By Damir Kulas (@DamirKulas)

Kingston City has made it two wins from two games, after defeating Box Hill United 3-2 in a thrilling contest at the Grange Reserve on Monday Night.

An early double from man-of-the match Stelios Konstantinidis saw Kingston go 2-0 up inside the opening 15 minutes, before Aaron Porcaro's strike reduced the deficit before the break.

A George Stavridis header restored Kingston's two-goal lead on the hour mark, before Patrick Thiakane's long-range belter got Box Hill right back into it and set the stage for a nail biting finale.

Coming into the game, both sides had recorded opening round victories and were eager to keep their 100 per cent records intact.

After a timid opening 10 minutes, Kingston forward Stelios Konstantinidis set the game alight with a spectacular shot from outside the box which nestled into the back of the net, past a hapless Alex Connell in goals for Box Hill.

Sean McIlroy then nearly doubled the hosts' advantage, before Box Hill had a penalty shout waived away by the referee up the other end.

Moments later, Konstantinidis would prove to be United's nemesis once more when his blistering run down the left was rewarded with a goal, as he beat his marker before rounding the keeper and slotting home his, and Kingston's, second.

That sparked the visitors into action as they slowly got themselves back into the game and were rewarded for their efforts in the 36th minute; Aaron Porcaro got one back thanks to a splendid finish from just inside the area.

Despite further pressure from United, the sides went into the break at 2-1 with the quality of goals giving the world's top leagues a run for their money.

Box Hill continued to pester the Kingston defence after the interval and went close when Lucas John's effort was deflected just wide off Fraser Maclaren's left-hand post.

It was the hosts who scored next, when a pin-point corner delivery from the energetic Deniz Sabanovski found the head of George Stavridis, whose thumping header put City 3-1 up.

The margin would again be reduced when Box Hill's Patrick Thiakane, who looked dangerous throughout the 90 minutes, launched a shot from 30 metres that clipped the crossbar and went in to the back of the net.

In a night epitomised by world class goals; Thiakane's effort may just have been the best of the lot.

Despite the visitors' best attempts to find an equaliser, Kingston held on with a superb last minute challenge from defender James Karvelis deflecting Thiakane's goal bound shot for a corner as the home side recorded another victory.

City now travel to the unbeaten Eastern Lions on Sunday in an early-season top of the table clash while Box Hill United visit the Springvale White Eagles on Saturday afternoon.

 

MATCH DETAILS

KINGSTON CITY 3 (Konstantinidis 12', 15', Stavridis 60') defeated BOX HILL UNITED 2 (Porcaro 36', Thiakane 71')

Kingston City: 1. Fraser Maclaren (GK), 2. George Stavridis, 3. Kemal Curan, 4. James Karvelis, 5. Nicholas Teichmann (18. Gino Defeo 85'), 8. Deniz Sabanovski, 9. Sean McIlroy, 11. Stelios Konstantinidis (7. Benjamin Osei-Safo 71'), 14. Damian Iaconis, 16. Nicholas Stantinou, 17. Laurent Coralie (18. Jamie de Smit 59')

Unused Substitutes: 13. Douglas Lindberg (GK), 20. Johnny Andrinopoulos

Yellow Cards: Stantinou 35, Coralie 57

Red Cards: None

Box Hill United: 30. Alex Connell, 5. Alex Schroen, 7. Patrick Thiakane, 11. Sebastian Barrero, 14. Lucas Johns, 17. Aaron Porcaro, 18. Joey Calderone, 19. Christian Lar (10. Franc Carafa 66'), 23. Stanislav Goldberg, 24. Shaun Peterson (15. Jerome Costanza 85'), 25. Michael Godfrey

Unused Substitutes: 2. Nikola Surdoski, 22. Sevag Ghazarian, 35. Hamid Kamali (GK)

Yellow Cards: None

Red Cards: None