Tussle ... The Roar's Lana Harch and Melbourne's Jessica McDonald challenge for the ball during Brisbane's 3-2 win. Photo: Getty Images
PERENNIAL W-League title challengers Sydney FC and Brisbane Roar have both returned to winning ways after a recent poor run of form, despite the absence of a host of key personnel on national team duty.
The two moved into equal second after vastly contrasting wins, taking full advantage as leaders Perth Glory and champions Canberra United had their match postponed.
Joining the pair are surprise packets Western Sydney Wanderers, with the trio two points shy of Perth.
Canberra are a further two points adrift with their home match against the Glory deferred due to their participation in the International Women's Club Championship in Japan.
In Brisbane, the Roar made light of the absence of six players to edge out in-form Melbourne Victory with the last kick of the game.
They seemed set to share the spoils until the Roar's Amy Chapman scored in the 89th minute for her second goal of the match. Amid a flurry of opportunities at both ends, Jessica McDonald then equalised for the Victory, before Ashley Spina conjured a winner five minutes past the allotted 90 minutes for a 3-2 win.
Sydney FC avoided an unprecedented third loss on the trot with an emphatic 4-0 win over bottom side Adelaide United.
Two goals in each half allowed the Sky Blues to cruise to victory in Adelaide, with midfielder Chloe Logarzo bagging a second-half double.
Sydney were without four Matildas representatives, although they were boosted by the return of Ellyse Perry from a hamstring strain and the dual international set up the opener for Renee Rollason with New Zealand striker Emma Kete also on the scoresheet.
Long-serving Matildas striker Sarah Walsh, who recently announced her retirement from the international arena, returned to goal-scoring form as the Wanderers over-ran Newcastle Jets 3-0 in stifling heat at Campbelltown.
Walsh scored twice before substitute Candace Sciberras rounded out the scoring in injury time, just five minutes into her W-League debut.
Meanwhile, the Matildas were unable to give long-serving coach Tom Sermanni the farewell they sought as they fell short of qualifying for the East Asian Cup with a 2-1 loss to China on Saturday night.
Goals to Wang Li Si and Zhang Rui bookended Katie Gill's first-half strike in Shenzen to take the hosts through to next year's regional showpiece in South Korea at the expense of the youthful Matildas.
The qualifying tournament was Sermanni's last at the helm before he departs to take charge of the Olympic champion United States women's team.
Sermanni was proud of the way his players fought to the end and believed the outcome was not too unexpected for a young team rebuilding early in its World Cup cycle.
''It was a tough game and typical of the kind of games that we play up in Asia, where there's usually one goal in it either way,'' Sermanni said.
''I feel a bit disappointed for the players … they really pushed and pushed to the end. If you look at the team, there's still a lot of teenagers in there - a lot of players who have played very, very few caps - and they're still working out how to play.''
AAP
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