Central Coast Mariners substitute Troy Hearfield added spark down the right late in the game and turned trump card as they home side came from behind to draw 1-1 with a dissapointed Sydney FC at a rainy Gosford on Saturday night in front of 8,658 keen fans of both sides.
Sydney FC made one change to the team that suffered a frustrating 1-0 loss to Wellington Phoenix last weekend with Karol Kisel replacing Hirofumi Moriyasu. Dimi Petratos also came back into the team after Olyroo duty, taking the place on Mitch Mallia on the bench. The Mariners, having wide player Pedj Bojic suspended and key defensive midfielder Royston Griffiths lost during the week to China, brought in Olly Bozanic and Trent Sainsbury.
The match was played in wet and slippery conditions after persistent light rain that stopped just as the game commenced, but it didn't deter either side from trying to play the ball on the deck but did make mistakes likely.
After Sydney FC managed to dominate the midfield for the first 20 minutes, the home side battled their way back into the game with both sides looking dangerous going forward in what was shaping as a close contest.
The half went by without any real chances however, with Ivan Necevski particularly dominant in his area - the teams went to the break level at 0-0 with Sydney ahead 'on points'.
Sydney FC rattled the crossbar inside the first 60 seconds when Scott Jamieson caught Coast 'keeper Mat Ryan off his line.
Chianese was next to put himself in a position to open the scoring, running onto a slick reverse pass from Carle only to see his shot parried to safety by Ryan, who was having a busy time in the Mariners goal.
The goal Sydney deserved finally came in the 56th minute and it was young Joel Chianese who put the ball into the back of the net. Best on park Brett Emerton released Karol Kisel down the right flank and his cross fell to Chianese, whose first shot was saved by Ryan but the youngster slotted the rebound to make it 1-0.
After Sydney's goal Brett Emeron was taken off and the Sydney side seemed to lose its way.
The Mariners lifted and had a wonderful chance to equalise when replacement Bernie Ibini-Isei nearly scored with his first touch. Ibini-Isei picked up a long ball, rounded Sydney 'keeper Ivan Necevski before failing to hit the target when he really should have scored.
Olyroo Oliver Bozanic also had a golden opportunity to score for the Mariners in the 69th minute, as Ibini-Isei sent in a perfect cross only for Bozanic to head over the bar.
In the 78th minute the Mariners were left short once against when John Hutchinson's long-range strike headed for the top left, deflected off a defender and on into the crossbar near its top corner with Necevski beaten.
Into stoppage time and a wave of energetic attacks, included one set off by a wound up Joshua Rose, which came in from the left with the ball then pumped high into the area. Bernie Ibini-Isei beat Pascal Bosschaart and the ball rolled into the path of the untracked free surging run of Troy Hearfield from his substitute right back role. He steered the ball into the left of goal, making it 1-1.
The Mariners still lead the competition by three points, from Brisbane Roar (who also drew) but will consider a late point out of the match a job done, while Sydney will find the result a blow to finals hopes.
Sydney FC now faces arch rivals but out of the finals race Melbourne Victory at Sydney Football Stadium next Saturday night, while the Mariners play away in Perth but have first to worry about the AFC Champions League, playing Tianjin Teda on Tuesday night. They left straight after the game to Sydney, ready for a flight out on Sunday.