KINGSTON CITY 1 (CURCIJA 33’ PEN)

SUNSHINE GEORGE CROSS 0

The opening game of the 2006 Vodafone Premier League season attracted of good crowd of over 1500 to Kingston's first game in the V.P.L.

LINE UP: John(GK), Azzopardi, Erdogan, Muscat(c), Kovacevic, Delic Prodanovic 58’), Neceski (Pajic 63’), Gilmour, Soares (Alghazaly67), Filipovic, Waterson
Sub not used: Coles (GK)

Sunshine began the better of the two teams and went close to opening the score on 3 occasions in the first 15 minutes. Trent Waterson was causing Kingston plenty of problems with his skill and speed with most of the Georgies attacks stemming from the right wing. Kingston worked their way into the game and began to make inroads into the visitor's penalty area. The home team forced a string of corners and from a goal bound header in the 32nd minute Kingston took the lead after Ivan Filipovic handled the ball on the goal line. The referee had no option but to award the penalty and sent Filipovic off. The resultant penalty was tucked away by Michael Curcija.

It was a double blow for Sunshine George Cross as they trailed the newly promoted team and had to play the rest of the game a man short. Within a minute Sunshine almost drew level when a rasping drive from Brett Gilmour just skimmed the cross bar. Kingston's Joey Di Iorio was having a big influence on the game by controlling most midfield battles. Appeals for a penalty on Tony Neceski was turned down by the referee, much to disgust of the traveling Georgie fans.

The match threatened to get out of hand with an all in brawl following an off the ball incident that riled Sunshine striker Tony Neceski. The second half didn't unfold as most fans had anticipated, as the ten man Sunshine George Cross team took control of the game as they went out in search for an equaliser.

Sunshine had a lot of possession, but failed to get any reasonable efforts on target. The Georgie fans were once again up in arms when substitute Fahed Alghazaly was through on goals and brought down from behind. To everyone's amazement the referee once again waved play on to let Kingston off the hook. Once again tempers flared, when Sunshine's new defender Isyan Erdogan was two footed tackled that left him sprawling on the ground. Players rushed in from everywhere and how only one team only finished up with a man short is a mystery only the match officials can answer. Kingston's striker Joe Spiteri was cautioned for the offence on Erdogan.

With time running out the Georgies pushed men forward that at times left them exposed at the back. From a counterattack breakaway it took a fantastic save by Martin John to deny Kingston a second goal, and Kingston had the best chance of the game in the dying moments to wrap up the match, when Michael Curcija was set up with only the keeper to beat. He did that, but could not direct his shot on target. The match ended with a first up win for Kingston in the first ever meeting between these two sides, and considering the investment Kingston made to set up this team, Sunshine can take heart by their effort.

Every player lifted and performed heroically. We all know our weakness is in attack and if these can be solved there is no reason why Sunshine George Cross cannot be an above mid table team.