The Sydney FC new boy scored the winner against Queensland Roar on Saturday night with a set piece that gave goalkeeper Liam Reddy no chance.

Prentice was delighted to get off the mark and is confident it won’t be the last free-kick he hits the target with this season, providing coach John Kosmina gives him the green light.

The former Perth Glory man told au.fourfourtwo.com: “It was great to see the free-kick go in. I just tried to get some height on it and leave Liam (Reddy) with a lot of ground to cover.”

Prentice revealed that the strike was the result of many hours of practice and repetition during his days at the Australian Institute of Sport under coach Ray Junna.

He said: “I worked on my free-kicks at the AIS with Ray and also do them here in training. I’m hoping that Kossie will want me involved in the free-kicks this season.”

While the A-League has been praised for many things, the quality and consistency of free-kicks has not been one of them.

Goals from set pieces were the exception rather than the rule last season and Prentice points to the difference that they can make.

He said: “When you have eight teams who are all pretty strong then the difference could come down to things like free-kicks.

“I’ll keep working on mine, definitely.”

Prentice is settling in well at the Moore Park club and his versatility has already seen Kosmina talk up his potential as a right-back.

“I don’t really mind where I play as long as I’m involved. I’ll just do whatever job the coach asks me to do,” said Prentice.

He also acknowledges that playing for Sydney FC generally brings added pressure and expectation.

He said: “I think there’s pressure at every club but I think it’s mostly a good pressure. You want to be kept on your toes, knowing you have to perform.

“I try not to think about all that too much though, I just get my head down and work hard.”