Central Coast's run of A-League games without a win stretched to five after the Mariners were held to a 1-1 draw by lowly Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park. Central Coast skipper Matt Simon's sixth-minute goal was cancelled out by a second-half Callum McManaman effort for the home team. - A-League on ESPN+: Stream LIVE games and replays (U.S. only) The Mariners moved back to second spot on the A-League table behind Melbourne City, but have now taken just three points from a possible 15 since their most recent win against Adelaide United on April 1. Moving the ball with ease, the Mariners started brightly on Sunday when Stefan Nigro swung a cross to the top of the Victory six-yard-box that Simon met with a header that bounced beyond keeper Matt Acton. Further chances followed, but the visitors' strong start soon faded. Victory produced a trio of late first-half chances to almost restore parity; Rudy Gestede missing a close-range volley, McManaman forcing a save from range and Robbie Kruse hitting the post with a volley. Gestede believed he'd found the leveller in the 50th when he rose to head home a cross from Kruse, only for referee Jonathan Barreiro to wave the goal away after adjudging the Beninese international had used defender Kye Rowles as a springboard. There was no denying McManaman's 62nd-minute leveller, however, after the winger seized on a loose ball inside the Mariners box and bent a shot beyond Mark Birighitti and inside the far post. The result means Victory have taken a win and a draw from their three games since sacking Grant Brebner on April 17.
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