The Newcastle Jets conceded two late goals after Lucas Mauragis' 80th-minute send-off in a 2-0 loss to Brisbane Roar at Moreton Daily Stadium on Sunday.
They Jets had looked lacklustre before the 20-year-old was issued a red card for his second yellow card offence. Both were for fouls with the first coming in the 67th minute.
It was the second match in a row where Newcastle had had a player sent off after Daniel Penha was given his marching orders in injury time of their 0-0 draw with Perth in the west on Wednesday night.
The absence of the Brazilian midfield maestro was glaringly obvious for Newcastle, who were also without powerful striker Olivier Boumal due to injury.
In a rare performance devoid of attacking flair and creativity, the visitors barely threatened the Roar's goal. They turned over possession cheaply and never looked in control.
Brisbane, who are below Newcastle on the table and improved to 20 points with the much-needed win, dominated play throughout.
They had chances denied in the first half and were putting the Jets under plenty of pressure before Henry Hore finally broke the deadlock in the 83rd minute.
Hore danced his way around defenders in a congested box before finishing into the bottom right corner.
Luke Ivanovic made it 2-0 in the 93rd with a great strike into the top right corner from just inside the area.
The loss came after Newcastle had taken seven points from their past three outings and had recorded three consecutive clean sheets.
Jets coach Arthur Papas said it was "one of our worst performances this year".
"First half, we were second to a lot of things, we weren't controlling the ball enough, weren't connected enough, not aggressive enough in our press ... we didn't play well enough from what we expect of standards," Papas said.
"There was a period in the second half that was a little bit better but not enough, to be honest."
It was the third game in just over a week for Newcastle and came after a difficult trip to Perth, but Papas refused to make excuses for the performance.
"When that whistle goes, you're ready ... there were opportunities for other players and, when you get opportunities, you've got to take them and today we didn't," Papas said post-match.
"We didn't get forward enough, not enough bravery on the ball, not enough forward runs. They're key pillars for our game, so when they're not on, we aren't going to create chances.
"We need to regroup and get ready for our next game."
The result left Newcastle in ninth position with 22 points, five outside the top six as they eye a return home and another bout with Glory at McDonald Jones Stadium next Sunday.
AAP reports: Central Coast striker Jason Cummings was left to rue a poor late penalty that cost him a hat-trick and the Mariners three points in a 2-2 draw with Western United on Saturday.
Leo Lacroix threw Marco Urena to the ground in the 90th minute to gift Central Coast a shot at victory.
But Jamie Young batted away Cummings' poor spot kick to ensure Nikolai Topor-Stanley's record-breaking 359th league appearance ended with a point.
"It's a shocker. It's a terrible penalty, man, I'm fuming," Cummings told Paramount Plus.
"The boys had done well today as well and we bring it back to 2-2 there and then I've got a chance to score from the penalty spot. I should score there, man. I'm gutted.
"I let the boys down a wee bit there at the end, so I'm fuming. I'm always fuming after games but that's my bread and butter that, so I'm just gutted I missed.
"Should have been three points, man. I'm not going to sleep tonight."
Coach Nick Montgomery backed Cummings and said his side's disappointment at only snatching a point from second-placed United reflected how far they'd come.
"He's clearly disappointed, he's a top class striker, he's on for his hat-trick and not only that, it's three points. So obviously there was a lot at stake," he said.
"But he's scored a lot of penalties in big games and the best players in the world miss penalties.
"But the boys picked him up in there and told him to stop moping around when we've got a game on Tuesday."
The Mariners snatched the lead in the 36th minute when Young attempted to claim Noah Smith's corner but missed the ball and it fell to Cummings, who scrambled a header home.
There was a VAR review as Cummings' header appeared to glance off his arm en route to goal but the decision was upheld.
"From live I thought it was a handball but I didn't see the replay after that," United coach John Aloisi said.
"The referee said that he couldn't tell because the monitor was too small. That's strange for me.
"If they called him over they clearly thought it was handball and then if they have a bigger monitor or a bigger screen then they need to make the decision."
United hit back in the 47th when Smith headed Neil Kilkenny's free kick into his own net.
In the 63rd minute, Lachie Wales brilliantly lofted a perfectly weighted ball for Aleksandar Prijovic to nod home and a minute later, Cummings slammed a wonderful strike past Young to restore parity.
Both teams had chances to snatch victory before the dramatic late penalty.
United's Rene Khrin (hamstring) failed a pre-match fitness test while Connor Pain (ankle) hobbled off in the 56th minute.
