Soccer: Knights face dynamic Perth duo

Glen Moss will be in goal for the Knights in tonight's North Harbour Stadium clash with Perth. Picture / Kenny Rodger

The likely reunion of two of Perth's favoured sons spells bad news for a New Zealand Knights side attempting to get their season back on track.

Regular goal-grabber Bobby Despotovski is set to be reunited with Damian Mori at North Harbour Stadium tonight following Mori re-signing with Perth Glory after his state league Grand Final-winning effort as player-coach at Adelaide City. "Damian has signed with us for a month at this stage," Perth assistant coach Alan Vest said yesterday.

"He comes in for David Tarka, who is likely to be out for six weeks."

Despotovski and Mori ruled in their glory days in the former Australian Soccer League and look set to continue their goal-scoring habits.

Knights coach John Adshead has made changes - injury-related - for tonight's game, with Glen Moss to debut in goal and Frank Van Eijs and Naoki Imaya poised for their first games off the bench.

Adshead reiterated that the decision to call Moss in was made when regular goalkeeper Danny Milosevic cried off with injury.

"Danny can't kick. It seems bizarre. I'm not prepared to risk him," said Adshead. "But, hopefully, he will be able to sit on the bench."

Asked how he planned to turn things round after last week's embarrassing 4-0 thrashing at Newcastle, Adshead remained philosophical.

"New players, new jobs - I've tried to freshen it up. It's not business as usual.

"We have got to be aggressive at our own ground and in front of our own fans. Of course, the players know that they played badly. They are professionals.

"We have to get back to our Sydney performance here - only without the mistakes."

Adshead is well aware of the threat Despotovski poses. "He will hurt you with time and space. But we have to be concerned about a lot of the things Perth will do.

"I have a lot of faith in my players," said Adshead. "They have to believe in themselves. We have to be the doers, not takers."

Vest said this Perth side was still short of what the old NSL side achieved. "We have taken time to gel - it's almost a new team," he said.

"We played as well as we have last Saturday but still lost. To be honest, I thought that Adelaide looked to be the worst team we have played but they are top of the table. Melbourne are the best I've seen - and they're bottom."

Vest has watched the Knights loss to Newcastle and said he did not think there was four goals in it.

"It was a poor effort defensively, obviously. But they are not alone in that.

"Most teams are hot one week and cold the next. Only Adelaide have managed to be consistent."

It will be a real test for the Knights against a team who have conceded just six goals in four games.

NZ Knights v Perth Glory

North Harbour Stadium, 8 tonight

Referee: Neil Fox

Knights: Glen Moss, Darren Bazeley, Neil Emblen, John Tambouras, Ronnie Bull, Josh Maguire, Xiaobin Zhang, Ben Collett, Zenon Caravella, Sean Devine, Josh Rose, Frank Van Eijs, Naoki Imaya (two to be added).

Perth: Jason Petkovic, Jamie Coyne, Ante Kovacevic, Jamie Harnwell, Scott Miller, Simon Colosimo, Damian Mori, Brian Deane, Bobby Despotovski, Hiroyuki Ishida, Naum Sekulovski, Billy Celeski, Steve McMahon, Nick Ward, Milan Jovanic.

Odds: Draw $4.25, Knights $3.40, Perth $1.75

Prediction: After the rocky horror show in Newcastle it will take something special for Knights to turn it around against workmanlike Glory, who are threatening to fire.