Captain Travis Dodd netted a brace as Adelaide United ended the unbeaten run of reigning A-League champions Melbourne Victory in emphatic fashion with a 4-1 win at Hindmarsh Stadium.
The former Socceroo midfielder stepped up to an attacking role in the absence of a number of strikers and came up trumps in the 16th and 63rd minutes.
The rot set in for Melbourne when returning defender Ljubo Milicevic cruelly netted an own goal in the 14th minute when he got the last touch to a corner from Jason Spagnuolo.
Midfielder Lucas Pantelis iced Adelaide's second win of the season with a brilliant solo effort in the 91st minute, a precise strike around Victory keeper Michael Theoklitos from 20 metres.
Adelaide provisionally ousted Melbourne from second spot on the ladder on goal difference pending other matches on Sunday.
Socceroo striker Archie Thompson scored his third goal of the season in injury time of the first half in clinical fashion to give the Victory some hope despite missing injured captain Kevin Muscat.
But Adelaide found more reserves after half time to kill off the match in front of 13,372 fans.
Danny Allsopp tested Adelaide keeper Daniel Beltrame twice in the opening 10 minutes but couldn't break through before The Dodd Show swung into gear.
The 270-year-old speedster coolly finished a long pass with the outside of his right foot for the opener and then headed home a Richie Alagich cross in the second half to virtually seal the win.
Both teams missed several key players, with the Victory's tough captain Kevin Muscat finally succumbing to knee and arm injuries while Adelaide missed leading Socceroo Bruce Djite and Nathan Burns.
It was only the fifth loss for Melbourne in 32 games, and the first this season.
