MELBOURNE: Former England striker Emile Heskey rescued a point for the Newcastle Jets in a 1-1 draw with Wellington Phoenix on Sunday as the Central Coast Mariners extended their lead in Australia’s A-League.
Heskey powered home a goalmouth header for his eighth goal of the season with 16 minutes left as the Jets fought back after going behind to a Louis Fenton first-half goal.
The Jets climbed to fifth spot with the Phoenix remaining at the bottom of the A-League after 18 rounds.
The Mariners increased their lead to five points with a come-from-behind 3-1 victory over Adelaide United at home on Friday.
Striker Mitchell Duke came off the bench to score twice in the second half to turn around the top-of-the-table match for the Mariners.
Midfielder Michael McGlinchey sealed the win with a goal in the 88th minute.
Melbourne Victory moved into second spot following a 3-1 win over Alessandro Del Piero’s Sydney FC in Melbourne on Saturday.
New Zealand winger Marco Rojas was outstanding again before watching scouts from English Premier League club Liverpool and Italian giants Juventus as Sydney finished with nine men.
Second-half efforts from Archie Thompson and Rojas, followed a 24th-minute deflected own goal from Sydney defender Seb Ryall capped a dominant performance from Victory.
Brazilian defenders Tiago Calvano and Fabio were sent off while Italian legend Del Piero was well held by Victory’s midfield.
Japanese star Shinji Ono converted a penalty to give 10-man Western Sydney Wanderers a 1-0 win over Melbourne Heart to climb to third spot on goal difference from Adelaide.
The competition newcomers went a man down when German defender Jerome Polenz was sent off in the 13th minute for bringing down Heart forward David Williams from behind in a goal-scoring position.
Ono’s 73rd-minute penalty for his fifth goal of the season secured the backs-to-the-wall win, after Croatia’s Josip Tadic earlier had a spot kick saved following Polenz’s sending off.
Heskey goal gets Jets draw; Ono penalty winner
