The Football Kingz hopes of recording a top-six finish in their inaugural National Soccer League season suffered a setback at the six-week-old WestpacTrust Stadium in Wellington on February 19, as Newcastle Breakers recorded a 1-0 victory over their trans-tasman neighbours to climb to second place on the table. Playing in front of a 6500-strong crowd, the Kingz were keen to continue their unbeaten run on home turf this century. Indeed, their last defeat on New Zealand soil took place on the last occasion they played away from their usual home ground of North Harbour Stadium, Wollongong Wolves inflicting a 4-2 defeat on the local side on November 13 at Christchurch's Jade Stadium. Lighting struck twice, however, much to the delight of Newcastle's captain, Shane Pryce. "We came here with a job to do", he said, "and while we didn't play as well as we have done this season, we didn't play any stupid soccer either, and have come away with three points which have hopefully cemented our own top six spot". The first half was a somewhat cagey affair, sorely lacking in creativity in the final third of each half of a pitch on which players had great difficulty keeping their footing - one of the drawbacks of playing soccer on an arena with a cricket block slap bang in the middle of it! Indeed, the only shot on target in the entire first 45 minutes came from the boot of the ever-willing Andy Harper, the shaven-headed striker's fourth minute effort almost catching Michael Utting unawares. The shaven-headed goalkeeper quickly covered the acute-angled shot, however, averting the threat in the process. The Kingz willingness to knock the ball around confidently as they patiently awaited an opening almost paid dividends in the tenth minute. Fred de Jong released Jonathan Perry down the right with a fine pass, and the wing-back swept past three opponents before whipping in a low cross which had the experienced Bob Catlin beaten all ends up. Aaron Silva was unable to capitalise, however, the retreating Todd McManus using the experience he has acquired in 100 NSL games to good effect to thwart his smaller opponent on this occasion. Neither side made much headway in the next 25 minutes, as defences dominated proceedings. Levent Osman and McManus were the dominant defenders during this spell, wkith the lively Greg Owens appearing to be the one player through whom the deadlock might be broken before the interval. Another who was impressive during this period, and throughout the second half, was Ivan Vicelich, and it was he who came closest to opening the scoring with a buccaneering run in the 35th minute fully deserving of better reward than that which befell it. Che Bunce and Silva combined to good effect, allowing Vicelich the chance to take on the Breakers' rearguard. A splendid display of dribbling at close quarters saw the All White weave past five challenges, before Mark Wilson was able to break the spell Vicelich had cast on the Newcastle defence with a hefty clearance. This prompted Newcastle to up the tempo a little before the break, and efforts from Downs and John Buonavoglia, who was making his fiftieth appearance for the team, whistled wide of Utting's goal, while those of Harper and Pryce were scrambled clear following Vasko Trpcevski's 41st minute corner. The introduction of Solomon Islands international

Batram Suri and evergreen All White Mark Elrick added some much-needed zest and zing to the game in the second half, and a much more lively encounter ensued. Suri, in particular, did much to enliven proceedings with his darting runs at pace, while he was narrowly astray with a thumping first-time volley in the 53rd minute, following a Perry free-kick from deep. Trpcevski and Chris Jackson exchanged long-range shots on goal soon after, before the Breakers broke the hearts of the hometown faithful with what proved to be the winning goal in the 64th minute. The quality of the Kingz passing during this match at times left a lot to be desired, and it was from such a stray pass, ironically from Osman, one of the team's better players on the day, that the goal was conceived. Travis Dodd quickly sent the ball forward to Buonavoglia, who was well marshalled by Riki van Steeden on this occasion. The ball fell to McManus, who whipped in a low cross looking for Wilson. The efforts of Utting initially denied the midfielder, but the ball ricocheted off Bunce back into the path of the by now prone number eight, who reacted quickly to prod the ball home in the shadows of the post. This rocked the Kingz, Utting particularly, with the goalkeeper seemingly all at sea in the next ten minutes. A smashing Buonavoglia volley left him beaten all ends up in the 68th minute, while Newcastle were unable to capitalise on the 'keeper's hesitancy three minutes later, as Glenn Sprod sent in a searching cross from the left flank. The Kingz responded with a stunning counter-attack, sparked by Suri and continued in style by Vicelich. His precise crossfield pass picked out Elrick, who had two defenders and the otherwise untroubled Catlin to find a way past in the 72nd minute. He did with a gem of a shot, a twenty-five yard curler struck with the outside of the right foot, which left all and sundry beaten all ends up. Sadly for the Kingz, the ball cannoned back into play off Catlin's right-hand post - it deserved better. This gave the home side renewed hope, and they were further buoyed by Newcastle's seeming willingness to sit on their lead and let the Kingz attack at will. Forward they charged, Elrick going close with a thirty yard free-kick in the 75th minute. The introduction of player-coach Wynton Rufer added further impetus to the home team's attacks, with Suri just failing to capitalise on a chance resulting from Rufer's first touch in the 79th minute. And in stoppage time, de Jong cracked a twenty-yarder narrowly wide, moments after Chris Tancheski had fired a similar effort past Utting's left-hand post as the Kingz onslaught momentarily relented. 1-0 to Newcastle it remained, much to the disappointment of Kingz captain, Harry Ngata. "Too many players didn't perform as well as they could today, and those that did just couldn't carry the day for us. We knew what we had to do, but we certainly didn't help outselves, and as a result, Newcastle emerged the better side on the day". Kingz:  Utting, Bunce (booked, 30) (Rufer, 78), Osman, van Steeden, Perry, Jackson, Ngata, Vicelich, Stergiopoulos (Suri, 46), de Jong, Silva (Elrick, 46) Newcastle:  Catlin, Dodd, McManus, Pryce, Sprod, Owens, Moore (Trpcevski, 13 (Tancheski, 83)), Wilson (booked, 74), Wieczorek (Roberts, 78), Harper, Buonavoglia Referee:  Jeremy Blaney