Faryd Mondragon

The Union had one of their best offensive outputs of the season, and every bit of effort was needed to compensate for a defense that continues to show serious leaks. Trailing 4-1 at halftime, the Union roared back to grab a 4-4 draw on Wednesday against the New England Revolution in a Major League Soccer match before 16,148 at PPL Park in Chester. Sebastien Le Toux earned the equalizer with a volley from close range during second-half stoppage time. "Four goals in a half shouldn't happen and at times we looked like an expansion team," Union team manager Peter Nowak said.

GIVEN THE LINEUPS Peter Nowak has fielded in the past, it's evident he is an agent of change. But never take the Union boss for a gambler. Against first-place Columbus and out for its first win in 2 months, Saturday night's Union lineup consisted of its 16-year-old homegrown midfielder Zach Pfeffer, who earned his first MLS start, Morgan Langley, called up late last week from USL Pro affiliate Harrisburg as a late substitute, with no true defender in reserve, relying heavily on the customary back four of Gabriel Farfan, Sheanon Williams, Carlos Valdes and Danny Califf, who assumed the captaincy in place of injured goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon.

'IT'S ONLY the beginning. " Peter Nowak told that to reporters via conference call yesterday when asked about the Union and its signing of 21-year-old Costa Rican forward Josue Martinez. But he also said that the club is "exploring every possible option to make the team better" and is in the process of signing three to four additional players this offseason. Martinez, acquired from Costa Rican club CD Saprissa, has been a goal-scoring menace. However, Nowak said Martinez still has "a couple of holes in his game" and will need to "develop.

WASHINGTON - For the second game in a row, the Union played a wide-open offensive affair, but, unlike last week's 3-2 win over visiting Chivas USA, this time they settled for a draw. Carlos Ruiz's goal in the 84th minute helped the Union escape with a 2-2 tie Saturday against a new-look D.C. United at RFK Stadium. The Union twice came back from one-goal deficits. "That's why we have Carlos Ruiz, to score goals like that," said Union team manager Peter Nowak, who has been annoyed at criticism of his forward.

PERHAPS A BIT harsh for those involved to admit, but see Major League Soccer's upcoming re-entry draft as fall cleaning for the seller - and a garage sale for the buyer. Sometimes you find a gem in the process, but mostly you're just buying someone else's unwanted clutter. Yesterday, MLS released its master list ahead of Monday's first stage of the two-tiered draft that happens via teleconference with collective technical staff members among the league's 19 franchises. The second and final stage is set for Dec. 12. How the draft works, essentially, is that clubs can draft players off the list but must exercise the option or extend what's called a "bona fide offer" to the selected player.

Union defender Carlos Valdes is improving his English and knows enough to be diplomatic when the difficult questions are asked. When asked about his omission from the Major League Soccer all-star team, Valdes clearly understood the question but didn't want to create any waves. "I came here to play at a high level, and that is what I have tried to do," he said in the locker room following Wednesday's 1-0 win over the English Premier League team Everton in a friendly at a sold-out PPL Park in Chester.

Faryd Mondragon admitted that while he was sidelined for seven games, the inactivity was tough to take. The Union captain had suffered a broken finger in a 2-1 Major League Soccer loss Sept. 3 at Real Salt Lake. In his place, rookie Zac MacMath more than held the fort, going 3-0-4 and showing why the Union chose him as the No. 5 overall selection in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft. Still, the 40-year-old Mondragon provides a veteran's presence that is even more valued in the playoffs, when defenses tighten and goals seem to be more difficult to come by. Mondragon promises to be a huge presence as the Union begin the first of their two-game aggregate-goal semifinal series with the Houston Dynamo on Sunday at PPL Park.

FRISCO, Texas - The Union had a chance to take over first place in the Eastern Conference when they played Dallas on Saturday night. But the Union left Pizza Hut Park with a 2-0 loss, extending their winless streak to three games (0-2-1) and remaining a point behind New York and New England. The Union (4-3-2) were in an unaccustomed place early, trailing by 2-0 before halftime. They had not allowed more than one goal in any game this season - just four total over the first eight contests.

Too bad for the Union this isn't a two-game, aggregate-possession series with the Houston Dynamo in the Major League Soccer Eastern Conference semifinals. No, it's aggregate goal, which means the Union will start the second game down a goal after suffering a 2-1 loss to the Dynamo in the first leg of this series on Sunday at PPL Park in Chester. The series resumes, and concludes, Thursday in Houston. The Union did everything but get the equalizer, which has been a recurring story in the two-year history of the franchise.

WHEN the January transfer window closes today, it won't include an announcement that Union forward Sebastien Le Toux is leaving for Bolton - but it might end with Le Toux headed to Vancouver. The Daily News has learned that Le Toux is still being shopped, and he could be obtained by an MLS bidder. Although the window doesn't directly affect player movement within Major League Soccer, England-based London Daily Mirror writer Alan Nixon, who kept watch on Le Toux' trial with the Premier League's Bolton last week, posted on his Twitter feed that Vancouver has showed interest in the 28-year-old Frenchman.