Jason Cummings has scored two second-half penalties to help Central Coast secure a 2-2 draw against Perth Glory at Macedonia Park.
Glory winger Salim Khelifi marked his shock early return from injury with a double to give the home side a 2-0 lead in Saturday night's A-League Men clash.
But penalties in the 74th and 81st minute to Cummings helped the Mariners secure a share of the spoils.
Central Coast almost snatched the win, but Christian Theoharous's 82nd-minute thunderbolt from long range cannoned off the post.
The draw keeps the Mariners in second spot for now, but they can be leapfrogged by Adelaide on Sunday.
Ninth-placed Glory were left to lament a result that leaves them four points adrift of the top six.
Khelifi's starting role against the Mariners came as a huge surprise, given there were fears his season could have been over after he suffered a foot injury in Glory's 3-1 win over Melbourne Victory on January 21.
It was the same foot Khelifi had surgery on previously, but the latest setback wasn't serious and he made an immediate impact in his return match
Glory striker Adam Taggart won the free kick that led to Perth's first goal after being brought down on the edge of the box by Brian Kaltak.
Khelifi stepped up to take the free kick and he whipped the ball in off the crossbar, sending the home fans into raptures.
The Mariners enjoyed 65 per cent possession in the first half, but their 11 shots - four of which were on target - didn't yield anything.
Glory goalkeeper Cameron Cook pulled off two important saves to ensure Glory went to the break with a 1-0 lead.
Cook reacted quickly in the fifth minute to parry away Kaltak's goalward-bound header.
And he got a hand to James McGarry's 32nd-minute free kick to deflect the ball into the upright and safely away.
Khelifi doubled the lead in the 51st minute when he buried a penalty after a handball from Kaltak.
Cummings breathed life into the Mariners' hopes with a successful spot kick following an unlucky handball from Glory defender John Koutoumbis.
And when Glory midfielder Aaron McEneff tripped up Theoharous in the box in the 80th minute, Cummings stepped up again to bury another penalty.
