Soccer: Pressure all round for Kingz

By TERRY MADDAFORD

The Football Kingz' defensive deficiencies have been well-documented in lurching from one disaster to another.

In throwing away games with weak defending in the latter stages of five NSL matches - at a cost of 14 invaluable points - the Kingz' defence has been under fire.

Not so recognised are attacking weaknesses contributing to that late-game pressure. Although the Kingz have scored 13 goals in eight matches - only runaway leaders Perth Glory with 22 have scored more - the Auckland-based side have scored only twice in the first half.

The Kingz have led in four games but have gone on to take maximum points only in the 2-1 win over Sydney United. That was one of four games in which the scores were locked 0-0 at halftime.

The Kingz have conceded nine of 22 goals in the last 15 minutes of matches, contributing to heart-breaking losses.

A stickler for fitness, new coach Kevin Fallon has called for more physical work to ensure that his team can go the distance.

Fallon says he is happy to go in at halftime at 0-0.

"Many great teams build from that. In the two games I have had the Kingz, they have done that and then taken the lead in the second before being beaten."

His detractors might point to the two matches in which he has been in charge - losses to Melbourne Knights (2-1) with two injury-time goals and Northern Spirit (3-2) on Friday night with goals in the 81st and 84th minutes.

Against Marconi, the Kingz fought back from 0-2 and 1-3 to level at 3-3, only to throw that one away with two injury-time goals, losing 5-3.

Fallon had his players training on Saturday after Friday's debacle at Ericsson Stadium. Most will have a 7-km run today at Long Bay.

This will be followed by an evening game against Central United as Fallon searches for players - especially those to shore up a defence struggling with the basics.