Soccer: Tight at top end of NSL

By TERRY MADDAFORD

While Perth Glory can happily plan on a home game to kick off their NSL playoffs, the race for the second spot has become a tight four-way contest.

By beating the Football Kingz 2-1 on Friday night, the Melbourne Knights have almost certainly guaranteed a top-six finish. With some good results in the remaining weeks, they could get as high as second.

Better-placed are Newcastle United - although their 0-0 home draw with South Melbourne did not help - and the Olympic Sharks and the Brisbane Strikers, who both had good wins at the weekend.

Perth thumped Northern Spirit 3-0 after Damien Mori gave the home side the lead within 19 seconds.

Mori later made it 2-0, after which his co-striker, Bobby Despotovski, scored the 15,000th NSL goal from the penalty spot.

Spirit, who ended the round still in the top six, will be without Robbie Enes for Friday night's home clash with the Kingz after he was sent off for a second yellow card.

Brisbane also helped themselves to a 3-0 home win, against the Adelaide Force.

Ahead after 13 minutes, when Kristian Rees conceded an own goal, Brisbane took a 2-0 lead in the 39th minute when Paul Foster netted a penalty.

Super-sub Michael Baird scored the third in the 81st minutes.

Brisbane equalled Adelaide's record for the number of consecutive matches in which they have scored.

Following Perth and Brisbane's lead, Marconi Stallions also won 3-0 at home over Parramatta Power, Royce Brownlie scoring his first hat-trick at this level.

The Sharks scored a good 2-1 away win over the Wollongong Wolves, after Andrew Packer and Stephen Laybutt gave the visitors a 2-0 lead at halftime.

In key games this week, the Sharks are at home to Brisbane, Newcastle meet Marconi and Parramatta face Perth at home.