PALMERSTON last night sent shockwaves though the Northern Zone Premier League with an
upset 2-0 win over giants Port Darwin.
A second half own-goal from Port defensive rock Bruno Kohl and a stylishly-taken goal by La Faek striker Amir Fraser delivered the newly promoted burnt its first top flight win of the campaign.
After a cagey first-half and a fortunate opening goal. Palmerston was transformed into a purposeful and confident outfit.
Left defender Shaw Wilson led the turn around, standing as a pillar in defence and creating Fraser�s goal with an expertly-wei long bail, picked up by wiriger Shaun Wilson and threaded through for the crucial tap in.
Them was no hero in the first half as both outfits struggled to compose themselves with stray passes and scrappy play bogged in midfield, the hallmark of an uneventful opening stanza
Burly Port Darwin midflelder Mark Pearson latched onto the best opportunity in the 22nd minute, lashing a crisp shot into the path of acrobatic La Faek shotstopper Fuk Lay, who effertlessly parried the effort to safety.
La Faek backline responded to the pmssmt with Ben Merrit, Greg Holman, Marcelo Pullen and work horse left back Shaun Wilson keeping Rapid�s enigmatic strike force of Michael Doom and Helio Carvalho quiet.
Palmerston was unlucky not to pimish Rapid�s disjointed defence with Fraser terrorising his opposit ion on the counter attack.
After the break Palmerston played with more purpose, heaping pressure on Rapid early.
But what looked to be a costly miss by substitute Samuel Oketa from pointblank range in the penalty box ricocheted back into the danger zone and resulted in a freakish own goal.
A rash effort to clear was horribly skewed into the back of the net by the ever-reliable Kehi.
The goal sparked a flurry of action with Carvalho almost conjur ing a leveler within minutes, only to see his over head effort cleared on the line by Holman.