Soccer: Stevens double puts Kingz campaign back on track

By BOB PEARCE

Two goals from striker Tim Stevens put the Kingz' National Soccer League season back on course with a 2-1 win over the Eastern Pride at Ericsson Stadium last night.

The Kingz improved markedly on their first game loss to Sydney Olympic and fully deserved their win before an excellent crowd of 6000.

But they gave their fans some anxious moments when they surrendered the initiative to Eastern over the final 20 minutes and had to survive some nail-biting moments in front of their goal.

Not for the first time, the Kingz gave up the opening goal against the run of play in the 10th minute.

Eastern made a rare incursion into the Kingz half and earned a left-wing corner. The ball was swept outside the penalty area to John Hutchinson, whose low shot was helped into the net by Juan Nilo.

To their credit, the Kingz continued to press forward. Ivan Vicelich, Chris Jackson and Harry Ngata dominated the midfield, feeding a stream of good balls forward for strikers Paul Urlovic and Stevens.

Eastern in desperation conceded a series of freekicks and in the 22nd minute the infringements proved costly. Jackson curled a lovely freekick in front of goal and Stevens glanced a header just inside the post.

Five minutes later it could have been 2-1 when defender Michael Cartwright surged forward and angled a shot over goalkeeper Bojo Jevdjevic, who could only look on as it bounced off the bar.

In the 51st minute, Urlovic fastened on to one of his crosses but Jevdjevic made a fantastic reflex save from point-blank range.

But two minutes later he could do nothing when Stevens collected another Lines' cross and eluded two defenders to squeeze the ball home.

As they did so often last season after going ahead, the Kingz seemed to lose concentration. Chris Marsh had to make a good save from Michael Katz as the defence hesitated.

The Kingz used substitutes Aaron Silva, Dennis Ibrahim and Gerard Davis but by then Eastern, with nothing to lose, were capitalising on the home team's tendency to give away possession.

Eastern striker Neville Roach, who had been well contained by Riki van Steeden and Levent Osman, had several chances as the Kingz defence became desperate.

With five minutes to go he was unmarked barely five metres out but Osman managed to fling himself in the way of the shot and the Kingz survived.

The Kingz have another home game next Friday, against Newcastle who drew with Eastern in the opening round.