Adelaide United Youth suffered a fourth successive loss, falling 3-1 to Raiders at VALO Football Centre on Saturday.
A dull first-half was quickly overshadowed by four goals after the break, but unfortunately from a United Youth perspective, they conceded three of them.
Terence Carter, Rocky Visconte and an own goal put the visitors into an unassailable lead before Taras Gomulka cut the deficit in the final minute of stoppage time.
It was a cagey start to the game as both sides failed to commit players forward and attack.
Raiders did utilise their right flank throughout the first-half but could not fashion any opportunities.
Indeed, most of the action was contained to the middle of the park with possession exchanging between the two teams at sporadic intervals.
The lack of intensity and rhythm thwarted the game from opening up with a lot of sideways and backwards passes.
Carlo Armiento curled a free-kick wide of the target in added time to bring a close to an insipid first-half of football.
There was more action in the second stanza though with the game completely coming to life.
And in the 52nd minute, Carter broke the deadlock meeting a high, looping cross from the left to make it 1-0.
The match ebbed and flowed before Raiders doubled their advantage courtesy of an own goal.
A defensive mix up involving Aladin Irabona and Luca Meggetto saw the former inadvertently head the ball past the goalkeeper after a long clearance from Raiders goalkeeper Nick Munro.
But more pain would be inflicted as Visconte spotted Meggetto slightly off his line and unleashed a sensational drive from 40 yards out which arrowed into the top corner.
Gomulka grabbed a goal back but it was merely a consolation as Adelaide dropped to ninth on the table and face Adelaide Olympic next week.
Adelaide United Youth face Adelaide Olympic in Round 12 of the National Premier League 2019 season on Saturday, 1 June at VALO Football Centre – The Parks. Kick-off is at 7.00 PM. Reserves kick-off at 4.45pm.
