10.00pm
FOOTBALL KINGZ 2 SOUTH MELBOURNE 0
The Football Kingz helped erase the memories of a severe flogging from South Melbourne earlier this season by beating their much vaunted opponents 2-0 at Ericsson Stadium in Auckland tonight.
Perennial cellar-dwellers in the National Soccer league, the Kingz were thumped 6-nil by South
Melbourne in November, but the form-book was shattered in their round 24 re-match.
The Kingz shook the fourth-placed visitors in the 19th minute when Harry Ngata ghosted through the defence to collect a free kick inside South Melbourne's penalty box, drew the keeper, and passed to Noah Hickey who easily tapped in.
The score remained one-nil at halftime, and the Kingz secured their third win when Ngata appeared on the near post and headed in the second goal from a corner in the 59th minute.
South Melbourne rarely threatened in the second half despite the looming presence of All White striker Vaughan Coveny who tested Kingz keeper Michael Utting with some powerful low drives.
Most of the forward action was delivered by Hickey and Ngata at the opposite end of the field as the duo combined for regular raids on the South Melbourne goal.
With only two games remaining the Kingz will struggle to loosen their grip on the wooden spoon, but did manage to keep their opposition scoreless for the first time this season.
- NZPA
