Central Coast may have held onto a 2-2 draw after a serious second-half challenge from Newcastle, but Mariners coach Mark Jackson can only see it as a defeat.
The Mariners were on the front foot in their A-League Men derby at Industree Group Stadium on Saturday, with Nathan Paull opening their account in the 39th minute before Abdul Faisal added another in the 50th minute.
Lachie Rose came off the bench in the 54th minute and scored less than five minutes later to begin the Jets’ comeback, with Mark Natta finding the equaliser within the final three minutes of regulation time.
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The Mariners should have already been out of the woods before Natta’s header goal, when a brilliant through ball from Alou Kuol landed at the feet of Mikael Doka.
But Doka squandered the chance, hitting the post in the 86th minute.
With former title-winning Mariners and Socceroos coach Graham Arnold a spectator, Central Coast were given six minutes of added time to restore their lead, but they had lost their composure.
“It feels like a defeat,” Jackson said.
“To be leading 2-1 and make the kind of decisions we did at that moment in time – it’s crazy. That’s cost us the game.
“Our objective is to get into the finals. That’s our target.
“At this moment in time, I can’t take anything positive from the game. I’m sure there will be.
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“There’s a bit of anger in there from me as well, because I knew the boys put themselves into a great position to win.”
The draw snaps a run of six-straight derby wins by the Mariners.
It is the first time Newcastle have avoided defeat in 11 derby games, dating back to December 2022.
Ninth-placed Central Coast will at least walk away with their undefeated streak extended to four games.
Rob Stanton’s Newcastle remain 11th after accepting their second 2-2 draw.
“We’ve got a strong heartbeat,” Stanton said.
“Today, we showed a tremendous character to come from behind.
“There’s plenty of points up for grabs. There’s heaps of points still to be won there.”
The Jets should have opened the scoring in the 17th minute when Clayton Taylor plucked the ball off Mariners defender Trent Sainsbury to set up teammate Daniel Wilmering.
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But Wilmering sent the ball across the face of goal from point-blank range.
It was slack defending from the Jets that allowed Christian Theoharus to dribble towards goal untagged and pull off a cutback for Paull’s opener.
Kostandinos Grozos began a beautiful chain down the middle that ended at the feet of Taylor in the 44th minute, but the Jets winger could not apply the finishing touch and sent the ball straight to Mariners keeper Dylan Peraic-Cullen.
The hosts found their second goal when Jets keeper Ryan Scott could not get a glove on a looping ball from new recruit Faisal.
Arthur De Lima scurried towards goal to ensure the ball went over the line, but former Perth Glory talent Faisal was eventually credited on the scoresheet.
© AAP