Battling Sydney FC need to belatedly find some home form and stop conceding late goals to stay in the A-League finals race.
Sydney fell three points behind sixth-placed Newcastle after conceding a stoppage-time equaliser in a 1-1 away draw to Central Coast on Saturday, shortly after the Jets’ 3-1 win away to Melbourne Victory.
Not for the first time this season, Sydney dropped crucial points in the dying minutes.
“We copped the same (late) goals when we played Brisbane and when we played Perth at home, so we lost the points similar to tonight,” Sydney coach Vitezslav Lavicka said.
“It’s easy to say it’s bad luck, but we always analyse the game and why we concede the goal and it’s not about bad luck.
“It’s more concentration not effort. But we still believe with three games to go, if we work hard we will be in the finals.”
Sydney now face the prospect of having to win all three of their remaining games, each of them against fellow finals aspirants.
An away fixture against fifth-placed Melbourne Heart is sandwiched between home matches against Melbourne Victory (eighth) and Newcastle (sixth).
Sydney have lost six home games this season, winning just four.
“This season our home form hasn’t been what we expect,” Sydney captain Terry McFlynn said.
“We probably have to win all three. I said last week we probably had to win four.
“Realistically we couldn’t afford to lose and we haven’t lost tonight so we have to win the last three games.”
Lavicka, who will leave the club at the end of the season, felt Sydney were playing better than earlier in the season.
“We lost too many points in mid-season,” Lavicka said.
“Our play wasn’t good that time. Now we have improved our general playing, but to be successful we have to take the chances.
“We have to be better in defence and try to keep clean sheets as well.”
One positive for Sydney against the Mariners was the performance of youngster Joel Chianese, who scored his second goal in four games.