United's sister club in Australia, Central Coast Mariners, opened their fourth Hyundai A-League campaign with a heartening 1-1 draw against northern rivals the Newcastle Jets over the weekend.

The keenly-fought encounter was a repeat of last season's Grand Final, when the Mariners were narrowly edged out of winning Australian club football's biggest price.

Matt Simon's first Hyundai A-League goal for the Mariners looked to have secured the visitors the points, only for Joel Griffiths to draw the home side level in the last minute of normal time from the penalty spot.

The game was described as 'a fitting showcase of what the Hyundai A-League can expect from its two regional combatants in 2008/09.'

Significantly depleted by the absence of as many as six first eleven candidates, the Mariners will take a lot from what was a spirited performance against the reigning Champions at their home base - so often an unhappy hunting ground for visiting sides.

"Overall, we would have been happy to come here with the team that we had on the park and to come away with a point, and it's turned out that way, but it's hard to take after giving away a silly penalty at the end," said Mariners Football Manager Lawrie McKinna after the match.

The Mariners' Hyundai A-League 2008/09 campaign continues at their Bluetongue Stadium home on Saturday 23 August, when they host southern rivals Sydney FC.

Mariners: Vukovic, Bojic, Porter, D'Apuzzo, Hutchinson, Caceres (Mrdja 88), Clark, Osman, Wilkinson, Elrich, Petrovski (Simon 67).
Unused Grady, Redmayne.