Soccer: Kingz grab point in thriller

By TERRY MADDAFORD

It was a Christmas cracker, with the Football Kingz and the Melbourne Knights sharing the points in their 3-3 National Soccer League draw at North Harbour Stadium last night.

The home side, frustrated again by another shocking refereeing effort, fought back three times to take their 16th point of the season.

Referee Gerard Connolly won no friends for his substandard performance. He was the only person on the ground who knew why Dino Mennillo was sent for an early shower and later refused to send Knights goalkeeper Martin John after a blatant foul on Kingz player-coach Wynton Rufer.

The Kingz took their time to find any direction - in more ways than one. Their passing was often misdirected as they attempted to beat the persistent offside trap.

After a pedestrian start, Rufer first tested John in the 25th minute with a chipped freekick.

The breakthrough was another 10 minutes in coming when the ball was harmlessly played to Ivan Kelic, who checked back before thumping a shot which goalkeeper Jason Batty could only get a hand to as it flew into the back of the goal.

Four minutes before halftime the home side got one back.

Mennillo charged into the penalty area, was checked then tripped and the penalty given. Captain Harry Ngata calmly slotted for 1-1.

Two minutes later, as though responding to the Melbourne protests over the awarding of the penalty, Connolly handed Mennillo a second yellow card - apparently for reacting after being brought down - and sent him off.

Taking advantage of the extra player, the visitors caught the Kingz defence flatfooted to go 2-1 ahead in 56th minute when Kelic slotted his second.

The game was reduced to 10-a-side in the 68th minute when man-of-the-match Marcus Stergiopolous was crudely stopped in his tracks by Dragi Nastevski who was shown his second yellow and then red.

Within a minute Stergiopolous sent a great ball to Rufer who was absolutely cleaned out by John. The penalty was duly given but Connolly flashed only a yellow when that too should have been red. Ngata calmly banged home his second from the spot for 2-2.

The visitors went ahead for the third time in the 77th minute. Michael Reda played a ball to Kelic in what appeared an offside position. He headed back to substitute Brandon Vassallo who volleyed home as the defence appealed in vain for the offside decision.

Down, but far from out, the Kingz battled back.

Stergipolous, again, gathered and sent a good ball to Lee Jones who fired his cross to Jonathan Perry, who with his touch, flashed in to head home the equaliser.

The Kingz continued to press but there was nothing left in the Christmas stocking and they had to be content with a point.