Sunday's Fury FC match against the San Antonio Scorpions almost turned into a very unfunny version of Groundhog Day.

Instead, a late goal by Tommy Heinemann saw Fury score just its second point of the season in a 1-1 draw in front of 4,277 fans at TD Place.

Despite being the better side for much of the afternoon match, Fury conceded the opening goal in the 76th minute as substitute Trevin Caesar blasted a beautiful shot past Ottawa keeper Romuald Peiser.

Instead of hanging their shoulders the way they did last week after conceding the tying goal to Fort Lauderdale, Fury upped the tempo late in the game and likely deserved the full three points.

Tony Donatelli was stopped on a late game penalty kick by Scorpions' keeper Josh Saunders after San Antonio was called for a hand ball in the box. It seemed the story would, once again, be a hard-fought game from Ottawa that would end in a loss.

But striker Tommy Heinemann was rewarded in a game where he looked more determined than ever to score one, despite taking a beating in the process. A breakdown by San Antonio's back line in the 89th minute saw Heinemann get in all alone and chip a shot off Saunders' foot and up into the net.

Heinemann was all smiles after the game, both because of his huge goal and the way his teammates rallied after going down a goal.

"The last couple weeks everything's been going against us," he said. "The only way to respond to that is to dig deep, to persevere and to keep pressing on.

The American acknowledged it was tough to concede another late goal, something Fury is no stranger to, but agreed the response was different this time.

"That's happened a handful of times to us this year, so we've learned from that," said Heinemann. "The game's not over until the whistle blows (and) I think we're unlucky not to get three points."

Fury coach Marc Dos Santos was pleased with the point and the character shown by his side against one of the top teams in the North American Soccer League, but didn't want to get carried away.

"It's a good point but we didn't win the World Cup," Dos Santos told media following the match.

"(The players') reaction, their character, missing a penalty shot and continuing (to) believe, all credit to them," Dos Santos said of his players. We deserved the tie but I felt that three points could have been ours today."

In what has become a regular storyline in NASL action, the officials risked losing control of the game in the second half, as there were at least two ugly tackles that saw both sides start pushing and shoving around the referee. That only five yellow cards were shown -- two to Fury and three to San Antonio -- is incredible.

Heinemann bore the brunt of much of the rough stuff as he was bumped, hauled down and body checked repeatedly.

"I've been working on controlling my passion a little bit," Heinemann said with a chuckle. "(But) when you're getting cleats stuck and ran through the back of you, it's never fun. I'm going to wake up with a couple bruises I'm sure tomorrow but it's part of the game and I'll make it."

Dos Santos has had his forwards at training early the last week to work on finishing and was happy to see Heinemann rewarded.

"The coach needs players that are receptive to (improving) and ... that's the mix we have, players who want to learn, players who want to grow, players who want to win," he said.

chris.hofley@sunmedia.ca

Twitter: @chrishofley