Kevin Johnston

IndyStar correspondent

INDIANAPOLIS – Besides the multitude of injuries, one constant for the Indy Eleven this season has been the steady play of midfielder Don Smart. When the Jamaican winger is healthy and in the lineup, Indy tends to pick up more points.

True to form, Smart provided a goal and an assist in the Eleven’s 2-2 draw with the New York Cosmos at Carroll Stadium on Saturday night. The result wasn’t what Indy needed, however.

“Just to get the three points, that was the mindset coming in from the beginning,” said a disappointed Smart. “It’s good that I get a goal for the team and get an assist for Eamon (Zayed) and stuff, but the important part of the game was to get the three points and we came out with a draw.”

With both clubs currently below the playoff line but still in contention, there was added meaning to the match. The Cosmos and Eleven entered in fifth and sixth place in the combined standings, respectively. Only four teams make the North American Soccer League playoffs. Eleven coach Tim Hankinson stuck with the same experiment he tried in Wednesday’s 2-1 win over Puerto Rico FC. He started usual left back Nemanja Vukovic as a winger, this time on the right side. And again, he and Smart switched flanks about halfway through the match.

A savvy counterattack and jaw-dropping finish put the hosts up early. Right back Marco Franco stole a pass near midfield and dribbled through traffic before flicking a pass into space with the outside of his foot. Smart ran onto it and rifled a shot in the top near corner to give Indy a 1-0 lead in the 27th minute.

“Don started on the left and made the big diagonal (run) to the right, and then is able to angle that ball with the shot," Hankinson said. "That caught them by surprise.”

The Cosmos answered nine minutes later through Emmanuel Ledesma. The 29-year-old midfielder tapped in from close range after a Jon Busch save created a rebound.

The second half seemed like a mirror image of the first. Zayed slotted home a cross from Smart in the 64th minute for the Eleven, then Javi Marquez brought the Cosmos level 5 minutes later when he finished a Ledesma pass.

Smart almost produced the game winner, but his late blast drilled the crossbar. He immediately clutched his right hamstring and went down to receive treatment before being subbed out.

“I think it’s a little tweak to be honest,” Smart said. “I felt it on the run. As soon as Eamon played it I felt it, but I already made up my mind that I was not going to stop.”

Indy midfielder Ben Speas, who’s mostly played out wide during his Indy tenure, impressed in a central attacking midfield role. Franco was also a standout performer for the home side.

Indy again has a quick turnaround with a road test against the San Francisco Deltas set for Wednesday night.