The New Zealand Knights' A-League soccer season has become a desperate search for positives and there was a notable one as they crashed to a seventh consecutive loss yesterday.
Adelaide United, the only team to lose to the Knights back in round two, turned the tables at Adelaide with a
4-2 win to jump to second on the A-League ladder.
The Knights remain anchored in last place, five points behind previous tailenders Newcastle, but they broke an embarrassing goal drought which ticked into its seventh match and 10th hour before substitute Noah Hickey did the honours to spark a revival.
The Knights were staring down the barrel of a hiding when Adelaide's Bobby Petta put the hosts 3-0 up in the 56th minute against non-existent defence.
But Hickey's arrival soon afterwards turned it around, he latched onto a Darren Bazeley long throw in the 65th minute then it was suddenly 2-3 when Hickey pressured Adelaide defender Adam van Dommelle to head into his own net in the 72nd.
The Knights lifted their heads, Adam Casey's potential equaliser was palmed away by Adelaide keeper Robert Bajic, but then reality returned when Travis Dodd's header sealed the home side's win six minutes from time.
Knights defender Che Bunce, who twice cleared shots off the line, said it was heartening his teammates refused to hoist the white flag.
"We did come close and it was nice to get some goals. It was just sloppy defending in that first half to go two goals down that really killed us," he told Fox Sports.
"But full credit to the boys for hanging in there and fighting back, and I thought we were going to snatch something.
"When you're down the bottom of the table and you concede three goals, the heads go down pretty quick."
It doesn't get any easier with competition leaders Melbourne looming at North Harbour Stadium on Friday, but Bunce insisted there was hope after yesterday's fightback.
"We've just got to build on that now and cut out the mistakes. There are some good signs, we created chances and we could have had three or four if we'd finished off."
- NZPA
