Report by Navrin Secker

Bottom club Stirling Lions achieved only their second win of the season as they shocked in-form Floreat Athena at E&D Litis Stadium.

Darren O’Riordan’s early goal put the Lions ahead, only for skipper Dean Evans to bring Athena back on terms before the interval.

However, Gino Hampshire’s second half strike proved the difference as Trevor Morgan's team moved level on points with second bottom ECU Joondalup.

The match started with a bang as O’Riordan handed Stirling an unlikely lead in only the fourth minute, beating the keeper with a toe-poked effort at the back post.

Danny Jones, recruited from Sorrento, had a great chance to double the visitors' lead as he led a dangerous counter attack, but his shot bounced wide of the target.

However some sloppy defending handed Evans a golden opportunity and the former Stirling man punished his old side with a fine equaliser.

Tensions threatened to boil over late in the half after an altercation between Griffin Becsi and Chris Saldaris, but the referee was quick to regain control.

Floreat came out firing in the second half, hitting the woodwork early in proceedings, but it was the visitors that found the breakthrough once more.

Michael Wantee leapt highest to nod the ball on for Hampshire and the new signing marked his first game at the club with a superb chip over the onrushing keeper to put Stirling ahead.

Floreat flooded forward to try to get themselves back in the game but were repelled by the solid Lions defence.

Ryan Montgomery put in a superb performance between the sticks for Stirling, making some outstanding saves in the final minutes to ensure his side secured an unlikely victory.

Star player: Darren O’Riordan (Stirling Lions)

Floreat Athena 1 (Evans 24min)
Stirling Lions 2 (O’Riordan 4, Hampshire 57)

E&D Litis Stadium
Saturday, 25 May 2019
Kick-off: 3:00pm
Referee: Julian Serra
Assistant referees: Jatin Lodhia, Frank Laval

Floreat Athena: 1. Jason SALDARIS, 2. Marco SANTALUCIA (32. Robert HARDING 90+3), 3. Tristan COLLI (6. Jesse FULLER 46), 4. Adrian MADASHI, 8. Jonathan STYNES, 9. Robert PETKOV, 11. Dennis GALAN, 15. Christopher SALDARIS, 17. Dean EVANS, 18. Phillip ARNOLD, 21. Nicholas AMBROGIO (29. Jack PAINTER-ANDREWS 81)
Unused substitutes: 13. George FESTA, 23. Jordan BARBAS
Yellow cards: C. Saldaris 44mins, Petkov 76, Galan 79
Red Cards: Nil

Stirling Lions: 1. Ryan MONTGOMERY, 2. Mile PETKOVSKI, 3. Darren O’RIORDAN (15. Michael GAMA 89mins), 5. Steven McDONALD, 6. Dhhors CHOL, 7. Nelson TSHONGO, 9. Zdenek BEZDEK (16. Renee KIESA 90+9), 10. Danny JONES, 11. Michael WANTEE, 12. Griffin BECSI, 18. Gino HAMPSHIRE
Unused substitutes: 13. Andrew MARANTA, 19. Joseph PERKINS, 20. Daniel MARQUES
Yellow Cards: O’Riordan 44, Tshongo 90+4
Red Cards: Nil