Macarthur Bulls have it all to do if they’re to play finals football this season after drawing 2-2 with Central Coast in a game where Mariners captain Trent Sainsbury suffered a potentially serious Achilles injury.
The Mariners got off to a fast start at Industree Group Stadium; captain Trent Sainsbury heading home from a free-kick in the 15th minute to make it 1-0 to the home side.
Not behind for long, Macarthur bagged the equaliser in the 22nd minute from a set-piece of their own as central defender Kevin Boli headed home from inside the six yard box to make it 1-1.
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Back came the home side though as teenager Arthur De Lima took advantage of a melee inside the Macarthur box to hammer home his second goal of the season in the 29th minute to make it 2-1.
Brought on at the break to give the Bulls a different dimension in attack, forward Harrison Sawyer headed home a Marin Jakolis cross to level things up just three minutes after being introduced.
There were worrying scenes for the home side late on as captain Sainsbury went down unchallenged inside the box and was heard using the word ‘snapped’ when speaking to the club doctor on the field whilst clutching his achilles tendon in agony.
The result leaves the home side sat in 10th place following their 11th draw of the season while the visitors now sit four points outside the top six with just two games left to play.
Looking to make a fast start in a bid to bounce back from their F3 Derby humiliation, the Mariners did just that in Gosford.
Losing his marker at a set-piece, captain Sainsbury powered home his first Isuzu UTE A-League goal in nine years to make it 1-0 to the Mariners in just the 15th minute.
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Needing a win to keep themselves firmly in the finals race, Macarthur levelled things up in the 22nd minute as mid-season signing Boli headed home from a corner to make it 1-1.
Having just equalised the away side then almost snatched the lead just two minutes later as captain Luke Brattan played a magnificent ball over the top and into the path of Jakolis, however the Croatian winger’s powerful half-volley was deflected wide of the target by Sainsbury.
Having been denied at one end, the Bulls then shipped a second at the other.
Failing to deal with a wide free-kick into the box, the Bulls defence failed to clear their lines and it was 17-year-old De Lima who rifled home his second goal of the season from inside the box to make it 2-1 to the home side.
Wanting more in the second-half, Bulls boss Mile Sterjovski introduced towering striker Sawyer at half-time and the targetman made the difference just three minutes after coming on.
Peeling off his man inside the box, Sawyer connected with Jakolis’ curling delivery to head the ball beyond the diving Dylan Peraic-Cullen to make it 2-2 and notchi his fourth goal in three games.
In contrast to their first-half display the Mariners were now on the back foot at Industree Group Stadium but almost caught the Bulls on the break; Lucas Mauragis stinging the palms of Filip Kurto from the edge of the box.
Teenager Haine Eames came close to making it 3-2 to the Mariners in the 73rd minute but the 17-year-old’s effort bounced wide of the far post as the Bulls defence scrambled to protect their goal.
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Whilst the Mariners were carving out the better chances Macarthur always posed a threat at set-pieces and Sawyer climbed highest to head an effort towards goal in the 78th minute which was eventually saved by Peraic-Cullen.
The hulking centre forward continued to cause the Mariners’ backline plenty of problems and had Peraic-Cullen on his toes once again heading into stoppage time as his header required a save from the Central Coast shotstopper.
The home side were dealt a huge blow late in the game as captain Sainsbury appeared to suffer an achilles injury when challenging for the ball and was unable to walk as he left the field in agony.
Bulls defender Tomislav Uskok then had the chance to win it but his header was swatted away by Peraic-Cullen as the home side held on to secure a 1-1 draw.
