Soccer: Lacklustre Kingz crushed

By TERRY MADDAFORD

The Football Kingz almost certainly watched their National Soccer League season disintegrate when beaten 4-0 by the Melbourne Knights in Melbourne yesterday.

From the high of a thoroughly deserved 3-0 win over Marconi in their previous outing, the Kingz plummeted as the home side helped themselves to their biggest win of the season and left the lacklustre Auckland-based side contemplating yet another Jekyll and Hyde effort.

There was no urgency. They looked travel weary, yet had travelled the day before the game. It was a disjointed performance in which the Kingz created less than a handful of half-chances while the home side feasted on possession.

The Kingz went in with another rejigged line-up and created the first scoring chance in the 16th minute when Ivan Vicelich played a good ball to John Lammers whose finish was weak. Jeff Campbell had a half-chance a couple of minutes later, but his shot was cleared for a corner.

The Knights went ahead in the 28th minute, when Dragi Nastevski ran away from Che Bunce before crossing to All Whites striker Paul Urlovic. His first shot was blocked by goalkeeper Daniel Duke, but Urlovic was on hand to push home the rebound.

Eight minutes into the second half, the home side went further ahead when the Kingz defence failed to cut out a long ball and Adrian Cervinski nipped in unchallenged to score his 48th NSL goal.

Eleven minutes later, Cervinski grabbed his second goal after a woeful defensive effort.

At 0-3, the Kingz were gone. The agony worsened two minutes into added time when Anthony Pelikan scored, in another unchallenged effort.

The Kingz return to North Harbour Stadium on Wednesday night to play their catch-up game against Parramatta Power.