Frustrated coach Mark Jones conceded the Newcastle Jets need to "step up soon" if they are to play finals football after stumbling to a 1-1 draw against the Central Coast Mariners at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday.
Aleksandr Kokko scored his maiden A-League goal but the Finnish striker's good work was undone when Mariners defender Scott Galloway pounced on a poor clearance and drilled an equaliser in the 48th minute.
The home side controlled large periods of the game and finished the stronger, but in the end relied on a goal-line clearance from man-of-the-match Johnny Koutroumbis for a share of the points.
It was the second F3 derby to end 1-1 this season.
The Jets (22 points) would have jumped back into the top six with a win. Instead, they move above Wellington into seventh on goal difference, two points behind the Wanderers, with six rounds remaining.
It was the second straight game, following a 1-0 loss to Adelaide, in which the Jets have dropped points to teams below them.
Again they were left to lament missed opportunities in front of goal.
"You need to be effective," Jones said. "If you are a defender, you need to make sure we have a clean sheet, and if you are an attacker, you need to score goals. It comes down to that now. It is not about being pretty, it is about getting the job done."
Starting just his fourth game, Kokko put the Jets ahead in the 21st minute with a beautifully worked goal. Morten Norstrand chased down a ball over the top and delivered a pass into the box. The 190cm front-man climbed above Galloway and Jacob Poscoleiro and powered a header into the back of the net.
"That is what he is here to do," Jones said. "You could say it is his second coming; one goal, one game, I'm very happy with that. You come on and score a goal and you are going to keep your spot."
Jets keeper Tomislav Arcaba recovered from a nervous start in his debut to make two brilliant saves, including a spectacular diving effort to deny Fabio Ferreira late.
His opposite Paul Izzo was also kept busy.
Both teams were playing for their lives but the clash lacked the normal venom of a derby.
There was little Arcaba could do about the Mariners equaliser.
The Jets failed to clear a corner and the ball sat up for Galloway to drive a right-foot shot from 15 metres into the left corner.
"You are 1-0 up at half-time, and if you keep a clean sheet you win the game," Jones said. "The goal we conceded was annoying. It was a corner we probably didn't need to give away. From there it was a poor header and a lack of urgency to close the ball down."
Stung by the equaliser, the Jets lost their way before finally springing back to life in the final 20 minutes.
The Mariners defence scrambled well to close down a runaway Nordstrand, Steve Ugarkovic had a shot blocked and Izzo made a brilliant reflex save at the near post when Andrew Nabbout appeared certain to score.
"At the end of the day it comes down to being effective," Jones said. "It can look pretty and look good, but if it doesn't go in the back of the net it's not good."
