Two teams desperate for a win had to share the spoils as Adelaide drew 1-1 with Newcastle in an action-packed A-League clash.

Striker Sergio van Dijk put the Reds ahead in the second half with Jobe Wheelhouse squaring things up for the Jets in the first A-League game at Bathurst’s Carrington Park as part of the community round fixtures.

The point sees Adelaide go to seventh on the ladder while the Jets remain in ninth.

It was a fired-up Jets outfit that took to the field, striker Jeremy Brockie sounding an early warning with two shots within the first four minutes.

Labinot Haliti got in on the action minutes later, forcing a save from Adelaide gloveman Eugene Galekovic as did Ryan Griffiths, who has had more shots on goal than anyone else in the A-League this season.

But with a win crucial for both teams who languish near the bottom of the table, the Reds weren’t about to let Newcastle have it all their own way, Dutch import van Dijk, Iain Ramsay and Fabian Barbiero all attempting to score.

Prolific striker van Dijk had the Reds’ best chance of the half, his header 29 minutes in forcing Jets ‘keeper Ben Kennedy into action.

The Reds sprung to life in the second half looking to create chances right away and it didn’t take long for them to break through with van Dijk putting them 1-0 ahead in the 57th minute.

It was Ramsay who did all the lead-up work, his perfectly placed cross finding van Dijk in the box to set him up for his sixth goal in five games.

Jets coach Gary van Egmond brought ex-Arsenal and Everton striker Francis Jeffers on for Haliti with half an hour to go in an effort to add some firepower up front.

But it was fellow second-half substitute Wheelhouse who provided the Jets a lifeline after getting on the end of a Ruben Zadkovich cross to level in the 72nd minute.

Jets striker Michael Bridges had the chance to put the game in his side’s keeping with a free-kick just outside the box in extra time, his strike getting past the wall but not Galekovic.