Bayswater City are on the cusp of the Australian Championship quarter-finals after they withstood a gutsy fightback from Sydney United 58 to maintain their unbeaten start to the competition.
United 58 endured a nightmare start to the match as they were reduced to 10 men within five minutes, following Jordan Ivancic’s red card for a high tackle on Gyles Davies.
And Davies made the visitors pay not long after as he dispossessed Carlos De Oliveira on the edge of the area and shot low beyond United 58 goalkeeper Vedran Janjetovic.
The home side doubled their lead five minutes later as the ball fell to Chris Jackson in the the area, and the striker calmly slid the ball under Janjetovic.
City weathered a spirited response from their opponents at the start of the second period to add a third goal. Jackson Stephens whipped in a cross from the right towards skipper Luke Palmateer at the far post and the defender rose highest and nodded the ball into the goal.
Bayswater looked to be cruising at that stage, before United 58 pulled a goal back through Kyle Cimenti, with the attacker firing home a volley from the middle of the box following a scramble.
The 10 men struck again in the 65th minute as lively substitute Ayouk Mow burst his way into the box, forcing the ball to fall into Aiden Milcevic's path, where the attacker fired into the goal.
Having conceded just once in their first three matches, Bayswater suddenly looked vulnerable and keeper Lewis Italiano was required to produce a fine low save to prevent Sydney from finding an unlikely equaliser.
Bayswater are three points clear at the top of Group D with two matches to play. They now face back-to-back away games at MetroStars in South Australia and West APIA in NSW, knowing a point from either will take them into the last eight.
