Brisbane Roar moved level on points with A-League leaders Western Sydney Wanderers on Friday by winning a five-goal thriller 3-2 after relinquishing their early lead.

Jamie Maclaren's first-half goal left Brisbane with a 1-0 lead at the break, but the game turned frantic in the second half as four goals were scored in 10 minutes.

It took just five minutes for the home side to take the lead as Jack Hingert squared the ball to Maclaren, who required a simple tap-in to find the back of the net.

After putting themselves in front, Brisbane controlled the game while the Wanderers struggled to get out of their own half for 10 minutes.

The hosts, who began the game three points behind the top in third place, created opportunities and had most of the ball but they could not add to their lead before the half-time whistle.

Jaushua Sotirio came close to finding an equaliser with a header, but his attempt, which bounced on the ground first, went just wide of the post.

After the break, it was a fierce contest with tackles flying in and tempers coming to the surface, but it was also a much more open game, with Wanderers creating more chances than in the first half.

The momentum began to change when the visitors were awarded a penalty after goalkeeper Michael Theo brought down Brendon Santalab in the box, and Andreu Guerao converted from the spot.

Four minutes later, Wanderers took the lead through Romeo Castelen, who slotted the ball through the goalkeeper's legs after being allowed to run into the box by some poor defending from the home side.

The Wanderers were not celebrating for long, though, as Maclaren found his second of the game after latching on to Corona's cross and sending the ball past the keeper to draw level on 2-2.

Not long after making the game all square, Brisbane edged ahead when Dimitri Petratos found the back of the net and scored the fourth goal inside 10 minutes.

Brisbane now sit second in the ladder, while Wanderers remain top because of a better goal difference.