Bruno Fornaroli has scored a dramatic late penalty to deny struggling Central Coast a famous New Year's Eve victory over A-League giants Melbourne City.
Youngster Trent Buhagiar and Roy O'Donovan brought the ninth-placed Mariners back from a goal down after Tim Cahill's first-half opener and had the hosts on track for their third win of the season in Gosford on Saturday night.
But it wasn't to be when Scott Galloway conceded an 90th-minute penalty, allowing Fornaroli to secure a 2-2 draw that keeps John van 't Schip's side firmly ensconced in the top four at the season's halfway mark.
City claimed first blood in the 40th minute when former Mariner Nick Fitzgerald teed up Bruce Kamau, who whipped in a spot-on first-time cross for Cahill to head home his third opening goal in three games.
Not that the Socceroos veteran got the chance to complete his trademark celebration - when a ball boy saw him coming to box the corner flag he promptly removed it.
It was a busy night for medics, with Luke Brattan suffering a bad knock soon after halftime during a contest with Mickey Neill and needing to be treated on the ground for several minutes before he was able to walk.
The midfielder eventually argued his way back onto the field despite concussion concerns.
The Mariners will be worried for defender Jacques Faty, who appeared to do his hamstring on his very first touch.
Both sides came at each other but Buhagiar was the standout, latching onto Fabio Ferreira's ball in the 77th minute and swinging in a left-foot strike that snuck into the top corner for his second A-League goal in two games.
The Mariners tipped the game on its head with eight minutes left when Connor Pain sent a cross into the box for an onrushing O'Donovan to tap in and take the lead.
But just as all looked lost for City, there was a late reprieve.
And unlike the two he missed against Perth, the Uruguayan made no mistake.
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