The Reds enjoyed a one-nil buffer for most of the contest at Skilled Park after Travis Dodd's 20th minute goal, but Gold Coast's Shane Smeltz popped up in stoppage-time to equalize.

During the week, Adelaide players and management had spoke of the upcoming game as 'their Grand Final', so to fall short, so late, left Vidmar visibly disappointed.

"I thought we deserved to win two matches with the way we played tonight, it was disappointing we could have had three or four goals tonight," he said.

"We were desperate for the three points tonight and we played like a team who was focused."

A victory on Saturday night would have  taken the bottom-placed Reds to within two points of the top six, but instead they stay last some three points adrift of their closest rivals.

Vidmar said: "We have to believe that this result is a good platform to finish off the season, I know it's stretching the points from where we are to sixth place, but mathematically it's still possible."

Pressed on if he thought the Reds could realistically still reach the top six, Vidmar remained hopeful.

"I certainly think we can and if we continue to play like we did tonight then I'm certain that we can do that, so as much as it hurts tonight not to take all three points, I think that's a real positive going into next week's game against Central Coast," he said.

Gold Coast manager Miron Bleiberg admitted Adelaide deserved better but felt his side had fought hard to earn their share of the spoils.

"Adelaide deserved more, I'm proud of my boys we played bad and when you get a point against a team like Adelaide who was playing out of their skin it shows our quality in this competition," he said.

"I'm very proud of the character of the boys, again we didn't give up although we had a bad day and that's a sign of things to come.

"Hopefully the momentum from tonight's game carries through to the game against Newcastle on Wednesday."