From what looked like a non-opportunity after Auckland FC saw off a Mariners corner, the visitors fortuitously drew level at 2-2 when Oli Lavale poked the ball over the line in a goalmouth scramble.
It was a situation that came after a speculative ball into the box from Alfie McCalmont looked to be well covered by Auckland goalkeeper Woud. Instead, the ball bounced on to his chest and into the goal. While it appeared to have crossed the line already, Woud made a desperate effort to save his blushes, but could only push the ball back out into the path of Lavale, who was credited with the goal.
It saw the Black Knights forced to settle for a share of the points in a game they should have won.
“It seems to be happening to us every week at the moment,” Auckland captain Francis De Vries told Sky Sport. “It’s difficult to stomach right in the moment. Tough one.”
The hosts were the dominant team throughout the contest, opening the scoring in the 12th minute through Jesse Randall, who capitalised on plenty of space in the box after being set up by Guillermo May.
The Black Knights had their opportunities to extend that lead but were unable to make one count as the half ticked on.
Instead, it was the visitors who caught their hosts on a counter-attack, Lavale taking his chance well with a shot across the face of the goal to find the back of the net at the far post.
It was much of the same in the second half. Auckland FC scored 13 minutes after the restart as Sam Cosgrove headed home a lovely, lofted ball into the box from De Vries to put the hosts ahead.
But they couldn’t extend their lead despite creating chances throughout the half, which saw the Mariners keep themselves in touching distance.
Their opportunity came late, but they didn’t waste it.
“Normally two goals should be enough for us, should be enough to win the game, but we got caught on the counter after we should have scored, and then obviously a mistake from Michael, I think, for the second one,” Auckland FC coach Steve Corica told Sky Sport.
The statistics painted the picture of the contest: Auckland FC had 63% of the possession, 19 shots at goal (11 of those on target), while the Mariners managed just five shots, with only two of those on target.
But those two were all they needed to leave Auckland with a share of the points.
“The result’s disappointing, obviously, for us,” Corica said.
“We had enough chances to win that game in the first half, but that’s the situation sometimes if you don’t take your chances. Mistakes also cause goals and we made enough mistakes for them to score two goals.
“I was very pleased with the way we played. I thought we were excellent today. The only thing missing was the win.”
Auckland FC 2 (Jesse Randall 12′, Sam Cosgrove 58′)
Central Coast Mariners 2 (Oli Lavale 44′, 89′)
HT: 1-1
