By TERRY MADDAFORD
The top six sides in the Australian National Soccer League are threatening to break away from the pack, and the Football Kingz are slipping further from the pace.
Victories by five of the top six sides in 15th-round action - the sixth, Wollongong, were on Oceania club championship business in Papua New Guinea - further strengthened their grip on the play-off spots.
Leaders South Melbourne beat Sydney side Northern Spirit 2-1 away. The match, in the round which marked the halfway point of the season, was a triumph for the Melbourne side, who had to come from behind.
The Northern Spirit goal was the first the league leaders had conceded in six matches and it sparked a spirited fightback. All Whites striker Vaughan Coveny scored the equaliser and the winner came from Vas Kalogeracos with a 20m shot in the 67th minute.
Perth Glory held second, four points adrift, with a convincing 3-0 home win over Canberra Cosmos.
Sydney Olympic ended the day in equal second but trailing Perth on goal difference with their 2-0 away win over Eastern Pride.
It was their eighth win of the season in a good warm-up for Friday night's clash with the Kingz at Ericsson Stadium.
Marconi striker Archie Thompson continued his goal-grabbing efforts when he opened the scoring in the 48th minute of their home game with Brisbane Strikers.
A Kris Trajanovski penalty put Marconi 2-0 ahead but the visitors quickly got one back through Brazilian Fernando Rech.
Toto Da Costa scored two for the Melbourne Knights as they thumped Newcastle 5-1, leaving Newcastle and Eastern Pride as the only two teams below the Kingz.
In a key game on Saturday, Wollongong, who remain in fourth place despite having two matches postponed, must bounce back from the rigours of the Oceania club championship to front up to the difficult away assignment in Perth.
In another all top-six battle, Marconi (fifth) are at home to sixth-placed Parramatta on Saturday.
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