With fifth place up for grabs for the victors, the November 13 National Soccer League clash between the Football Kingz and the Wollongong City Wolves at Jade Stadium, Christchurch, was always going to have plenty riding on it, regardless of any feeling arising from the clubs' clash a fortnight previously at the Kingz usual home game venue, North Harbour Stadium. But on the night, the 4168 present witnessed an impressive performance from the visitors, who were good value for their 4-2 victory over the Kingz, for whom this result brought an end to a four-game unbeaten streak. The home team enjoyed marginally the better of the early exchanges, but it was Wollongong who had the first scoring chance, Jason Batty forced to paw the ball away from Stuart Young in the fourteenth minute, after Epala Masi's teasing cross had ricocheted skywards off Marcus Stergiopoulos. Dino Mennillo and Chris Jackson, from twenty-five yards, went close for the Kingz soon after, but gradually Wollongong gained the upper hand in a scrappy first half, and they deservedly opened the scoring in the 36th minute. A neat one-two between Matt Horsley and Young on the right saw the former's cross flicked by Scott Chipperfield into the path of Masi, who powered his header beyond Batty from fifteen yards. Within four minutes, the Wolves were 2-0 up. Jonathan Perry's attempt to dribble out of defence foundered on Paul Reid's challenge, and Young clipped the ball over the defence for Chipperfield to ghost in and volley across Batty into the far corner. Right on half-time, Wollongong missed a golden chance to wrap up the points. Chipperfield opened up the Kingz defence on the left, and squared the ball to Masi, who blazed over from six yards out. Within seconds, Chipperfield himself went close, Batty smothering his shot. Kingz player-coach Wnyton Rufer introduced both Robbie Middleby and himself to the fray in the second spell, but it was in defence where the home side was being exposed, particularly on their left flank and, to a lesser extent but more surprisingly, aerially. Leslie Pogliacomi pulled off a fine 55th minute save to deny Mennillo's raking twenty-five yard drive, as the Kingz finally started to make an impact at, as far as they were concerned, the right end of the park. Six minutes later, they were on the board. Fred de Jong was tripped in the act of crossing by David Cervinski inside the penalty area, and Rufer was coolness personified in sending Pogliacomi the

wrong way from the spot. Chipperfield squandered a great chance to make it 3-1 in the 66th minute, Batty narrowing the angle well to save his shot, after the Socceroo had surged forward from deep. Sixty seconds later, a deep cross from Masi picked out Young, who was completely unmarked, so had no excuses for missing the target entirely from out in front. Batty pulled off a fine save again from Chipperfield seconds later, as the Kingz defence reeled from Masi's surging run. The resulting corner was swung in by Chipperfield, and Young was unchallenged in heading home in the 69th minute. Levent Osman was denied a goal by the offside flag in the 72nd minute, as the Kingz looked to use their attacking strengths as the best form of defence. They continued to press to repeat their performance of a fortnight ago, when coming from 3-1 down to draw 3-3, but those hopes were dashed in the 81st minute, when Young's run was curtailed by Mennillo on the edge of the penalty area. Referee Derek Rugg, however, was caught out by the speed of the Wolves' counter-attack, and awarded a penalty, which Young converted with aplomb. The official was on the spot two minutes later to award a penalty at the other end of the ground, as Osman was caught by George Souris at the same time as Harry Ngata's pass inside arrived at his feet. Rufer sent Pogliacomi the wrong way from the spot once more, and the scoreline now read 4-2 in the visitors' favour. With a minute of runnng time remaining, Che Bunce was sent off for committing a professional foul on Saso Petrovski, who had only just come on as a substitute, and was quickly replaced without touching the ball in his brief time on the park!! At the death, Lee Jones fired inches wide from twenty yards as the Kingz pressed for a third goal, which almost came about through Rufer's unselfish pass to de Jong, the striker hitting the post before Wollongong scrambled clear to ensure their 4-2 triumph. Kingz:  Batty; Perry, Bunce (sent off, 89), Vicelich, Stergiopoulos (Middlebu, 46); Jackson (booked, 70) (Jones, 88), Ngata, Osman, Mennillo (booked, 81); de Jong, Silva (Rufer, 46) Wollongong:  Pogliacomi (booked, 61); Souris (booked, 52), Cervinski, Stanton; Horsley, Reid, Huxley, Harlock; Masi (Petrovski, 88) (Surjan, 90), Chipperfield, Young Referee:  Derek Rugg