Soccer: Familiar ring about Football Kingz loss

By BOB PEARCE

The Football Kingz scored their first goal for 350 minutes last night. Trouble was the Northern Spirit scored three.

For the hardy fans who sat through the heavy rain at Ericsson Stadium it was a familiar story. The Kingz started full of vim, created some good chances, gave up an early goal somewhat against the run of play and then faded.

There was an added twist when Raf De Gregorio was sent off in the 41st minute for a second bookable offence.

By that stage the Kingz were a goal down to a fine header by young New Zealander Brent Fisher, in the ninth minute.

Almost immediately the Kingz were unlucky when a fierce strike by De Gregorio from the edge of the penalty area hit the crossbar. And midway through the half they were denied by a defender's knee when Con Anthopoulos headed goalwards from a corner.

Against 10 men, Spirit dominated the second half and there were goals for Stuart Petrie and Adam Kwasnik.

But the Kingz never gave up and finished much as they had started. Their goal finally came after 80 minutes when Mark Beldham, who had replaced Patricio Almendra at halftime, was put through by Andy Vlahos and outwitted the goalkeeper.

They could have had another shortly before the end when Beldham slipped a ball through the defence but substitute Jeremy Christie couldn't prod it home from a metre out.

Best of the Kingz were James Pritchett, a potent weapon out wide, and Beldham, who showed some of the flair near goal.

The win puts Spirit one point behind Parramatta in seventh. The Kingz are second bottom, two ahead of Marconi.