Soccer: Tough task for fragile Knights

The Knights will be up against it on and off the field against Perth Glory early tomorrow morning.

Coach Paul Nevin will have to watch from afar after copping a two-match sideline ban for his part in last week's scuffle during the match against Central Coast Mariners at North Harbour Stadium.

Defenders Che Bunce (one match) and Greg Duruz (two) are suspended, Matt Carbon remains on the injured list, and inspirational midfielder Jonas Salley is two or three weeks away from a return.

Newcomer Hamza Mohammed has not been cleared to play.

Michael White and Frank Van Eijs have returned and seem likely to play at least some part in the game.

The West Australians have All Whites Leo Bertos, Adrian Webster and Jeremy Christie in their squad.

Only twice, in 1989 when Clint Gosling, Robert Ironside and Michael McGarry were on the books at Sydney Olympic, and in the 1998-99 season when Mark Atkinson, Sean Douglas and Riki Van Steeden turned out for Carlton, have three New Zealanders been involved with an Australian national league club.

Bertos is relishing the opportunity to play against the New Zealand side.

"I'm happy that I'm playing and doing all right," said Bertos, 24, who has played in all six matches in this season's Hyundai A-League.

Although he hasn't scored himself, Bertos has been in sizzling form, and is credited with five goal-assists in the seven goals scored by the Glory.

That tally is six more goals than the Knights have scored in their six games.

The Knights go into the match with one of the worst disciplinary records in the league - 13 cards and 90 fouls conceded.

Perth have fared best - seven cards (no red) and 65 fouls.

The home side are without Stan Lazaridis, who is on Socceroo duty, but otherwise will be at full strength.


Perth Glory v NZ Knights

Members Equity Stadium, Perth, 1am tomorrow, live SS1.

Perth Glory (from): Jason Petkovic, David Tarka, Simon Colosimo, Jamie Harnwell, Jeremy Christie, Mimi Saric, David Micevski, Luka Glavas, Bobby Despotovski, Leo Bertos, Ante Kovacevic, Jamie Coyne, Adrian Webster, Stuart Young, Naum Sekulovski, Aleks Vrteski.

NZ Knights (from): Danny Milosevic, Darren Bazeley, Neil Emblen, Richard Johnson, Scot Gemmill, Dani Rodrigues, Sean Devine, Jonti Richter, Malik Buari, Noah Hickey, Adam Casey, Frank Van Eijs, Michael White, Sime Kovacevic, Michael Turnbull.