The Western Sydney Wanderers FNSW League One side was forced to settle for a point on Saturday night, after a 92nd minute equaliser salvaged a 2-2 draw for the Bonnyrigg White Eagles at Wanderers Football Park.
With the Wanderers suffering defeat in their last two matches, Tomi Vidovic’s side were keen to get back to winning ways, and after a tight opening 15 minutes they scored the first goal of the game.
The Wanderers won the ball high up the pitch and the ball found its way to Jakov Malbasa; the striker made the selfless option and rolled the ball to Alex Badolato, who duly dispatched past the keeper to score his fifth goal of the season.
On the whole, chances for both sides were still few and far between, until the Wanderers found a crucial goal on the cusp of half-time through an unlikely source.
From a second phase of play after a corner, centre-back Mark Natta managed to get on the end of a cross, and his bouncing header evaded the desperate grasp of the Bonnyrigg keeper.
The Wanderers were in a commanding position, however the momentum of the game shifted after half-time, when the home side was reduced to 10 men after Alex Bonetig was adjudged to have denied a clear goalscoring opportunity.
The away side began to exert pressure on the Wanderers defence, and whilst Jack Warshawksy was on hand to make a crucial save on the hour mark, he was unable to deny target man Aaron Peterson in the 74th minute.
Emboldened by the goal, Bonnyrigg pushed forward, and whilst the Wanderers defended valiantly with a man down, a ball across the box eventually found its way to Asmir Kadric in stoppage time, who was able to score and denied the Wanderers a crucial three points.
The result leaves the young Wanderers in 5th place, a point outside the top four, they travel away to face Hakoah Sydney City East next Saturday.
