Western United captain Ben Garuccio scored a 74th-minute free-kick to earn his side a point in a 2-2 draw with Central Coast Mariners at Ironbark Fields on Wednesday night.
Western led through Noah Botic before two goals in three first-half minutes scored by Mariners duo Mikael Doka and Ryan Edmondson put the visitors on top at the break.
An uneventful opening 30 minutes was followed by 15 minutes of chaos to end the first half as Western took the lead before the Mariners wrestled back momentum with two goals in three minutes.
Noah Botic opened the scoring with a routine header off Riku Danzaki’s pinpoint delivery. The young Western striker’s fourth goal in three games put the hosts in command in Tarneit.
But six minutes later, Mikael Doka inspired the Mariners back into the contest with a deep free-kick swung into a dangerous area that somehow found its way through several bodies without a touch and into the back of the net.
The unexpected equaliser was a stroke of good fortune for Doka and the Mariners – but the away side’s second goal in three minutes was nothing but quality.
Teenage midfielder Haine Eames began the attack with an incisive pass from inside his defensive half to set Paull free down the left wing.
Paull’s first-time cross was pinpoint; the ball curled past three Western defenders to find Edmondson streaming in at the back who finished off a scintillating Mariners move.
Western had the chance to return to parity after half-time when a free-kick from Angus Thurgate was tipped by Mariners keeper Dylan Peraic-Cullen into the path of Tomoki Imai streaming in at the far post.
The Mariners’ goal was unguarded but Imai failed to put his glancing header on target, somehow firing wide from inside the six-yard box.
Down the other end, Central Coast substitute Abdul Faisal put Western fullback Tate Russell on skates as he darted toward the byline and crossed to find Edmondson who couldn’t divert his awkward first-time attempt under the crossbar to secure his brace.
In the 74th minute, Western received a free-kick in a dangerous, central location which captain Garuccio stepped up to take; noticing a gap between the right side of the wall and the right-hand goalpost, Garuccio was able to whip his free-kick past the wall while keeping his shot on target.
The effort wrong-footed Peraic-Cullen as Western drew level at Ironbark Fields.
The Mariners weren’t willing to accept a mere point in Tarneit and, in second-half stoppage time, came close to a winner twice through Doka who was denied on both occasions through Western keeper Matt Sutton.
Sutton’s first save came in a one-on-one as Doka looked to lift the ball over the outrushing gloveman but soon after Doka was at it again, attempting to beat the Western keeper with a an audacious bicycle kick – but Sutton’s safe hands ensured the game finished with both sides locked level at 2-2.
