Buhagiar strikes with last kick of the game to rescue a point for gallant Jets

The Jets, after leading 1-0, looked set to suffer a second straight loss at home, trailing 2-1 deep into injury time.

In a frenetic finish, Callum Timmins hit the post and Dane Ingham had a strong claim for a penalty turned down.

With time almost up, Lucas Mauragis delivered a searching cross into the box and Buhagiar directed a half-volley inside the right post.

It was the striker's first goal of the season.

Apostolos Stamatelopous put the home side ahead in the 25^th minute from the penalty spot to make it seven goals in seven games.

The Jets totally dominated the first half, but paid the price for not converting that pressure into more goals.

In a classic game of two halves, Perth striker Adam Taggart struck two minutes after the break.

The goal set the home side on its heels.

Eight minutes later, Perth produced a killer blow. Stefan Colakovski swooped on a wayward back pass from Clayton Taylor and struck a bullet into the right corner.

The result was a repeat of the season-opener in Perth.

Stamatelopoulos struck in injury time to share the points.

Had the Jets won on Saturday, they would have moved to 11 points and above Adelaide into sixth spot.

Instead, they are on nine points and in eighth position ahead of trip to Adelaide on Friday

"It was deja vu from the first game," Jets coach Rob Stanton said. "We showed the same character but the difference I think was this game we should have taken three points.

"We shot ourselves in the foot. That might happen for a little bit until we learn lessons as a young group. I have to wear that and try and limit that by developing the players better. Trying to create leaders. I'm not angry at the players, I'm not disappointed, I'm actually quite proud of them. We saw character, we saw resilience, even though we didn't get three points, we saw progression."

Mauragis was outstanding at left back, Brandon O'Neil controlled the tempo and Reno Piscopo showed flashes of trickery, before limping off after being caught on a late challenge.

Perth coach Alen Stajcic also experienced a "bit of deja vu".

"They scored in the last 20 seconds in the first game against them and then they did it with five seconds to go. It was gut wrenching.

"I thought we were flat in the first half and barely string a few passes together. For the first 20 minutes of the second half we were well on top.

"At the end we really should have defended better. A ball lumped into the box. To concede on like that in the last 20 seconds is not good enough."

As expected Rob Stanton stuck with the same XI that stunned Wellington Phoenix 3-0 in New Zealand last round.

For Perth, Alex Susnjar came in for Trent Ostler at left back in the only change from the 2-1 defeat to Melbourne City at home.

The temperature, which reached a scorching 37 degrees earlier in the day, was a bearable 26 at the 6pm kickoff as a cooling southerly arrived.

However, the afternoon kick-off had an impact on the crowd with only 4714 in attendance.

In a sign of things to come, the Jets opened the game with a series of 20-plus passes.

Perth were happy to sit back in a 4-4-2 defensive block.

The Jets pushed and probed and almost struck in the seventh minute.

Mauragis collected a diagonal ball on the left and delivered a cross which Perth defender Darryl Lachman nearly turned into his own net.

Reno Piscopo fired an angled shot into the side netting in the 17^th minute.

The home side continued to knock on the door, looking for an opening as the Glory stacked men behind the ball.

The pressure paid off for the Jets in the 25^th minute when Mark Beevers collected the foot of Thomas Aquilina inside the box.

Stamatelopoulos made no mistake from the spot, dispatching a fierce shot into the left corner.

It was the sixth time Perth had conceded first this season. They lost the five previous.

The Jets had a great chance to double the advantage in the 33^rd minute.

Piscopo threaded pass into the box for Stamatelopoulos who drove the ball towards the opposite corner but Perth fullback Johnny Koutroumbis scrambled back and someone knocked the ball over the crossbar with the back of his foot.

For all their dominance, the Jets needed a desperate tackle by Phil Cancar on Stefan Colakovski in the 38^th minute.

The Jets control was evident on the half-time statistics sheet. They had 65 per cent of the ball, led the corner count 2-0, had 12 crosses to four and made 14 entries into the Perth penalty box.

Perth didn't have a shot on target but somehow remained in the contest.

Perth coach Alen Stajcic introduced Mustafa Amini for Oliver Bozanic at the break.

It had the desired result. Within a minute of the restart, the visitors were on level terms.

Luke Ivanovic burst down the right and found Taggart, who did well to lose his defender and then hit a thunderous shot into the roof of the net.

The goal sat the Jets back on their heels.

Alarm bells were ringing.

Ten minutes later the visitors were in front.

Colakovski swooped on a wayward back pass from Clayton Taylor, drove into the box and hit a bullet into the right corner.

In need of a second wind, Stanton brought on Archie Goodwin in the 62^nd minute for Aquilina

Taggart thought he had a second goal in the 64^th minute but was flagged for offside.

Piscopo limped off in the 67^th minute after a late challenge by Giordano Colli, who was given a yellow card.

Stamatelopoulos had a great chance from the freekick but his volley at the back post fizzed past the left post.

Mauragis had a shot go just wide as the clock started to work against the Jets.