Soccer: Parramatta power ahead

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Parramatta Power are on a charge with no one, it seems, likely to stand in their way.

After dispatching defending NSL champions Perth Glory 6-0 a round earlier, Parramatta thumped Melbourne Knights 4-0 at home to maintain their unbeaten start to the season and justify pre-season favouritism.

The Sydneysiders have gone 12 months unbeaten at Parramatta Stadium. Striker Ante Milicic scored twice and forced Ante Kovacic to concede an own goal. Travis Dodd added Parramatta's fourth goal.

While the leaders continued to grab the goalscoring headlines, Marconi Stallions created news of their own.

In having Joe Spiteri sent off in the 84th minute of their scoreless home draw with Adelaide United, Marconi have now had four players dismissed in six rounds.

Spiteri received two of the nine yellow cards handed out by referee Craig Zetter.

"They [the referees] have got to do their job, we're not going to change," Marconi coach Jean Paul de Marigny said. "They're protected and we can't say too much about it."

Sydney Olympic, struggling to find the form that took them to last season's grand final, won 1-0 away to Wollongong.

Pablo Cardozo's 74th-minute penalty earned Olympic their second win of the season and left Wollongong just one place ahead of the bottom-placed Football Kingz, who are away to Olympic on Sunday.

Brisbane Strikers slumped to their second loss of the season when beaten 3-0 away by Sydney United. Damon Collina opened the scoring after seven minutes. Second-half goals, including an 89th-minute penalty, for Anthony Doumanis earned United their third win of the season.