Soccer: Leaders give Kingz a hiding

By DAVID LEGGAT

The Football Kingz supporters are a hardy lot, and judging by what they had to put up with at a rain-soaked North Harbour Stadium last night, they are in for a long and frustrating season.

Having conceded five goals at Marconi last weekend, the Kingz were tonked 7-2 by table-topping Perth Glory.

The Kingz turned in a shocker. While it is still early days in the National Soccer League, these are worrying times for the Kingz, whose defence has now given away 14 goals in four games. Coach Mike Petersen is still looking for his first victory since taking charge.

There was much to admire in Perth's performance. Their defence was generally effective, the midfield toiled well, and they took their chances adroitly.

But the Kingz' prospects were cooked by halftime, at which point they trailed 4-1, having been outclassed by slicker, quicker opponents who gave clear evidence that they will be strong contenders at the business end of the competition.

In Damian Mori, and Bobby Despotovski, Perth possessed a pair of strikers with predatory instincts which served them well against a Kingz defence which had the solidity of custard.

Mori had three goals by halftime. He now has seven this season, leads the individual scorers' list, and on this showing, another couple of games against the Kingz would have him putting his feet up out of reach of his closest challengers.

The Kingz' total inability to handle balls put over or through the back line cost them dearly. Three of Perth's goals came from that approach, and the Kingz need to work out their best sweeper option and get him into action smartly.

Perth went ahead in the sixth minute, Mori collecting a ball from Despotovski to cleverly chip goalkeeper Michael Theoklitos.

His second came from an easy tap in, but the Kingzs' opening goal was a beauty.

From a free kick on the left-hand edge of the penalty area, Andy Vlahos stepped up and curled the ball sweetly into the bottom corner.

Far from pulling the Kingz back into the game, it served only to sting Perth into bagging two more in quick order through midfielder Brad Maloney and Mori.

The Kingz began the second half well. Paul Urlovic's third goal of the season - sliding in a clever Vlahos' cross - briefly lifted the spirits of the faithful.

But when midfielder George Goutzioulis was ordered off a few minutes later for an ugly, two-footed lunging challenge, it was open season on the Kingz goal. Theoklitos conceded a penalty - and got his third booking in four games - when he crunched into Edgar Aldrighi from behind.

Despotovski scored, then added his second when he lobbed the onrushing goalkeeper from 40m out.

Maloney added his second and that was that.

Perth Glory 7 (D. Mori 3, B. Maloney, B. Despotovski 2, A. Edwards) Football Kingz 2 (A. Vlahos, P. Urlovic). Halftime 4-1. Referee: Neil Fox. Crowd: 8000.