HFX Wanderers FC may have found a way to end their scoring drought, but had to settle for a less-than-ideal result once more as York9 FC came to visit on Wednesday evening. Despite welcoming the return of striker Luis Alberto Perea, who created plenty of chances for the Wanderers, the Colombian striker alone could not turn the tide of an eventual 1-1 draw toward his team's favour – though he did manage to impress HFX head coach Stephen Hart, regardless. "He's very composed, (and has a) very light touch," Hart said of Perea after the match. "He brought the midfield into the game very well. "I think if we did miss anything today, it was maybe to have somebody like Juan Diego Gutierrez come on when they were feeling it a bit. He could add an extra dimension." Hart's side was without the Peruvian midfield maestro, who Hart described as "doubtful" when confirming the injury. "We were definitely looking for the three points today," Hart reflected. "I think it's a better performance than the last two games, so that's a good step in the right direction but we definitely wanted three points today and I think we had the chance to do so." It didn't take long for York9 to score when Rodrigo Gattas successful scored from the penalty spot. Just a few moments later, it was defender Peter Schaale who tied up the game. "The leadership from Elton (John) and also from Jan(-Michael Williams) was massive for us," Peter Schaale said of the two leaders from Trinidad and Tobago. "They said we have enough time, it's early in the game, we don't have to panic, we play our game, we stick to the game plan and I think we've done it pretty well." Through five CPL games, the Wanderers now have four points and sit in sixth place, only one point ahead of York9 FC. Hart gave credit to York9, mentioning how both teams are putting brand new teams together. "People are still learning how each other plays and the movement," Hart explained. "And sometimes there's a tendency to have the handbrake up a little bit. But yeah, I felt we should be in a position where at home, to take the initiative, to take some more risks." Hart also pointed out that his team was able to do just that in the second half, highlighting individual performances from Kodai Iida and Akeem Garcia in particular. "Things started to happen and I really thought we were going to score one or two, the way we were playing. I'm disappointed with the result for sure," Hart lamented. Defender Matthew Arnone, who picked up a yellow card for a handball that led to the early York9 penalty kick, took away positives from the match despite not getting the desired outcome. "It just showed that we're into the process," Arnone said after the match. "We're working on the process and the results, we bounced back in a great way." If the process means the team is where it hopes to be after five games, it's possible a little recency bias may influence how Wanderers are feeling after the draw. "If you asked me about six hours ago, I would have told you we're a bit behind schedule," Arnone concluded. "I'm really proud of the boys and the performance they put together today. I really have no complaints."

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