Soccer: Miserable Kingz season crawling to finish

By TERRY MADDAFORD

The Football Kingz misery continued tonight when they went down 2-1 to Adelaide City.

The loss almost certainly ensured the Kingz - touted by some as a top-three hope at the start of the NSL season - will finish at the bottom of the table with just one match remaining.

It was a free-flowing affair with chances and half-chances at both ends in front of a crowd of just over 2000.

The Kingz won a couple of early corners, but set play has hardly been their strong suit this season and the visitors had few problems in keeping their goal intact.

Adelaide weathered that early attack, coming back strongly to create half-a-dozen chances. Eventually the pressure told. Mark Burton was caught on the left in the 25th minute and the ball was played to the ever-lively Lucas Pantelis who smacked his shot through goalkeeper Scott Bishop's legs.

A minute later Pantelis became the provider. His cross found Scott Tunbridge, but his close-range header was punched away by Bishop.

On the half-hour the Kingz were back on terms. Chris Jackson, on the charge, was tripped in the penalty area and referee Neil Fox had no problems in pointing to the spot.

Paul Urlovic fired to Adrian Cagali's left. While anticipating well, Cagali could only parry the ball. Following up, Urlovic headed home - his ninth goal of the season.

That joy was shortlived, however, as the visitors forced a corner. The ball was floated over, giving Bishop little option but to punch clear.

It dropped nicely for Carl Veart who chipped back for Nick Budin to head home.

Matthew Kemp had a chance early in the second half, but his shot on the run was well cleared by Bishop for a corner.

The Kingz, with Jeff Campbell replacing Campbell Banks, pushed forward in search of the equaliser, but were let down by their final touch.

The visitors also had their chances, but were denied by a couple of super Bishop saves.

It was a disappointing end to the Kingz season at Ericsson Stadium. But at least there was some fight from the home side, with the accomplished defensive pairing of John Markovski and Robbie Hooker, evergreen Harry Ngata and Andy Vlahos leading by example in turning in 100 per cent efforts.

The Kingz final match is against the Olympic Sharks in Sydney on Friday night.