Time may not be on their side these days, but two of New Zealand soccer's aging warriors made light of this fact when turning back the clock to produce vintage performances for the Football Kingz at a venue which has seen any number of memorable matches played on its impeccable surface during the last two decades of soccer in Auckland. The Kingz came from behind to down in-form National Soccer League title contenders Marconi Stallions 3-1 before 4,877 wet but happy fans on a rain-soaked evening at Ericsson (formerly Mt. Smart) Stadium. The foremost international soccer ground in Auckland throughout the 1980s and most of the 1990s, until the construction of North Harbour Stadium offered an alternative which is considered by some - certainly those who reside on the northern side of Auckland's Harbour Bridge - to be a far superior venue, the Central Auckland ground has become the mecca for the city's rugby league fraternity in recent seasons. On April 7, however, thge game the world plays was back on familiar territory, and how Wynton Rufer and Fred de Jong celebrated the occasion. They formed part of a three-pronged strike force with a combined age of 109, John Lammers being the other member of the seasoned trio. While youthful exuberance is no longer theirs to call upon as frequently as they would like, a welter of experience certainly is, and the two former All Whites in particular made this count to telling effect. Rufer was imperious, producing his finest display yet in a Kingz shirt. The quality of his passing, and his penchant for beating at least two opponents every time with consummate ease were a delight to behold - how fortunate Europe was to see him when he was at his peak. His performance was well worthy of a goal, but it was not to be this time round. Instead, that honour befell de Jong. Having turned 36 just two days prior, the tall striker had set his heart on making his comeback from injury in this match against his former club. Just playing again was akin to a large helping of birthday cake for the former Fortuna Sittard professional, who seriously doubted whether he would ever kick a ball in anger again, such was the extent of his knee injury. But not only was de Jong intent on having his cake, he wanted to eat it too! He got his wish, the win being the icing, and the cherry on top coming in the 57th minute, of which, more later. For this was an enthralling encounter from start to finish, a captivating cornucopia of style and substance, of passion and panache,  of skill and subtlety, liberally lavished with copious quantities of free-flowing football ... professional football in Oceania at its very best. And yet, there was little hint of what was to come in the early stages, particularly from the Kingz, as Marconi held sway, and could well have killed the game off inside the first twenty minutes. That they didn't was down to a mixture of bad luck and bad judgement. The former instance came in the tenth minute, when Francis Awaritefe was adjudged narrowly offside prior to setting up Zeljko Babic for what would have been the opening goal. Babic duly scored five minutes later, a cracking strike into the top corner of Daniel Duke's goal, the 'keeper beaten all ends up at his near post after the striker had bulldozed his way over the top of David Moya, chosen ahead of Levent Osman in a surprising Kingz line-up, the other notable absentee being Marcus Stergiopoulos. With nineteen minutes gone came a pivotal point in the game, as Awaritefe thundered through the Kingz offside trap to leave himself with just Duke to beat. The 'keeper stood his ground and saved bravely, the rebound cannoning off Moya towards the unguarded goal, only for Ivan Vicelich, who had failed to step up quickly enough, to clear the danger. Villain, then hero, at one end, Vicelich was

accorded saint-like status just two minutes later, as he ghosted in at the near post to meet Jeff Campbell's inviting corner at full pelt, the ball bulleting off the head of the pony-tailed defender past a stunned Michael Turnbull to level the scores. This was the spark the Kingz needed, because from here on in, did they play! Barely had a minute elapsed when de Jong artfully flicked down a Jonathan Perry cross for Rufer, whose hip-turn volley was blocked to safety by Pan-Keun Kim. De Jong was the architect again a moment later, Lammers lashing his shot past the post after his fellow partner-in-crime had weaved past three opponents. After Chad Gibson had tested Duke from distance, Perry tested Turnbull from close range on the half-hour, forcing a corner upon which neither Rufer nor Che Bunce was able to capitalise, Perry's cross to the far post drifting agonisingly beyond them. Within a minute, Turnbull produced the save of the match thus far, diving splendidly low to his left to thwart de Jong, who had met Campbell's corner with a powerful downward header on the far post. The home side was relentless, however, and two minutes after Christian Care's effort, Marconi's penalty area momentarily resembled a pinball machine following Campbell's low cross-shot. Then Rufer unleashed a thumping thirty-yarder which Turnbull turned to safety low to his right, thus denying the Kingz the half-time lead their efforts, to this point, richly deserved. In the 57th minute, Rufer won a free-kick out on the left, which Campbell delivered. With one notable exception, a throng of players from both sides anticipated the ball's delivery to the near post, 'keeper Turnbull among them. But Campbell sent the ball beyond the lot of them, and as Turnbull flapped in vain, ghosting in near the far post with the goal at his mercy was de Jong, who duly added the cherry to his birthday cake. And who better to immediately celebrate the event with than brother Alex, whose roving TV reporter duties saw him directly behind the goal into which Fred headed home. De Jong could have had another goal with what proved to be his final touch of the game, heading over a measured Rufer cross to the far post at full stretch, after Perry had instigated the right flank raid in the 70th minute. Eight minutes later, Rufer gave Lammers a delicious pass which the striker somehow completely spurned, while a minute later, the player-coach released Perry down the right with an inch-perfect pass which the midfielder curled to the far post for the completely unmarked Lammers. With Turnbull beaten by the quality of the cross, and with the goal at his mercy, he headed over. Both goalkeepers were in action before the end, Turnbull saving from Leigh Kenyon, Duke from Vlado Zoric, with the rebound being lifted over the top from point-blank range by Brad Maloney. But by this time, the score had changed, and how! Aaron Silva had replaced the tiring Lammers, and in the 86th minute, the Chilean striker took off on a darting crossfield run from the left flank, upon receipt of a pass from the impressive Harry Ngata. Silva laid the ball off to Noah Hickey, who touched it to his right. Perry scored a stunning goal to win the match against Northern Spirit three weeks ago. This strike was even better. Arriving at pace, he met the ball first-time on the run, and from twenty-five yards, the sphere fair soared past the spellbound Turnbull into the top far corner of the net to round off a memorable 3-1 victory for the Football Kingz in some style, and add another chapter to the tales of famous matches played on a ground laden with footballing memories, both past and present. Kingz:  Duke, Bunce, Moya, Jackson, Perry, Ngata, Vicelich (Kenyon, 81), Campbell, Rufer, de Jong (Hickey, 70), Lammers (Silva, 83) Marconi:  Turnbull, Gibson, Kim, Farah (Di Gia, 83), Invincible, Care (Zoric, 61), Maloney, Longo, Renaud (booked, 87), Babic, Awaritefe (Trajanovski, 70) Referee:  Perry Mur