Fred de Jong's return to his old Australian National Soccer League stomping ground of Marconi Stadium on December 11 was one he will remember for a wee while to come, one would think, as the Football Kingz gave the Marconi Stallions a lesson in quality finishing at the Sydney venue, to the tune of 3-0. It was a most welcome return to the sort of form which the Kingz have displayed on occasions this season, and was, unquestionably, a marked improvement on their performance against Gippsland Falcons just eight days previously. Indeed, it would be fair to say that this triumph was a display far more in keeping with the club's name. The Kingz dominated possession throughout, but did not give Marconi goalkeeper Michael Turnbull much cause for concern during the first half, a period during which his opposite number, Jason Batty, was also rarely tested. Vlado Zoric and Francis Awaritefe chanced their arm to no avail in the opening quarter hour as the Kingz defence, guilty of conceding an unwelcome average of two goals per game in their ten NSL matches thus far, began nervously. Once the defensive quartet of Lee Jones, Marcus Stergiopoulos, Ivan Vicelich and Che Bunce had settled, however, the ensuing air of confidence permeated right throughout the remaining white-clad players on the park. It was a springboard which the Kingz took full advantage of, but before they were in a position to do so, they survived a real scare in the 26th minute. Brendan Ranaud's early ball forward picked out Brad Moloney, who worked an opening with Awaritefe. Bunce and Jones stood firm on this occasion, but the ball broke free on the left for Alex Duric, whose cross saw Zoric and Awaritefe work a neat one-two which resulted in the former rifling a twelve yard drive narrowly past Batty's right-hand post. Amazingly, this was to be Marconi's best chance of the match. They mustered just three others worthy of mention in the remaining hour or so, with Mike Smith sending a twenty yard free-kick whistling over the top in the 48th minute, Batty saving Ranaud's twenty-five yard set-piece effort just after the hour, and Moloney's inswinging corner hitting the roof of the net in stoppage time. Otherwise, it was a frustrating time for the home team and their supporters, particularly the contingent responsible for a horn seemingly capable of playing just one note. The more they blew, the flatter it sounded, a reflection, in some ways, of their team's display. Not so the Kingz, who burst into life on the half-hour with a fine move. Bunce won an aerial duel which Levent Osman, although under pressure, was not slow in steering out to the right, where Wynton Rufer was lurking with intent. Forward he glided, before curling over an inviting cross for de Jong, who had ghosted through Marconi's statuesque defence with a well-timed run. His finish - he volleyed over from eight yards - lacked the finesse which this raid boasted in abundance. Not to worry, for in the 37th minute, the visitors opened the scoring in style. Jones sparked off the move which culminated in Dino Mennillo's celebrations, winning possession inside his own half and prodding the ball into the path of Robbie Middleby. He, in turn, fed Mennillo, who took on three opponents before laying the ball back to de

Jong. His shot was blocked by Marconi's most impressive player, Buddy Farah, but Jones was quick to latch onto the rebound and set things rolling again, this time with a pass to Harry Ngata. The Kingz captain, a most influential performer in the middle of the park in this match, spread the ball wide to Vicelich, who took on then cut inside the retreating Zoric. An inviting cross to the far post picked out the unmarked Rufer, who had made his own space with an intelligent run beyond Marconi's last defender. His header across goal picked out Mennillo, whose deft header inside Turnbull's left-hand upright left the 'keeper clutching at thin air as the scorer wheeled away to celebrate. The Kingz should have doubled their advantage before the break, Rufer having released the overlapping Middleby with a superb defence-splitting pass. Only the despairing tackle of Christian Care - a most unlikely name for someone involved in a contact sport! - spared Marconi's blushes in the dying seconds of the half. Marconi came out all guns blazing in the second spell, but couldn't breach the Kingz rearguard, a combination which visibly grew in confidence as the game wore on. That confidence soared into the stratosphere in the 64th minute as the visitors uncorked another splendid move to double their advantage. Ngata, Rufer and Vicelich combined on the right before the first-mentioned player squared the ball to Bunce, who immediately fed the overlapping Stergiopoulos on the left. His measured hanging cross eventually proved too much of a temptation for Turnbull to ignore, but his initial hesitance was to prove fatal, an error which de Jong took full advantage of, the striker heading the dropping ball powerfully into the unguarded net from fifteen yards before turning to celebrate scoring against his old club. After Turnbull had raced off his line to clear a de Jong through ball which Middleby was intent on securing, the Kingz wrapped up the points in convincing fashion, scoring the best goal of the night three minutes from time. Ngata intercepted a Marconi raid and released Jonathan Perry down the right with a splendid first-time reverse pass which scythed inside the retreating Ranaud into the path of the overlapping substitute. Perry's low cross to the near post again found Turnbull wanting for decisiveness, and Riki van Steeden, who had just come on as a substitute, introduced himself to the action in the best possible manner, steering the ball into the net with his first touch of the game to round off a fine 3-0 win in some style. Marconi:  Turnbull; Smith, Farah (booked, 68), Longo; Care, Maloney, Trajanovski (Kim, 60), Zoric, Ranaud; Duric (Babic, 46), Awaritefe (Karl, 79) Kingz:  Batty; Vicelich, Bunce, Jones (booked, 9), Stergiopoulos (booked, 63); Middleby, Ngata, Osman, Mennillo (Perry, 73); Rufer (Jackson, 67 (booked, 82)), de Jong (van Steeden, 86) Referee:  Jeremy Blaney