Wednesday 13 May 2026
Heading to their Knockout Cup match on Tuesday 12 May, the King’s boys were determined to put things right after their previous home game against Waitakere. A tighter defensive performance was needed, while maintaining the same attacking threat in front of goal. Visitors Long Bay College had started the season strongly, winning two of their opening three games, with their only setback coming in a narrow Friday night loss to Sacred Heart College.
The opening stages were evenly contested, with both sides enjoying good spells of possession. However, the deadlock was broken when a quick counterattack from King’s saw Dylan Naicker (Year 13, Parnell) square the ball across goal for Lucca Stredder (Year 13, Parnell) to tap home and make it 1–0.
From that point on, King’s began to take control, creating chances more regularly. A turnover won from a high press led to Lucca Stredder being brought down in the box, earning King’s a penalty. Stredder stepped up himself and calmly converted to give King’s a 2–0 lead heading into half time.
The message at the break was simple: keep up the intensity. The players responded well, continuing to create opportunities throughout the second half. Eventually, with 20 minutes remaining, Josh Motion (Year 13, PAR) put the game beyond doubt, reacting quickest to tap in the rebound from his own saved effort.
A late goal from Long Bay briefly gave the visitors hope, but King’s quickly extinguished any chance of a comeback when Lucca Stredder completed his hat-trick with a fourth goal for the home side. That takes his tally to six goals in just three games!
King’s now eagerly await the second-round draw to see who awaits next. Before then, attention turns to a huge clash against Sacred Heart College tomorrow night at 6pm.
Final Score: King's 4 - 1 Long Bay