The Central Coast Mariners have moved a step closer towards an unlikely finals berth after the embattled A-League club settled for a 1-1 draw with Adelaide United.
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The Mariners made it eight-straight games undefeated after a late strike from Ethan Alagich rescued a point for Adelaide at Polytec Stadium on Saturday.
Alagich's 88th-minute equaliser came after Sabit Ngor was in the right place at the right time to capitalise on a gaffe from Reds goalkeeper Josh Smits.
Adelaide remain fourth while the Mariners strengthened their grip on sixth spot on the table with six matches left to play.
The Mariners are two points ahead of seventh-placed Macarthur after enduring one of the most turbulent seasons in their history.
The club has been without an owner since January and is being kept alive by the Australian Professional Leagues (APL) .
The APL are confident they will be able to sell the club in the coming weeks and any prospective new owners will surely be buoyed by the Mariners' form under Moon.
The Mariners were severely tested in the first half with Yaya Dukuly, Ryan Kitto and Alagich all asking questions of the home side's defence.
Adelaide had done well to keep the Mariners at bay but Smits gifted them their goal when he struggled to deal with a ball over the top from 18-year-old Haine Eames.
Smits was clearly distracted by an on-rushing Ngor and was unable to gather it cleanly.
Ngor latched onto the loose ball and showed great composure to tuck in from close range to register his fifth goal of the season.
Andrew Redmayne looked destined to pick up a sixth clean sheet of the season but Alagich rifled past the Mariners goalkeeper late on to secure a draw for the Reds.
Australian Associated Press
