Perth Glory moved 10 points clear of the NSL field after a 2-1 away win over Marconi Stallions.
But in holding the runaway leaders for much of the game - the winner from Damien Mori came just two minutes from time - Marconi showed they will be ahandful for the Football Kingz when they meet at North Harbour Stadium on Friday night.
Brisbane Strikers slipped off the pace when they were beaten 2-1 at Ballymore Stadium by unfancied Sydney United.
They dropped to third on goal difference after they and Newcastle United ended the round on 25 points.
Newcastle and Northern Spirit played out a highly entertaining 1-1 draw in front of a 10,000 crowd at Marathon Stadium,
Lucas Pantelis, in his first start for Adelaide City Force in several weeks, scored in the 56th and 88th minutes as the South Australians came from a goal down to beat the Melbourne Knights 3-2 in Adelaide.
In what should have been the feature game of this weekend's 15th round, Perth are at home to Wollongong, but with the teams 19 points apart, the West Australians will be hot favourites.
The closest battle should be between the Melbourne Knights and Olympic Sharks.
The Kingz play Marconi, a fixture the Auckland side won 1-0 last season.
