Brisbane Roar striker Jamie Maclaren's scored for the seventh time in his past six A-League appearances to secure a 1-0 win over Melbourne Victory that means Sydney FC is the 2016-2017 premier.

Maclaren's 15th of the season arrived six minutes into the second half when he latched on to a bouncing ball and rifled home a superb dipping finish from outside the area.

The result means Victory is 11 points behind Sydney with three games to play, although it pressed gamely for an equaliser at Suncorp Stadium.

Jason Geria bundled in at the far post to see an attempt run agonisingly across the goalmouth when a goal seemed certain.

Adelaide United beat Central Coast Mariners 3-2 in the basement battle at Central Coast Stadium, where Papa Diawara netted a brace for the ailing reigning champion.

Kwabena Appiah-Kubi struck first for the hosts when he was afforded too much room to steer home a header from Storm Roux's cross on the stroke of half-time.

But Diawara's equaliser in the 56th-minute was the first of three in 10 minutes for Adelaide in a stunning turnaround that would see its hosts replace it at the bottom of the table.

Dylan McGowan headed in from Jesse Makarounas' left-wing corner and the Mariners' set-piece defending failed them once more when Diawara converted from Ben Garuccio's delivery.

Roy O'Donovan set up a tense finish by netting from the penalty spot in the final minute of normal time after Kim Jae-Sung was penalised for handball.