughan Coveny crashing to the ground unconscious certainly would have.
Wright sent out a re-jigged South formation for this game after disappointing defensive lapses had resulted in eight goals being conceded in the previous two games.
South's scorers were captain Paul Trimboli from an early penalty, Peter Buljan, Damianos, and Tolios. Knights responded through Leon Buhic and Ante Pelikan.
Both sides played the entire second half a player down after referee Hugo Brett gave South's Buljan and Knights' Nick Sabljak their second cautions late in the half in unrelated incidents.
Trimboli converted a second-minute penalty after Buhic had fouled Panopoulos as a corner was floated into the penalty-area for a simple decision from referee Brett Hugo.
Buhic made up for his transgression just after the half-hour when a cross from the left fell handily for Pelikan at the far post. Pelikan's clever cut-back was headed in from point-blank range from the Croatian import in a move that dissected the South defence.
But if Knights' players thought that their hard work had paid off, South went ahead again straight from the re-start. Trimboli had fed Damianos, who in turn found Buljan with a defence-splitting pass, allowing Buljan a direct run on goal. Knights' keeper Martin John came out to challenge, but Buljan coolly slotted home at the near post.
It was to prove Buljan's last involvement in the game as just before the break he pulled back Buhic in the penalty-area and received his second yellow-card following his caution for a misdemeanour early in the game. Pelikan converted the penalty and Knights seemed set for the advantage of a player up for the duration of the second-half.
However, Sabljak was also given his second caution in first-half added time after a clash with Panopoulos, leaving the game finely balanced at two-all and ten men apiece.
Both coaches made changes during the interval in a bid to wrest control of the game and re-align their depleted resources. Knights' Henry Fa'arodo came on for an injured Marth, and South replaced the hard-working David Clarkson for Coveny.
"I've had a groin problem for a few weeks," said Marth. "I couldn't continue." Marth expects that he might have to miss Knights' next two games.
Coveny found himself in the thick of things from his first minutes on the park. He first drew a caution for a foul and then - timing his run perfectly to take advantage of a through-ball from Murdocca - launched a cross from the bye-line, but sent it too close to John with Trimboli and Vince Lia waiting to pounce.
The speedy Kiwi however was to have a short period on the park, needing to be stretchered off after a sickening aerial duel with Rodrigo Vargas which earnt Vargas a caution. But this incident was not to arise until midway through the second-half after South had taken a two-goal lead.
"(Coveny) was knocked-out before he hit the ground," said a tight-lipped Wright.
South regained the lead just after the hour direct from a free-kick 30 metres out taken expertly by Damianos into the top corner. Trimboli had been fouled in a tangle of players.
Tolios then stretched South's advantage with a towering header from a Damianos corner. Ray Sekulovski, who had replaced the injured Coveny, then had two fine chances within minutes of his introduction, but was not able to add to the South tally.