Central Coast have moved into eighth place on the ALM table after defeating Macarthur FC 4-2 at Mudgee's Glen Willow Stadium.
Hosting the fixture in regional New South Wales on Saturday afternoon, the Mariners took the lead through Costa Rican Marco Urena in the 27th minute only to be pegged back just before halftime by Adrian Mariappa.
But second-half goals from Matt Hatch, Noah Smith, and Urena again allowed the hosts to absorb Lachlan Rose's 88th-minute consolation and extend their unbeaten run to four games ahead of a visit from Adelaide United next Saturday.
Winners of just two in their last 11, the Bulls remain fifth ahead of a home game against Melbourne City also in seven day's time.
The Bulls had the best of the opening exchanges against an undermanned Mariners but the injury-enforced entry of Urena after 18 minutes served to reset the contest.
After probing the left with a series of moves, Jacob Farrell sprung Jason Cummings down the flank in the 27th minute to cut the ball back for Urena to finish.
The goal spurned Macarthur coach Ante Milicic into making a triple substitution; setting a new national league record for the earliest such change in the process.
And parity was restored just before the break when a corner, eventually, spilled to Mariappa at close-range.
But the sides remained level for just three minutes into the second stanza as Hatch, subbed on at halftime, found himself in acres of space at the back post after a corner.
Finding space inside the Bulls' box, Smith dinked a shot past Kurto in the 57th and while Urena was perhaps unlucky not to get a touch on it, there was no denying his second in the 80th.
Rose's strike gave the Bulls some late hope, but some desperate goalkeeping from Mark Birighitti shut the door.
