Melbourne Knights and Adelaide City Force shared the spoils in a one-one draw in the rain at Knights Stadium on Saturday evening. Both goals came in the second half to bring a dull game into life. Joe Tricarico for Knights, and veteran Aurelio Vidmar for Force were the scorers.
"We had a lot more (chances) in front of their goal than (they did) in front of ours," said Adelaide City Force coach Zoran Matic after the game, satisfied in the end with the draw. "Coming here and getting a point - it's always hard," he said.
"It was slippery, and we should be playing better when the conditions are dry."
Tricarico opened the second half with a bang after a turgid first half, best forgotten. Tricarico's first shot was blocked by Knights' goalkeeper Adrian Cagalj but fell kindly on the rebound for him to put away his second effort.
Joel Porter had a golden opportunity to increase the lead shortly afterwards. His unchallenged header, following an Ivan Jolic cross from the right, passed wide of the far post with Cagalj totally exposed.
Knights' greater endeavour seemed to spur Adelaide City out of its torpor. Just before the hour, Vidmar met a cross from the hard-running Matthew Kemp who had chased a ball to the byeline. Vidmar's left-foot volley required a diving touch from Knights' keeper Martin John to prevent the equaliser.
Vidmar's class came to the fore a few minutes later at a free-kick 25 metres out when he made John leap to his left to keep out a shot otherwise arrowing into the bottom corner.
The pressure eventually told however, and the equaliser duly came when Kemp made another scampering run to the byeline - this time down the left. His cut-back cross fell neatly for Vidmar to shoot high into the net from eight metres.
Force had the better of the remaining minutes, and John was the busier goalkeeper, as Force saw a winner in prospect. Knights held on however, and would have been grateful for referee Perry Mur's final whistle.
Knights playing-coach Andrew Marth had replaced himself shortly after the equaliser. "I was struggling with the flu all week," he said after the game. "In the end I thought we were lucky to come away with a draw. Our first two (NSL) games have been a bit ordinary."
Matic was pleased Vidmar was playing such a key role. "We have a kindergarten beside those few (experienced players) we have in defence now. (Vidmar) and Carl Veart should steady them."
Both teams seemed to rely on their defences - Marth saying "I think out back three is probably one of the best in the league." His criticism was levelled at his midfield - himself included. "(Our deficiency is) the centre of the park - it's basically confidence - it's not fitness."