IT wasn't the result Ernie Merrick was after but the experienced coach is confident the Jets are tracking in the right direction ahead of the opening home game against Adelaide on Saturday.
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The Jets controlled large periods and played an exciting brand of football but had to be content with a 1-all draw with the Mariners at Central Coast Stadium on Saturday night.
Serbian Milan Duric unleashed a stinging volley to put the Mariners ahead after four minutes, and for the opening half hour the home side were in control.
Then the Jets, who had a bye in round one, clicked into gear.
Dimi Petratos got on the ball, Matt Millard found space down the right and Nick Fitzgerald started to cause problems on the left.
Although they had fashioned only one shot on target by half-time, momentum had swung in the visitor's favour.
The equaliser came in the 56th minute when Petratos converted a penalty at his second attempt after Mark Birighitti was ruled by the VAR to have moved off his line in saving the initial spot kick.
Duric, who was the best player on the pitch, nearly stole three points in the 90th minute with a low drive that beat Glen Moss but not the left post.
The Jets led all the key statistics. They had 56% of possession, won the shot count 14-7, the corner count 13-5 and delivered 49 balls into the box.
"The stats were all in our favour but we didn't convert as we should and Mark Birighitti had a good game," Merrick said.
"Considering it was our first game, away from home, to dominate the way we did, it was pretty impressive. There were a couple of errors in defence that I wasn't happy with, mainly fullback play. Both Johnny Koutroumbis and Matty Millar wanted to get forward too often together, rather than one going and the other not."
Merrick introduced Northern Ireland under-21 international Bobby Burns for Koutroumbis at half-time.
"It was almost like we went out from the start and everyone wanted to attack and it wasn't as co-ordinated as it should be, but we sorted that out," Merrick said. "I thought we were much better defensively in the second half. I was really happy with Nigel and Nikolai. Our two defensive midfielders Steven Ugarkovic and Matthew Ridenton were outstanding ... I don't think there is a lot of ground to make up - finishing and maybe not conceded a goal so easily in the first few minutes, just a bit more defensive structure."
Millar, Fitzgerald and Burns made strong debuts.
Panamanian striker Abdiel Arroyo competed hard but the timing and angle of his runs were slightly out.
"There were some great crosses into the box and I didn't feel that Arroyo was in the right place," Merrick said. "He hasn't got the hang of our combinations yet."
Central Coast coach Alen Stajcic, though bemused by VAR's ruling that Petratos retake the penalty, believed a draw was a fair result.
"You'd be hard pressed to say a draw wasn't a fair result," Stajcic said. "I was pretty pleased with how we defended. We defended a lot of set pieces with a lot of weapons in the opposition on corners and things ...we are just a little bit away from picking up three points regularly. A couple of critical moment cost us. We have thrown away three leads. I'm pleased with the positions we are getting into but if we are going to be a top six team we have to execute those moments a bit better."