Carlton crushed underdone national league newcomer the Football Kingz 3-0 in a rugged season opener against the New Zealanders at North Harbour Stadium here tonight.
Kingz coach Wynton Rufer, who surprisingly played as sweeper, admitted his side had a long way to go, had struggled for fitness, but that it could only get better after a good lesson from quality opposition.
"If we lose every game I think it's just great that it's happening, because the kids have something to look up to, to aspire to," the former Werder Bremen striker said.
Just over 8000 fans turned out to see the New Zealanders in their first game in the Australian league and the general opinion was that while there was potential to go anywhere they needed to be be on a swift learning curve.
Rufer admitted his squad, which was only fully assembled this week, had some catching up to do.
"They were just a bit sharper a bit quicker," he conceded.
But for all their excuses about lack of preparation the Kingz individually showed flashes of form against a Carlton side that was well-drilled, determined and had quality players in every key position.
Alex Moreira hit two in the first half to give the Australians a cushion and Andrew Marth finished the game as a contest just after the break, clipping a Moreira cross home while the Kingz defence watched.
Carlton coach Stuart Munro said the 3-0 scoreline flattered the visitor and the Kiwis would trouble travelling sides.
"We had a tough game out there, we did not expect it to be easy and it wasn't, Munro said.
The Kingz did waste a penalty when Chris Jackson forced Dean Anastasiadis into a fine save from the spot kick after Lubo Lapsansky was judged to have fouled Chilean import Aaron Silva, the miss was costly as it was just after Moreira kicked the Victorians two goals ahead.
Shortly afterwards, and 10 minutes before the break, Fred de Jong rattled the crossbar with a flying header and the home side looked like it would make a game of it.
Those thoughts disappeared soon after the break when Marth wrapped up scoring, and the game, with his goal.
The Kingz lamented the penalty miss and the crossbar agony but Joe Tricarico had missed a one on one with 'keeper Michael Utting in the opening minutes and pre-season signing from Watford Stuart Slater should also have scored in the first half.
However Slater did show that he is a quality player and his darting runs caused all sorts of problems for the Kingz and will force Rufer to reconsider his thoughts of playing in the backline again.
Rufer said he had little option tonight as Che Bunce had only been cleared to play just before the kick-off and he decided to chance a shoulder injury and fill in at the back.
However he said he won't be playing in next week's match against Sydney United and will give the injury time to heal.