Soccer: Roving role winner for Perry

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Jonathan Perry has scored a couple of headline-grabbing goals for the Football Kingz this season, but nothing could compare with the rocket he volleyed home to ensure their 3-1 win over Australian National Soccer League title contenders Marconi on Friday night.

Substitutes Aaron Silva and Noah Hickey provided the lead-up, Perry the classic finish to one of the truly great goals of the season.

"I could not have hit it any better," Perry admitted before joining his team-mates at training yesterday. "I've scored four [of the 48 scored by the Kingz] this season. A couple have been really good."

Not bad for a player who spent much of his early days as a defender but now relishes the roving right-flank role he has made his own.

Perry, a former captain of the New Zealand under-17 side who was picked out by Kevin Fallon for a scholarship to England in 1993, had four years in a professional environment with English club Barnsley.

"I had two years as an apprentice and two as a pro," said 23-year-old Perry. "My contract had ended. I felt my time at the club had run its course so I came home in time for the 1997-98 summer league."

He went back to Hamilton, where he played for Hamilton Wanderers and continued his studies at Waikato University before joining North Shore and first coming into contact with Wynton and Shane Rufer.

He played for Metro in last year's North Island league.

"I jumped at the chance to sign for a year with the Kingz and I hope to re-sign for another year. I'm really enjoying playing with them. Wynton and Shane have given me a bit more freedom with my wing-back role which means working on both attack and defence."

With one of the better disciplinary records in a team who get more red and yellow cards than most, Perry has played in all but two of the Kingz' 28 matches.

He has not been booked since the January 7 away game against Carlton and hopes he can get through the remaining round-robin games without further problems.

While the coaching staff and management are still reluctant to talk about playoffs - the Kingz are now in ninth place and six points out of the top six - Perry admits he and his team-mates are adamant they have to give the playoffs their best shot.

He said: "There is a very good team spirit. When you look at the away game against Melbourne Knights this weekend we know we have to win."