Report by Colin Outhwaite

Stirling Lions scored in the 94th minute to beat Cockburn City 1-0 in a laborious game at Dalmatinac Park in the NPL WA on Saturday.

The visitors were the ones to be rewarded for their hard work with Hayden Doyle's merciless goal.

Stirling co-coach Daniel Stoitis said there wasn't much separation in the two teams.

"I think we were just fortunate, we got the lucky break and we put away our opportunity,” he said.

It was a quiet first half and both teams were hard to split, opting to absorb the pressure and attack on the break.

The Cockerels frustrations with recent results were summed up as they were continually squeezed into the right corner by the stubborn Lions defence or restricted to hopeful long-range efforts that soared high and wide.

Oscar Thompson's powerful shot in the 41st minute was at least on target but from a tight angle it was comfortably palmed away by Stirling keeper Aleks Vrteski.

The Lions found more structure to their attacks and seemed most threatening though there were little clear-cut chances to exemplify.

Doyle's break down the wing was their closest effort when his low-driven shot fired across the goal between the post and the on-rushing strikers.

The main action of the game all occurred in the second half; the Lions kicked things off with Howard Neighbour’s diving header from Doyle's cross being tipped onto the bar by keeper Dejan Aleksic three minutes in.

Two minutes later Aleksic kept Neighbour out again with a brilliant one-handed diving save.

Euen Grant responded immediately after for the Cockerels but his volley inside the box from a Ross Diamond free kick was deflected out for a corner.

Their closest chance came in the 64th minute when Thompson stretched behind him to scrape Diamond's cross towards goal but Vrtekski scrambled after it on the goal line.

Substitute Moses Kalau almost scored the breakthrough in the 81st minute with a curling free-kick but Aleksic collided with the goal post to keep it out.

The game looked to be tailing off to a goalless draw but a slip up in the defence gave the persistent Doyle the perfect opportunity to wrap up the game.

It was a nail-biting close to an exciting second half but both coaches commented on their want of quality in the final third.

Cockerels coach Marc Anthony couldn't fault the players, saying they were "superb", but the game could have gone either way.

"We probably should have nicked it and had more chances to, but in saying that our goal keeper pulled off three great saves,” Anthony said.

Cockburn have now gained only two points out of the last six games, but their coach said it's not having a negative effect on his players.

"Out of those six we've had five very good performances,” he said. “There's no substitute for hard work, if we keep working hard we'll get our results."

Cockburn City 0
Stirling Lions 1 (Doyle 90+4’)
Venue: Dalmatinac Park
Date: Saturday 14th June 2014
Referee: Matt Southern
Assistant Referees: Sam Moayer, Oliver Allen
Crowd: Approx. 250

COCKBURN CITY: 23. (GK) Dejan ALEKSIC, 3. Oscar THOMPSON, 4. Euan GRANT, 5. Alan CARROLL, 8. David ARAYA, 9. Eamon McNELIS, 11. Devon GIBSON, 12. Oscar THOMPSON, 13. Kim MENG BONG (7. Jesse FULLER 66'), 18. Liam MURRAY (19. Jonty TURNER 84'), 20. Ross DIAMOND (16. Juran TELES 73'), 23. Monty GRIGO

Substitutes not used: 1. Struan HERD, 6. Rory McGRATH
Yellow Cards: GRANT 10', GRIGO 45+1
Red Cards: Nil

STIRLING LIONS: 1. Aleks VRTESKI, 2. Ali GHOULAMI, 4. Jovo PAVLOVIC, 5. Dean EVANS, 6. Hayden DOYLE, 8. Andy BROWN, 9. Daniel MICEVSKI, 10. David MICEVSK (7. Miki VUJACIC 88’), 13. Jack SALTER (12. Moses KALAU 58'), 14. Clayton ARNEZ, 15. Howard NEIGHBOUR (11. Phil ARNOLD 66'), 11. Dennis GALAN

Substitutes not used: 20. Connor CAMPBELL, 3. Daniel DOLS
Yellow Cards: BROWN 77'
Red Cards: Nil