Sydney remain top of the competition by the narrowest of margins ahead of Queensland Roar, Melbourne Victory, Adelaide United and Central Coast Mariners, with all five teams locked on six points but the Blues ahead of the pack by virtue of goals scored.

With two positive results from as many starts the Sydneysiders had started as firm favourites, with the team boosted by the overnight return of a number of key personnel from national team duty with the Young Matildas.

Sydney though were handicapped by the absence of inspirational skipper Heather Garriock due to a hip injury.

Sydney's Leena Khamis scored her fourth goal in three appearances to go top of the league's scoring charts, however former Matilda Sharon Black replied almost immediately to even the ledger within minutes of the match commencing.

A Lisa Gilbert own goal and a strike from Victoria Balomenos early in the second half had Adelaide in the ascendancy before Kylie Ledbrook pulled a goal back to set up a grandstand finish.

United's impressive win indicated that Hindmarsh Stadium could prove to be a graveyard for visiting teams after they backed up last weekend's 3-2 win over the Newcastle Jets.

"We think we still have a lot of improvement in us," said Adelaide coach Mike Barnett.

"The girls are starting to gel together as proven by the results of the last two weeks."

In today's other match, the Central Coast Mariners won 2-1 in front of 1,500 spectators in Canberra with teenage Matilda Kyah Simon grabbing both goals for the visitors.

Mariners goalkeeper Lisa Hartley suffered the ignominy of being the first player to be red-carded in the W-League when she was dismissed for a professional foul and Ellie Brush scored from the resultant penalty.

Saturday saw a welcome return to form for the Roar who had suffered an upset home loss to Canberra United the previous week.