Another heartbreaker - Jets give up late equaliser to let finals hopes slip away

It was the sixth game in which the Jets have conceded a goal in the last 10 minutes to drop points this season - potentially 10 in total.

They totally dominated the contest for 70 minutes.

Clayton Taylor put the visitors ahead in the 40^th minute and Lucas Mauragis doubled the advantage in the 54^th.

But, as they have done numerous times this season, the Jets failed to close out the game.

Taggart gave the home side a lifeline in the 72^nd minute and from there they lifted.

Then, with regulation time almost up, Taggart struck again from a corner.

Incredibly, the Glory skipper was left unmarked at the back post and he directed a header past a helpless Ryan Scott.

The brace moved Taggart alongside Jets striker Apostolos Stamatelopoulos on 14 goals for the campaign - one less than Bruno Fornaroli, who netted a double in the Melbourne Victory's 2-1 triumph over Adelaide.

On another night, Stamatelopoulos could have netted a hat-trick.

He hit the post with a volley and was twice denied by top-draw saves from Glory keeper Oli Sail.

It was the Jets' third 2-all draw with Glory this season - all decided by late goals.

"It was another heartbreaker," Jets captain Brandon O'Neill said. "At 2-0 up, I thought we had the game. Unfortunately you let one goal back and then another set piece. It's the lesson the lads have to learn this year. The fruits of our labour you will see in 12 months time. The only thing missing from our game is the game management to win the game. Once we get that, we will be a really good side.

"Fair play to Perth's subs, they came on and changed the game."

The point moved the Jets to 20 points but they remain in 11^th place, eight points behind sixth-placed Wanderers with seven games remaining.

As expected, Rob Stanton made two changes from the 1- defeat to the Mariners, with Reno Piscopo coming in for Archie Goodwin and Kosta Grozos preferred ahead of Cal Timmins.

The coach stressed the importance of a strong start for the visitors and they delivered.

Taylor stung the gloves of Oli Sail with a fierce shot in the fifth minute. Two minutes later, the keeper had to dive full-stretch to turn a Tom Aquilina tracer bullet past the left post.

Taylor deposited the ball in the back of the next two minutes later but he was rightly pinged for a hand ball.

Dane Ingham was the next to force a hurried effort from Sail as shot count ballooned to 7-0 after 15 minutes.

The Jets had 68 per cent of the ball in the opening 27 minutes.

All that was lacking was a goal.

And it nearly fell for the home side - not the Jets - on the half hour.

Riley Warland swung in a cross that only needed a touch from Giorodano Colli but he failed to make contact.

Despite the scare, the Jets continued to set the tone.

They were rewarded in the 40^th minute when Taylor swooped on a loose ball in the box, took a touch to his left and arrowed an angled shot into the right corner.

It was the teenager's fifth goal in his maiden season.

Mustafa Amini nearly produced the perfect reply, hitting a stinging effort which Scott parried away.

Perth are the best second-half team in the league, netting 26 of their 35 goals in the final 45 minutes.

However, it took a brilliant save from Sail to deny Stamatelopoulos two minutes after the restart.

The striker was frustrated a second time by Sail in the 55^th minute after a piercing pass from Piscopo.

But the rebound fell for Mauragis who hit a fierce drive which took a deflection and beat sail at the near post.

The visitors continued to cause havoc going forward.

Taylor, Mauragis and Stamatelopoulos all had half chances which would have killed the game off.

Instead, Taggart provided a lifeline in the 72^nd minute. Replacement Dave Williams sent a ball over the top for striker, who got between mark Natta and Phil Cancar and crunched a shot past Scott.

All of a sudden, the home side had momentum.

A minute later, Perth thought they had levelled when replacement Kaelan Majekodunm headed into the back of the net, only for the goal was chalked off for a foul in the lead up.

Stamatelopoulos went agonisingly close to sealing three points in the 81^st minute but his lunging volley beat everything but the right post.

The Glory threw everything at the visitors and with one minute remaining Taggart stuck.