Soccer: Kingz need more goals for late playoff spot

By TERRY MADDAFORD

There was good and bad news for the Football Kingz from across the Tasman this week.

On Tuesday night, Sydney club Parramatta Power persuaded Soccer Australia they should be awarded the three points Perth won in their first-round clash on September 21.

Parramatta claimed Perth's Andre Gumprecht was ineligible and the West Australians should forfeit the points. The tribunal agreed.

In being docked three points, Perth have dropped back to join Olympic Sharks on 41 points at the top of the NSL ladder. They are 12 points clear of third-placed Newcastle.

The top team at the end of the round-robin will be handed a six-point bonus going into the top-six playoffs. The second-placed team will be awarded three points.

The three points Parramatta picked up on Tuesday took them further away from the Kingz and into fourth place.

The following night they blew the chance to strengthen their place in the top six when upset 2-1 by Northern Spirit.

The Kingz must beat Marconi Stallions at Ericsson Stadium tonight to maintain the momentum in their late bid for a playoff spot.

In beating Parramatta, Northern Spirit leap-frogged into eighth place, a point ahead of the Kingz and four behind sixth-placed Adelaide City Force.

To keep winning, the Kingz must score goals. With 19 from 18 games, only Sydney United (16) have a worse record. Marconi, at the bottom of the table, have also scored 19 from 18 games.

Defensively, the Kingz have done better, though, conceding 26 compared with the 36 Marconi have let in.

The Kingz will be without suspended captain Chris Jackson and defender Hiroshi Miyazawa (also suspended). Darren Young, who started against the Melbourne Knights but was replaced early after feeling unwell, is also missing this week.

Mark Burton, Jeff Campbell and, for the first time, Jeremy Christie have been included in the squad from which Ken Dugdale will name his starting Xl.

Back-up goalkeeper James Bannatyne will need to pass a fitness test on his injured ankle before taking his place on the substitutes' bench.

The Kingz turned in one of their better performances in coming from behind to beat the Knights on a shocking pitch.

Back at home and on a surface which gives both teams a chance of playing attractive football, the Kingz could mount a late-season charge.

Marconi, too, go into the game on the back of a 2-1 victory, over the unpredictable Brisbane Strikers.

Football Kingz (squad): Michael Utting, James Bannatyne, Jonathan Perry, Con Anthopoulos, Mauro Donoso, Jeremy Christie, Mark Beldham, Mark Burton, James Pritchett, Jeff Campbell, Raf de Gregorio, Steven Turner, Patricio Almendra, Andy Vlahos, Harry Ngata.

Kickoff: 7.30pm.