Central Coast Mariners missed the opportunity to put pressure on A-League leaders Melbourne City after they were held to a 1-1 draw by lowly Melbourne Victory on Sunday. 

The Mariners started on the front foot and went ahead in the fourth minute when Matt Simon headed in Stefan Nigro's cross. 

Simon went close again soon after, while Josh Nisbet and Alou Kuol were denied by Victory goalkeeper Matt Acton. 

They were made to pay for those missed chances shortly after the half-hour, when Callum McManaman curled into the top-right corner from 15 yards after a Jake Brimmer free-kick had been cleared into his path. 

Jacob Butterfield went agonisingly close to a stunning stoppage-time winner when his long-range half-volley was pawed away by Mark Birighitti.

The result means the Mariners remain three points adrift of Melbourne City at the A-League summit, having played two games more than the leaders.

Victory, meanwhile, are in 11th, two points ahead of bottom side Newcastle Jets.

Victor Sanchez scored a late winner as Western United came out on top in a seven-goal thriller with Melbourne Victory, while Adelaide United held off Western Sydney Wanderers on Saturday. 

Marvel Stadium was the stage for an A-League drama in the late kick-off, with Western United rallying from 1-0 down to lead 3-1 – only to then have a man sent off as Melbourne fought back to draw level.

Callum McManaman opened the scoring for the home team but Sanchez's first of the contest, plus a brace from Besart Berisha, put Western United in command. 

However, they were reduced to 10 men when Tomislav Uskok saw yellow for a second time. Jacob Butterfield closed the gap just after the hour mark and Rudy Gestede made it 3-3 in the 82nd minute, heading in a cross from Dalibor Markovic. 

Melbourne at that stage appeared favourites to get a winner, yet Sanchez was the hero when his left-footed shot found the net deep into added time.

Western United have now won four of the five meetings with Victory and are the only opponents in the competition's history to be unbeaten against them.  

Earlier on, Adelaide put an end to a three-game losing streak against Western Sydney, Craig Goodwin – who has rejoined the club on loan from Al-Wehda – opening the scoring inside two minutes before captain Stefan Mauk doubled the advantage just prior to half-time. 

Substitute Bruce Kamau pulled a goal for Western Sydney, but a first loss in eight league matches was confirmed when Mohamed Toure made it 3-1 in the 82nd minute. 

While Mitchell Duke struck late for the hosts, it turned out to be no more than a consolation effort.

The result sees Adelaide join their opponents on 13 points in the table, with Western Sydney missing out on the chance to move up to second place.