Report by Colin Outhwaite

Stirling Lions mid-fielder David Micevski scored four goals in a 5-2 win over Armadale at Macedonia Park to earn this year’s Golden Boot in the final game of the 2014 National Premier Leagues season.

Captain Andy Brown grabbed the other with Alec Solomons and Ben Wantee scoring for the visitors as they battled to the end.

Micevski missed the first six games of the season but has steadily chipped away since then to become top goal scorer.

“I said to myself before the game I wanted to get four goals,” he said. “The goal count hasn't been as high as in recent years so as I got close I realised there was a chance.”

Gary Williams retired as Stirling coach last week after their Westfield FFA cup Round of 32 game against the Hyundai A-League’s Brisbane Roar. Co-coach Daniel Stoitis took charge as interim coach for the last game and looks forward to next season.

"Our biggest challenge this season was gaining momentum at the start due to injuries,” he said. So hopefully we have a squad we can build on next year.”

It took thirty minutes for Micevski to make his intentions clear as he skipped past two defenders and fired into the near corner after the home side patiently worked their way into the box.

The Lions continued their pressure but were hasty with final executions until Micevski made a determined run in the 39th minute and let fly a cracking left-footed strike into the far right.

Captain Andy Brown scored the third immediately after when he headed in Hayden Doyle's near post corner.

But defender Alec Solomon pulled one back as he towered above the Lions defence to lob Jackson Bealey's cross over keeper Aleks Vrteski's head.

The Army looked purposeful after the restart and they brought the game back to 3-2 with Wantee’s strike after good interplay between Nathan Costello and James Atkins.

Micevski got his hat-trick in the 58th minute converting nineteen year old Robert Petkov’s pass across goal who showed pace and strength to work to the by-line.

The Army clung on through waves of attacks with keeper Mathew Gould being forced to make some desperate saves.

But the Lions were bound to be rewarded and in the 80th minute Moses Kalau ran from his own half and put through Petkov, who was challenged by Gould, but Micevski pounced on the loose ball to get his fourth.

Armadale finished bottom having won only one game and drawn four, but coach Lee Bamber could not fault his players commitment.

“We’re not a team that’s rolled over and died every week,” he said. “We’ve gone out and played football, but sometimes we’ve been a bit naive.”

“We’ve got to eradicate our mistakes and be more ruthless in front of goal and smarter with our defending, but that comes through experience and that’s why the young guys are playing- to become smarter footballers.”

STIRLING LIONS 5 (David Micevski 30’, 39’, 58’, 80’, Andy Brown 41’)
ARMADALE SC 2 (Alec Solomons 42’, Ben Wantee 55’)
Saturday 23rd August, 2014    
Venue: Macedonia Park    
Kick off: 3.00pm  
Attendance: 150 approx
Referee: Josh Mannella
Assistant referees: Brendan Skinner, Alex Best

STIRLING LIONS: 1. Aleks VRTESKI (gk), 2. Rikki SMITH, 4. Jovo PAVLOVIC (11. Denis GALAN 61'), 5. Dean EVANS , 6. Hayden DOYLE, 8. Andy BROWN (c), 9. Moses KALAU, 10. David MICEVSKI, 12. Ali GHOULAMI (13. Jack SALTER 68'), 14. Clayton ARNEZ (3. Daniel DOLS 77’), 15. Robert PETKOV
Substitutes not used:  7. Alen PATAROV,  16. David DE SILVA
Yellow Cards: 14. Clayton ARNEZ 75’
Red Cards: Nil

ARMADALE SC: 20. Mathew GOULD (gk), 2. Jackson BEALEY, 3. Dylan EASTOUGH, 4. Billy QUINNCROFT (c), 5. Nathan COSTELLO, 7. Faustinho MACHOCHI, 8. Josh KUSER (14. Mitch GASTRILLI 59’), 10. James ATKINS (6. Lyon VARNEY 81’), 12. Alec SOLOMONS, 13. Sam LOVELESS (17. Alex CLARKE 81’), 18. Ben WANTEE,
Substitutes not used: 1. Jordan HOWELL, 9. Jett SHAW
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil