Reigning S.League champions SAFFC had the better of a five goal second half blitz at Choa Chu Kang as they edged Albirex Niigata FC (Singapore) on Wednesday evening.
A goalless first half gave little indication of the excitement which was to follow.
Ashrin Shariff and Aleksander Duric had found the net within 10 minutes of each other, with Tetsuya Okayama's brief equaliser in between after a breathless start to the second half.
Okayama then brought the visitors back to 2-2, only to have Daniel Bennett seal the win for the Warriors in the 74th minute.
The game took some time to warm up as both sides opened the first-half sluggish and blunt in attack.
A heavy downpour earlier also left the pitch heavily waterlogged, and slowed the tempo of the game in the first half.
The home side came close to drawing first blood in the 12th minute when Duric failed to connect with Mustaqim Manzur's cross from the right.
The Warriors upped the pressure and in the 16th minute John Wilkinson forced a fine save from Albirex keeper Norio Takahashi with a volley from range.
Albirex were then let off in the 26th minute as Duric fired wide with only Takahashi to beat following Therdsak Chaiman's run and pass.
Five minutes from half-time, Takahashi came to the fore again as he palmed away Ashrin's effort from Noor Ali's cross.
The pressure that SAFFC had been bringing to bear finally paid off in the 51st minute.
After Duric had his shot blocked for a corner by Takahashi, set-piece specialist Therdsak swung in a cross which Ashrin nodded home for 1-0.
The goal ignited a flurry of action over the next 20 minutes as both sides looked for the next goal.
It was to come for the Japanese side and it came through the former Nagoya Grampus 8 striker Okayama.
Shaiful Esah blocked Okayama's first effort but was floored by the shot and the Japanese forward was on hand to volley home the second opportunity.
The 3,208 crowd sensed a battle and the home fans were soon celebrating again.
Fullback Shaiful swung in a freekick from the right and Duric rose highest to plant his header past Takahashi.
Their celebrations were cut short in double quick time though, as Albirex fashioned their second equaliser of the night within seconds.
Veteran striker Okayama demonstrated his class in front of goal again as he headed Shin Hosogai's corner past Shahril Jantan.
Albirex were in the ascendancy now and dominated play for the next 10 minutes or so.
With a touch of fortune however, it was SAFFC who were to seal the match in the 74th minute.
Daniel Bennett's weak effort from Mustaqim's freekick was punched away by Takahashi, only for the keeper to crash into his own defender Jun Ishikawa and rebound the ball for a grateful Bennett.
The SAFFC defender accepted the gift by snapping his header into an empty net, as Takahashi, who had kept Albirex in the game in the first half, looked on in horror.
Substitute Masrezwan Masturi then fluffed a great chance to kill off the game four minutes later.
His mazy run had the Albirex defence opening up for him but the former Woodlands Wellington man opted to pass to an offside Duric instead.
Masrezwan's miss was not to cost SAFFC too dearly though as they played out the final period of the game without much fuss.
"It was definitely good entertainment. We played well in the first-half, kept possession and controlled the flanks, but we were shaky in the second-half," said SAFFC coach Richard Bok.
"We worked very hard on the finishing and we're pleased with the results tonight.
"We have to keep our momentum up until the end of the season. With the AFC Cup (also) to keep in mind, we must maintain our form."
Albirex honcho Hiroaki Hiraoka was left to bemoan his side's defending at set-pieces, which were the origin of all three of SAFFC's goals.
"We felt that our set-pieces were good when we attack and we're playing like how we do it during training," said Hiraoka.
"But we find that our set-pieces isn't very good when we're defending and that's why we let in goals easily.
"The good thing is that we never gave up throughout the match and that is a positive thing.
"Physically we could not match SAFFC as only one of our players is above 1.80m, but I think in the games to come and with more training, we'll be better in matching the others physically."