CARSON >> When Steve Davis scored in the 74th minute to give New York a two-goal lead, it was almost certain that the Galaxy would suffer their first defeat at home this season.

Fortunately for the Galaxy, that proved to be the wake-up call they needed.

Thanks to a pair of late goals from Mike Magee (80th minute) and Ashley Cole (89th) the Galaxy (9-3-10) escaped with a 2-2 tie Sunday in front of 25,671 at StubHub Center.

The Galaxy is now tied for third in the Western Conference with Real Salt Lake with 37 points.

“I think it would have been a shame if we would have walked off that field losing,” Galaxy coach Bruce Arena said. “Over 90 minutes, we played pretty well. We certainly made a few mistakes that cost us, but I think on the night, we played well and deserved to get at least a point of that game.”

The game was scoreless until the 68th minute when Gonzalo Veron got a step on Galaxy defender Daniel Steres and chipped the ball over goalkeeper Brian Rowe’s head into the goal.

Six minutes later, the Red Bulls put together a string of passes leading to Davis’ goal for the 2-0 lead.

In the 76th minute, Arena sent on Magee and Emmanuel Boateng, eventually changing the course of the game for the Galaxy.

“Both teams were obviously pretty tired in the last 15-20 minutes of that game and I think fresh legs made a difference,” Arena said. “The Red Bulls were a little handicapped with having to burn two substitutions in the first half and I think the legs of Magee, (Baggio) Husidic and Boateng made a difference.”

Even after Cole’s tying goal, the game still had one final interesting moment as Rowe avoided fouling Veron in the box. Red Bulls’ coach Jesse Marsch was incensed at the no-call and was sent off.

“They’re screaming on every play, the whole night,” Arena said. “It is like yelling fire in a crowded theater.”

The Galaxy may have taken the lead into halftime, when Steven Gerrard tumbled to the ground in the fourth minute inside the box, but referee Hilario Grajeda didn’t call for the penalty.

That set the tone for the rest of the game as New York thought it should have received two penalties late in the second half, but none were called, forcing the draw.

“We have a lot of veterans on this team who know how to come back in this situation,” Galaxy defender A.J. DeLaGarza said. “We definitely didn’t deserve to lose that game, so good on the guys for coming back.”