Soccer: Moss prevents a rout in the Knights' last night out

Melbourne Victory 2
NZ Knights 1

The curtain was mercifully dropped on the New Zealand Knights inaugural A-League season at Olympic Park on Saturday night.

The scoreboard told one story: Melbourne Victory winners in front of 10,078 fans. Reality told another: only a series of outstanding saves from goalkeeper Glen Moss prevented even further embarrassment for the out-of-sorts Knights.

After being a goal down inside two minutes when the disorganised defence failed to clear a corner - and two behind after 21 minutes when Kevin Muscat booted home from the penalty spot after a somewhat dubious call - the Knights were never in it.

Three minutes into time added, Jeremy Brockie salvaged something for the Knights. Struggling to really stamp any authority in his now midfield role, Brockie got forward and hit home for his fourth (and the team's 15th) goal of the season.

That was but a consolation for a team played off the park by a Victory side with nothing, like the Knights, but pride to play for.

Enjoying a massive 58 per cent of possession and forcing 13 corners to one, the home side attacked almost at will.

Only some gritty, and at times resolute defending retained any respectability.

The Victory had 21 scoring attempts to 4. Moss was called on to make eight saves, some world-class, while between their posts Melbourne's one-time Football Kingz custodian Michael Theoklitos had none.

Only Moss, captain Darren Bazeley and Zenon Caravella left with a pass mark as the Knights were again shown to lack the pace and skill needed to foot it with a team who ended their season just one place away from the bottom of the table.

The next shots in the build-up to the second Hyundai A-League season will be fired at Knights headquarters on Wednesday when the club will announce details related to the team management as preparations begin in earnest for the 2006-2007 season. Hopefully details regarding the playing staff will come soon after.

The final matches of the third round kicked-off in front of 25,557 spectators at Aussie Stadium on Friday night when Sydney FC held on to beat already-crowned minor premiers Adelaide United 2-1.

After a scoreless first half, a Dwight Yorke penalty three minutes into the second spell gave Sydney the early advantage in their chase for the points they needed to ensure themselves of second place and with it a second life if they need it in the play-offs.

Their 49th minute joy was short-lived however as ever-likely Qu Shengqing equalised three minutes later.

Alvin Ceccoli put the home side back in front and they held on for the last 19 minutes to ensure themselves of a trip to Adelaide on Sunday for the first leg of the two-leg major semifinal with the eventual winner going straight to the March 4 grand final.

In another game with nothing riding on it, Queensland Roar again looked better than their fifth-place finish might suggest.

Ahead after three minutes through Alex Brosque, and reduced to 10 players following Spase Dilevski's soft 36th-minute dismissal, the Roar held third-placed Central Coast Mariners to a 2-2 draw in front of 13,000 fans at Suncorp Stadium.

Stewart Petrie steered home from close range for 1-1 before the 10-man home side hit back for 2-1 on the hour. Wayne O'Sullivan snatched the 82nd minute equaliser for the visitors, who now face Newcastle Jets away on Friday night in the first leg of the minor semifinal.