JDT claimed the win after a slow-burning first half that burst into life in time added on with Peraic-Cullen sent off for bringing down Arif Aiman outside the penalty area.

The Malaysia international was released into space on the right by new signing Jonathan Viera, prompting Peraic-Cullen to race off his line and haul down Arif as the winger stepped inside to leave referee Ko Hyung-jin with little option but to show the red card.

Heberty hit the post with the resulting free-kick and Bergson put the ball in the net in the aftermath but his close-range strike was ruled out for offside following a VAR review.

With the extra player, JDT were in the ascendancy and Bergson found the target with a header soon after that which replacement goalkeeper Adam Pavlesic comfortably collected.

Pavlesic blocked another Bergson attempt minutes into the second half and parried a further attempt by the Brazilian to safety as JDT steadily increased the pressure on the home side.

The goalkeeper plucked Viera’s lofted effort out of the air on the hour mark while three minutes later the woodwork saved Central Coast when Oscar Arribas’ header clipped the bar after Arif’s inviting curling cross from the right.

Mariners’ resistance was broken in the 64th minute when Natxo Insa fed Arif down the right, whose cutback from the bye line found Gonzalez unmarked and he steered his low shot past Pavlesic.

The Australians, second best for much of the game, pulled level within five minutes however. A foul on Kuol set up Mikael Doka to deliver a free-kick deep into the JDT penalty area and, after Brian Kaltak headed back across goal, Kuol pounced.

Viera’s shot was saved by Pavlesic and Kaltak denied Eddy Israfilov before JDT deservedly reclaimed the lead, with Gonzalez on target again as the defender cleverly flicked Herberty’s centre across the line with a looping header via the inside of the post to seal the points.