Stand-in Central Coast captain Patrick Zwaanswijk saved the day for the home side as the Mariners came from a goal down to snatch a late 1-1 draw with Gold Coast United at Bluetongue Stadium in Gosford on Saturday night.
A brilliantly taken James Brown goal after 47 minutes looked like being enough for Gold Coast to take all three points in the round two Hyundai A-League match.
But with only three minutes to play Zwaanswijk rose high to head home a Brad Porter cross.
It was Zwaanswijk's fourth goal for the club and all have been headers.
Brown, who struck a sensational equaliser for Gold Coast against Wellington in round one, again showed his class in front of the goals just after half-time.
Adama Traore started the move, releasing Dylan MacAllister, who cut the ball back into the path of Brown.
Brown then struck a first-time shot that left Mariners goalkeeper Mathew Ryan with no chance.
The home team started the match strongly, dominating possession and field position during the opening 20 minutes.
Central Coast played an up-tempo game and looked good with the ball, but failed to cash in.
The Mariners created only one good chance when striker Matt Simon had a low shot saved by Glen Moss after a good build up.
Gold Coast came into the match as the first half progressed and created two chances.
The first came in the 31st minute when Ben Halloran scooped a shot wide after a mistake from Pedj Bojic. MacAllister, a former Mariner and one of the best players on the field, then had a chance to put the visitors in front just before the break but had his low shot easily saved.
After a lacklustre first half both coaches were after more in the second stanza.
If Mariners coach Graham Arnold was unhappy at half-time his mood got even worse shortly after the break when Brown continued his dream start to the season with the opening goal of the match.
Shortly after the goal Arnold took striker Adam Kwasnik off and sent youngster Bernie Ibini-Isei on and the teenager added some much needed spark for the Mariners.
As they did during the early stages of the match the home team again dominated possession after Gold Coast's goal.
But as the match headed towards the final whistle, the frustration started to show for the Mariners with several players giving the ball away cheaply.
Gold Coast were well organised in defence before Central Coast's late goal.
Gold Coast 1 (James Brown 47')
Central Coast 1 (Patrick Zwaanswijk 87')
Crowd: 10 374 at Bluetongue Stadium, Gosford