Central Coast striker Jason Cummings has been left to rue a poor late penalty that cost him a hat-trick and the Mariners three points in their 2-2 A-League Men draw with Western United.
Leo Lacroix threw Marco Urena to the ground in the 90th minute to gift Central Coast a shot at victory.
But Jamie Young batted away Cummings’ poor spot kick to ensure Nikolai Topor-Stanley’s record-breaking 359th league appearance ended with a point.
“It’s a shocker. It’s a terrible penalty, man, I’m fuming,” Cummings told Paramount Plus.
“The boys (had) done well today as well and we bring it back to 2-2 there and then I’ve got a chance to score from the penalty spot. I should score there, man. I’m gutted.
“I let the boys down a wee bit there at the end, so I’m fuming. I’m always fuming after games but that’s my bread and butter that, so I’m just gutted I missed.
“… Should have been three points, man. I’m not going to sleep tonight.”
Coach Nick Montgomery backed Cummings and said his side’s disappointment at only snatching a point from second-placed United reflected how far they’d come.
“He’s clearly disappointed, he’s a top class striker, he’s on for his hat-trick and not only that, it’s three points. So obviously there was a lot at stake,” he said.
“But he’s scored a lot of penalties in big games and the best players in the world miss penalties.
“But the boys picked him up in there and told him to stop moping around when we’ve got a game on Tuesday.”
The Mariners snatched the lead in the 36th minute when Young attempted to claim Noah Smith’s corner but missed the ball and it fell to Cummings, who scrambled a header home.
There was a VAR review as Cummings’ header appeared to glance off his arm en route to goal but the decision was upheld.
“From live I thought it was a handball but I didn’t see the replay after that,” United coach John Aloisi said.
“The referee said that he couldn’t tell because the monitor was too small. That’s strange for me.
“If they called him over they clearly thought it was handball and then if they have a bigger monitor or a bigger screen then they need to make the decision.”
United hit back in the 47th when Smith headed Neil Kilkenny’s free kick into his own net.
In the 63rd minute, Lachie Wales brilliantly lofted a perfectly weighted ball for Aleksandar Prijovic to nod home and a minute later, Cummings slammed a wonderful strike past Young to restore parity.
Both teams had chances to snatch victory before the dramatic late penalty.
United’s Rene Khrin (hamstring) failed a pre-match fitness test while Connor Pain (ankle) hobbled off in the 56th minute.
RE-LIVE: WESTERN UNITED 2-2 CENTRAL COAST MARINERS, AS IT HAPPENED
By Matt Comito for KEEPUP
90+1′: PENALTY SAVED! Young the hero for Western (2-2)
An moment of drama in second-half stoppage time, as Ureña went down in the box after what Paramount+ commentator Ben Homer described as “a brain explosion in his own box” by Western defender Leo Lacroix.
Lacroix put both hands around the throat of Ureña in the penalty area, who went down under the contact. A Var check followed, and a spot kick was awarded to the Mariners.
Cummings stepped up to the spot with the chance to seal his hat-trick – but Jamie Young guessed the right way, blocking the penalty away to keep Western level.
64′: GOAL! Cummings with the instant reply (2-2)
It’s raining goals in Ballarat! The Mariners are back on level terms, with Cummings once again the goalscorer for the visitors who quickly respond to falling behind.
63′: GOAL! Western come from behind to lead through Prijović (2-1)
Western have hit the lead, with a Prijović header off the delivery from Wales helping the hosts come from behind to take a 2-1 advantage.
47′: OWN GOAL! Smith puts Kilkenny free-kick into his own net (1-1)
That was the perfect start to the second half United were after.
A Neil Kilkenny free-kick off the left flank looked destined for the head of Prijović, until Smith intervened for the Mariners.
Unfortunately, his headed interception looped back toward goal, over the head of Birighitti into the back of the net.
It’s game on in Ballarat!
SECOND HALF UNDERWAY (0-1)
Western United need to find a way to take points from a losing position for just the second time this season as they trail the Mariners 1-0 in the second half.
HALF-TIME: WESTERN 0-1 MARINERS
36′: GOAL! Corner falls into lap of Cummings to put Mariners ahead (0-1)
A Noah Smith corner curled toward the six-yard box, and Jamie Young came out in an attempt to punch it clear – but the Western keeper missed the ball, leaving it to hit the chest of Cummings and drop into the net.
A VAR check was to follow, with questions regarding whether or not the ball hit the arm of Cummings on the way over the line – but after the lengthy check the goal was allowed to stand.
25′: OFFSIDE! Cummings goal ruled out (0-0)
The Mariners are knocking at the door of Western’s defence – and in the 25th minute, the visitors hit the back of the net through Cummings.
But Béni N’Kololo, who supplied the assist, jumped the gun with his run down the right-hand side of the penalty area, with the linesman correctly raising the flag after Cummings struck truly.
9′: Rolled ankle threatens to end Pain’s afternoon (0-0)
There was a significant break in play as Connor Pain went down under no pressure, rolling his right angle whilst back-tracking to defend on the left flank.
Adisu Bayew was readied to come off the Western bench – but Pain is continuing on.
4′: CHANCES! Prijović, Topor-Stanley threatening (0-0)
A glorious chance for Aleksandar Prijović presented from a cut-back cross by Lachie Wales; the Serbian’s shot on goal hit the back of Mariners defender Jacob Farrell, gifting a corner to the home side.
Wales swung the corner into the box and it was milestone man Topor-Stanley getting in at the back post, but his first-time attempt missed the target.
2′: CHANCE! Cummings shoots just wide of the mark (0-0)
Jason Cummings takes the first shot of the afternoon. Given too much space outside the box, Cummings fired a low shot toward the bottom-left corner which skimmed across the deck, going just wide of the mark.
1′: KICK-OFF (0-0)
It’s game time in Ballarat!
Nikolai Topor-Stanley’s record-breaking 359th Isuzu UTE A-League appearance gets underway with Western United looking to return to level pegging with Melbourne City on the top of the table.
