Soccer: Adelaide squander comfortable lead

By TERRY MADDAFORD

The Football Kingz are not the only side in the Australian National Soccer League to feel the end-of-season pressure.

The Adelaide City Force went into their 27th-round match against the Brisbane Strikers with a chance of joining the Melbourne Knights in the sixth and last playoff spot.

Ahead 2-0 at halftime, Adelaide, with the added advantage of playing at home against a team with no hope of making the six, should have cruised home to join the Knights on 42 points.

Their chances got even better at the break when the Strikers' goalkeeper, Daniel Duke, was forced out by injury.

With no replacement keeper, substitute striker Peter Dwyer donned the gloves and came away with a clean sheet as the visitors scored the only goals of the second spell.

Jeromy Harris closed the score to 1-2 in the 64th minute and added his second, and 11th of the season, 11 minutes later.

Marconi consolidated their top-six hopes by picking up three points for the bye, but the Knights did nothing for their chances in going down 0-1 away to second-placed Perth Glory.

A Bobby Despotovski goal in the 23rd minute was all that separated the teams at Perth Oval.

It was Despotovski's 17th of the season and took him one clear of team-mate Damian Mori, who missed the game because of World Cup commitments, at the top of the goal-scoring list.

The Melbourne Knights do, however, have the advantage of the bye and the guaranteed three points this weekend which will keep them in contention and put the pressure on Marconi, who are away to lowly Newcastle United.

Wollongong's chase for a place in top two was halted when their game with Eastern Pride was postponed.

Leaders South Melbourne meet fourth-placed Sydney Olympic in Sydney tomorrow night in a postponed match.

The Northern Spirit and Parramatta played out a scoreless draw.

Parramatta could play a more meaningful role this weekend when they play Adelaide at home.

Adelaide's poor goal difference means they must win their remaining three matches to keep their hopes alive.

The Kingz are back at Ericsson Stadium in Auckland on Friday night to play defending champions Wollongong.