Wellington has been made to settle for a 1-1 A-League Men draw with Newcastle after captain Alex Rufer missed an added time penalty.
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With the scores level at McDonald Jones Stadium, the Jets faithful let out a sigh of relief when Rufer botched his chance to seal the deal two minutes into added time on Friday night.
Newcastle's Carl Jenkinson had looked to have handed the Phoenix the premiership plate after being penalised for handball in the dying seconds.
But Giancarlo Italiano's men will have to fight until the final whistle of the regular season to claim a maiden title.
Wellington return to the top of the table, with Central Coast one point adrift.
"Pretty disappointed. I stepped up and I've scored them in the past," a shattered Rufer told Paramount+ after the match.
"We started the game poorly and didn't take our chances in the second half.
"I thought we were going to sneak in the end there."
Failing to capitalise from five consecutive corners in the opening seven minutes, the Jets finally found reward for effort thanks to a dogged effort by Lachlan Bayliss in the 15th minute.
Bayliss, receiving a clever pass from winger Clayton Taylor, fired from close range and found the back of the net after the ball rebounded off goalkeeper Alex Paulsen.
Adding more salt to Paulsen's wound, the score went down as a Wellington own goal.
The 21-year-old found redemption through a world-class save to deny Bayliss a chance to register a goal under his name in first half injury time.
Star striker Apostolos Stamatelopoulos was beside himself when he cannoned the ball into the crossbar in the 55th minute, failing to consolidate Newcastle's lead and break a club record 16 goals in a season.
Wellington's Kosta Barbarouses then found the back of the net of an open goal in 71st minute to bring the scores level, first missing from just in front before a quick-thinking Ben Old gifted the star striker a second opportunity with a cross.
The 34-year-old, with goalkeeper Ryan Scott at the far post, easily sent the ball home to draw equal with Shane Smeltz, former 'Nix forward, as the fourth-highest goalscorer in the league on 92 goals.
Trent Buhagiar thought he'd scored the winner for Newcastle in the 85th minute but he was found offside.
Australian Associated Press
