Under-pressure Newcastle coach Rob Stanton says he can't fault his players despite the Jets coughing up an early lead in a 3-3 draw with Macarthur FC in the A-League Men.

Harrison Sawyer had come off the Bulls' bench and scored a double to salvage a point, after rising star Lachlan Rose had returned to haunt his former side with a goal and an assist at Campbelltown Stadium on Friday night.

Rose scored in the second minute before Eli Adams built Newcastle's lead in the seventh.

But Sawyer, injected into the match in the 56th minute, scored six minutes later to spark a second-half challenge.

Sawyer had been fouled by Aleksandar Susnjar, giving a free kick to fellow substitute Saif-Eddine Khaoui.

Khaoui proved his class with a quality cross and Sawyer finished the play off with a headed goal.

The Jets restored their two-goal lead when Rose popped up again in the 71st minute to set up Adams' second goal of the night, before Bulls defender Tomi Uskok returned serve in the 82nd-minute.

After a number of missed opportunities, Sawyer broke through with another header five minutes into added time.

Stanton, whose long-term future remains in question, refused to take his frustrations out on his players.

"I'm not disappointed with the players. I just think they gave everything," Stanton said.

"They know what they've got to do (to make the finals). They can add up and they can do the math like everyone.

"It's a big task. The task we've set is high but in saying that, again, we still control our destiny.

"We need to get points there, so I'm looking forward to it. I like being under pressure. I like these games."

While the Jets will walk away disappointed, the draw at least keeps both sides' slim finals hopes alive.

The Jets are seven points off sixth-placed Adelaide, sitting ninth in the league on 28 points.

Macarthur are eighth on 29 points with five rounds remaining.

"It was almost a perfect night," Bulls coach Mile Sterjovski said.

"If we had the win, it would have been absolutely perfect because we would have been closer to getting to the top six.

"We were non-existent in the first half, and it took us a while, a long time, to get into the game, but the second half was outstanding.

"In the end, we could have won."

Milestone man Luke Brattan had tried to take matters into his own hands in the 25th minute with a shot from just outside the box but sent the ball flying above the crossbar.

In his 22nd league game for Macarthur after moving from Sydney FC, Bulls captain Brattan became just the 12th player to reach 300 ALM appearances.

He did so as goalkeeper Alexander Robinson made his league debut, with No.1 shotstopper Filip Kurto out with illness.