Report by Jayden Lihou

Armadale moved into the top half of the NPL WA table after defeating Stirling Lions 4-1 in Round 17 at Alfred Skeet Reserve on Saturday.

The victory ended Armadale's two-game losing streak and saw them leapfrog Stirling and Forrestfield into seventh place.

Stirling, who have now lost four on the trot, were first to score through captain Dean Cummings but Armadale put themselves in front before the break with goals from Chris Jackson and Michael Rizidis.

Rizidis added another in second period before substitute Brad Gripl finished the game off in stoppage time.

Armadale coach John O'Reilly praised his side’s finishing and defending but was less than enamoured with their overall display.

“In the last two weeks we have played pretty and lost and today we played ugly and won,” he said.

“I wasn’t entirely happy with the performance today but I can’t complain about the finishing and the result.

“For us we take it each week as it comes, but the important thing for the club is that we have some breathing space between us and the bottom three.

“We just have to keep working on what we’re doing and in the next few weeks make sure we’re putting 100 per cent.”

Stirling began the game the more positive of the two sides and scored the opening goal when a free-kick from halfway fell to the feet of Cummings, who poked the ball home.

Armadale responded just three minutes later with a free-kick of their own when Ali Gholami crossed the ball to Jackson, whose header made it 1-1.

The home side then took the lead after a through ball put Rizidis one-on-one with Lions keeper Lance Alvakis and the winger made no mistake.

Jackson came close to doubling his side's lead just four minutes later from a free-kick, however his strike was kept out by a diving save from Alavakis.

Rizidis was at it again in the second half as he made his way into the box after a run from inside his own half before finishing into the far corner.

Stirling fought hard to try and get back in the game but came up short, before the young Gripl put the icing on the cake for Armadale with a headed goal in the 90th minute.

Lions coach Keegan Ashley said poor finishing was to blame for the defeat.

“Armadale we’re pretty resolute at the back today, I thought we created the chances to score one or two more but when they don’t go in it makes it tough to get something out of the game,” he said.

“We just need to keep going and eventually things will turn around, we’re definitely creating enough chances but we’re just not putting them into the back of the net.”

Armadale 4 (Jackson 11min, Rizidis 31, 49, Gripl 90)
Stirling Lions 1 (Cummings 8)
Saturday, June 16, 2018
Alfred Skeet Reserve
Kick-off: 3pm
Referee: Julian Serra
Assistant referees: Martin Hicks, Dylan Luke Watson

Armadale: GK. Sam HUTCHINGS, 2. Joshua KUSER, 4. Nathan COSTELLO (C), 5. David ANNALL, 10. Chris JACKSON (13. Jonathan BOGONI 91’),11. Michael RIZIDIS, 15. Ali GHOLAMI (18. Brad GRIPL 87’), 16. Charlie SIMPSON, 20. Friday ZICO (17. James ATKINS 46’), 21. Beau RAHIM, 22. Ryan HASLETT
Substitutes not used: RGK. Duncan LENNON-BLACK, 19. Sam LOVELESS
Yellow cards: Nil
Red cards: Nil

Stirling Lions: GK. Lance ALAVAKIS, 2. David MOLINARI, 4. Alex SULESKI, 5. Liam HENDERSON, 7. Dean CUMMINGS, 8. Dejan SPASESKI (19. Zane CASELLA 83’), 10. David MICEVSKI, 11. Alex TANEVSKI, 15. Nathan DE ABREU, 16. Nicholas ASHLEY, 17. Steve SOKOL (14. Abu DULLEH 67’)
Substitutes not used: RGK. Pasquale GIOFFRE, 12. Daniel HEPWORTH, 13. David FILLIPOU
Yellow cards: Ashley 23, Cummings 69, Dulleh 81, De Abreu 89
Red cards: Nil