Report by Daryn McCleave

Inglewood United continued their recent impressive form with a 4-2 success at Stirling Lions, making it six without loss in all competitions to leave coach Graham Normanton a happy man.

The pace and trickery of United's attacking young guns, Teeboy Kamara, and brothers David and Abdul Sesay were Stirling's undoing in a first half which could have seen the visitors out of sight instead of just going into the break with a slender 2-1 lead.

David Sesay opened the scoring, and his older brother Abdul ensured United were ahead at the break following Hayden Doyle's leveller.

Andrija Jukic made it 3-1 before the Lions reduced the arrears through David Micevski, but Shane Pickering sealed the points for Inglewood with just over quarter of an hour to play.

"We always knew we'd get better and always thought we'd get on a run, it was just a question of getting things right and keep working on what we know would work," Normanton said.

"We haven't changed anything from the start of the season (when they lost the first four games), and now we're starting to get results and building confidence, and we're heading in the right direction."

And Inglewood certainly didn't show any lack of confidence from the off, totally bossing play in the first 25 minutes with Stirling struggling to get out of their own half.

It was really a surprise it took 22 minutes for the breakthrough, when David Sesay showed good feet on the edge of the area before unleashing a low drive on the turn which smacked the inside of home keeper Aleks Vrteski's right hand post before finding the net.

The goal sparked the Lions into life and they emerged as an attacking force at last, David Micevski's pile-driver stinging United stopper Luke Martino's hands at full stretch.

And shortly afterwards, in the 31st minute, Stirling found themselves back on level terms when Hayden Doyle had space inside the box to roll the ball beyond Martino following Phil Arnold's lay-off.

Inglewood could rightly feel they didn't deserve to be pegged back, and eight minutes later regained the lead, this time David Sesay turned provider for his brother, pulling the ball back at the by-line for Abdul Sesay to apply the finishing touch only a few yards in front of goal.

United came out after the break looking to eliminate any hope Stirling had of a quick response, David Perich scuffing wide before a 53rd minute effort by Andrija Jukic from outside the box took a wicked deflection and deceived Vrteski, looping between the posts to give the visitors deserved breathing space.

But the Lions were not about to lie down that easily and back they came on 64 minutes, again Arnold the provider with his flick-on sending David Micevski into the box who provided a cool and calm finish, taking the ball wide of Martino before firing home from an acute angle.

The Lions though couldn't find another equaliser, and Inglewood restored their two-goal cushion when Matt Danskin pumped a long free-kick into the danger area, and via an aerial challenge the ball found Shane Pickering who didn't hesitate to find the target from close range to effectively finish the game in the 73rd minute.

Indeed it was Inglewood who looked the more likely to add to the scoring in the closing stages with the youngsters perhaps showing lack of experience in the final third.

Stirling coach Gary Williams couldn't hide his disappointment with his defence when summarising the game.

"I think it's 11 goals (conceded) in three games now, it's very very disappointing," he said.

"At the other end we've got two good goals, but we're just not tight enough defensively"

Both sides now turn their attentions to the quarter-finals of the Cool Ridge Cup next weekend.

STIRLING LIONS 2 (Doyle 31' David Micevski 64')
INGLEWOOD UNITED 4 (D. Sesay 22' A. Sesay 39' Jukic 53' Pickering 73')
Saturday May 3, 2014
Macedonia Park
REFEREE: A. FIELDING
CROWD: 200 apprx.

STIRLING LIONS: 1. Aleks VRTESKI, 3. Michael DE LIMA, 2. Rikki SMITH, 11. Dennis GALAN, 14. Clayton ARNEZ (4. Jovo PAVLOVIC 46'), 9. Dan MICEVSKI, 10. David MICEVSKI, 6. Hayden DOYLE, 8. Andy BROWN, 16. Phil ARNOLD (13. Jack SALTER 87'), 15. Howard NEIGHBOUR (7. Moses KALAU 60').
SUBSTITUTES NOT USED: 24. Conor CAMPBELL, 12. Tim HILL.
YELLOW CARDS: Dan MICEVSKI 41'

INGLEWOOD UNITED: 1. Luke MARTINO, 4. Shane PICKERING, 5. Scott BLACKMORE, 6. Ryan FRANCIS, 7. Matt DANSKIN, 8. David PERICH (16. Sean BROWN 81') 11. David SESAY (14. Jarrod McNALLY 69'), 15. Abdul SESAY, 18. Jason COLLY, 10. Teeboy KAMARA (21. Josh DEMARTE 88'), 23. Andrija JUKIC.
SUBSTITUTES NOT USED: 22  Jake LUIK, 17. Connor DEVLIN.
YELLOW CARDS: David PERICH 28'