Petratos converted from the penalty spot in the 56th minute, after his initial spot kick had been saved, to secure the Jets a 1-all draw with fierce rivals Central Coast in Gosford on Saturday night.

Mariners keeper Mark Birighitti dived brilliantly to his right to thwart Petratos after defender Giancarlo Gallifuocu was pinged for handball.

The save was reviewed by VAR Craig Zetter who ruled that the keeper had moved off his line early.

"I knew he came off the line," Petratos said. "That makes a big difference for a keeper. It shuts down the angle. If he had stayed on the line, I would have scored."

Jets striker Arroyo Abdiel went over to Petratos before the No.10 buried the second spot kick in the left corner.

"Arroyo told me: 'You can do it. Just stay calm and do it'," Petratos said. "I had a very good feeling. In my head I was thinking there is no way I can miss two in a row. I had positive thoughts and knew if he stayed on his line, he wouldn't save it.

"I hit the first one well. It's a big difference if the keeper reads it and comes off his line. They have a much better chance of saving it.

"I was confident standing over the second penalty. You have to be. I had no doubts."

It proved the pivotal moment in a pulsating derby.

Mariners coach Alen Stajcic labelled the decision "pedantic" but Fox Sports expert and former Socceroos shotstopper Mark Bosnich believed it was "spot on".

"Once again, I have to say congratulations to VAR," Bosnich said after the game. "You have to have one foot on the line and as you can see the front foot is about a metre off the line so it's the right decision."

Birighitti, who made a series of spectacular saves, admitted that referee Daniel Elder had spoken to the keeper about staying on his line before the penalty.

"It's disappointing because you make the save and there's a retake," Birighitti said.

"It's just hard being a keeper, you always get told to take that first movement forward and try and attack the ball and that's what I did, I came off my line but it is what it is. It would have been nice to save that second penalty."

Petratos had been in camp with the Socceroos and had one training session with the Jets in the lead-up to Saturday.

"That was our first game and we will learn from it," the 26-year-old said.

"We are a week behind in the league.

"I think that makes a big difference - playing a competitive game.

"I think we did well.

"There were a lot of positives to take out of it. We had a lot of chances and I think we will get better and better as we go."

Apart from the goal, Petratos was at his creative best, putting players into space with flicks, back heels, chips and dinks.

Some of the execution and timing was out which will come with more games.

"I enjoy playing that role," Petratos said.

"I have freedom in the front third and try to combine [with the strikers] and be creative.

"We have great players and we can all play with the ball which is a positive.

"The more games, the better we will get.

"The most important thing is getting wins.

"We didn't win, but we didn't lose. The point, I think it was a fair point."

Newcastle will be eyeing their first win when they host Adelaide at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday.