Two first-half goals from Dimi Petratos had the Mariners struggling at the interval, but strikes from Patricio Perez and Matt Simon level terms by the hour mark and the hosts might have gone onto win it.

But Mariners coach Graham Arnold had nothing but praise for his team after the match.

"The character in this team is unbelievable," Arnold said.

"They were out on their feet, and playing their fifth game in fourteen days, and to be 2-0 down at half-time any team with a lesser mentality could have thought game over and focused on the next game.

"To come back from that was very pleasing."

Arnold was particularly happy with the performance of Patricio Perez, who played arguably one of his best games in the Yellow and Navy.

"I thought Perez was probably our best player today. I've said all along he brings something very different to our team," he said.

"That run he made for the goal today was the type of runs I saw him do in Argentina, and it's pleasing that he's now getting the fitness to do those type of runs. His goal today was a great first touch and a wonderful finish."

Sydney coach Vitezslav Lavicka said he never felt like his team had done enough despite going in at half-time two goals up.

"The second half the Mariners made some changes and put us under pressure," he said.

"We had a couple of chances to go 3-1 up and didn't take them."

Second-placed Central Coast's next game is a crucial away trip to Adelaide United on Saturday, while the ninth-placed Sky Blues go to tenth-placed Perth next weekend.