The Sky Blues dominated the whole show but failed to hold on to an early lead given by Russell Mahmud Jimmy as Mariner snatched a vital point through a late equaliser by Pakistani Qasim Imran in an entertaining third round encounter.

Abahani, who came back from a three-goal deficit to win last month's Club Cup final against Mariner 4-3, went ahead in the ninth minute after Bachchu and Shamim Reza wasted easy chances.

Skilful stick wielder Jimmy, taking a long pass from Rajibul Hassan Issa, scored with a powerful hit from the top of the box for his fifth league goal.

The talented forward could have easily put Abahani on top a minute later but his reverse hit was parried by Mariner's in-form keeper Jahangir. Jimmy's selfishness denied Abahani a certain second goal when the young forward, having dashed into the box down the left, decided to take a hit on goal from an acute angle instead of passing the ball to two unmarked teammates. The low drive was again blocked by Jahangir.

Mariner's only chance came shortly before the break when Prashanta set up Rafiqul Islam Kamal inside the box but the ace forward, whose hattrick against Abahani in the Club Cup final went down the drain, saw his reverse hit splendidly saved by Abahani custodian Bappi.

After a slow start, the second half came alive when Jimmy raced past the rival defenders on a lone run but rattled the sidebar in the 47th minute. The great escape inspired a lightning counter-attack the very next minute and a defensive lapse saw Abahani concede the equaliser. Pakistani midfielder Imran, who received a long ball from Hassan Ahmed, exchanged passes with Kamal before pushing the ball into an empty net to silence the Abahani fans.

Mariner got one more chance but Kamal put the ball wide with only the goalkeeper to beat but it was Abahani who failed to convert three opportunities -- all created by Jimmy -- in the last ten minutes.

Shamim twice failed to beat the lone keeper while Bachchu could not connect a Jimmy cross into an open net as Abahani stumbled to their first draw after two consecutive wins. Abahani have seven points while Mariner, who refused to play for six minutes protesting a penalty-corner decision against them three minutes from time, now have five points from one win and two draws.