Brisbane Roar maestro Jay O'Shea was the star in a 2-1 win over Perth Glory on a Suncorp Stadium pitch that both coaches said was not up to standard.
The surface was chopped up due to two concerts held at the stadium earlier in the month.
Glory coach Ante Stajcic labelled the surface a "mud ring".
"It was the same for both teams so it is not an excuse for winning or losing ... but it is actually sad to turn up to such an iconic stadium...and having that pitch," he said.
"I am sad for the players that they have to play on there and risk their bodies on that. It was more like a mud ring than a pitch."
Roar coach Ross Aloisi was delighted with the way his side handled the conditions in a performance that took them to third on the A-League Men ladder.
"I thought the players were very brave to play the football we wanted to on that field because it was difficult," Aloisi said.
"I explained to them yesterday when I knew what the pitch was going to be like that there were no excuses and that we would try and play our football and create as many goal-scoring opportunities.
"We had something like 23 shots at goal. I am very proud of that playing group."
Aloisi added: "I don't why we continue to put up with what we are putting up with. (The players) don't complain. I don't allow them to but they have every right to complain."
Irishman O'Shea created the Roar's first goal for Henry Hore in the 56th minute and the attacking midfielder scored the second with a clinical left-foot strike nine minutes later.
The Glory have not won in their past 13 road trips and the loss was their third in a row away from home this season.
O'Shea was pivotal in Hore's goal.
The 35-year-old, with sheer grit and determination, won possession from Oliver Bozanic and put an immaculate ball through for Hore to finish with panache on a tight angle.
In the 65th minute, O'Shea had a shot with his right foot that ricocheted back to him on the edge of the penalty area.
He didn't miss with his left foot.
The Glory hit back in the fourth minute of stoppage time with a powerful header by Aleksander Susnjar after an Aaron McEneff free kick rebounded off the crossbar.
The Roar dominated possession and the goal-scoring chances in the opening half but were denied by excellent goalkeeping by Olyroos representative Cameron Cook.
The Roar lost defender Corey Brown to a hamstring injury in the 14th minute and midfielder Florin Berenguer also injured a quad.
The Roar are now on 10 ALM points, just one behind leaders Western Sydney Wanderers and the Wellington Phoenix.
Perth are on four points, just one point off the bottom of the ladder.
