Stirling Lions stayed in touching distance of a finals berth with a 5-1 mauling of Inglewood United at Intiga Stadium yesterday.

Jack Salter and Phil Arnold each scored a double and Moses Kalau was also on target for the visitors, who trail fourth-placed Sorrento by two points, while Ryan Clarke scored Inglewood’s consolation from the penalty spot.

Pictured: Phil Arnold. Photo: Peter Simcox.

The result was another boost for the Lions who take on Hyundai A-League champions Brisbane Roar in a much-anticipated Westfield FFA Cup match on August 19.

It was another forgettable day for Inglewood, whose finals hopes evaporated quite some time ago.

Caretaker manager Goran Stajic, who took over from Graham Normanton recently, was alarmed by his side’s collapse a week after conceding five goals against ECU Joondalup.

“We were solid for the first 30 minutes,” Stajic said. “We just crumbled like last week in a short span of 15 minutes. It’s something that obviously needs addressing.”

Stirling were dominant throughout but had to wait until the latter stages of the first half for the goals to start flowing.

After Kalau, Arnold and David Micevski had all had first-half chances without success, the opening goal came from Salter, who pounced on a poor clearance with 38 minutes gone.

Inglewood’s morale was crushed before the half-time whistle with goals from Arnold in the final five minutes.

Stajic turned to the more experienced faces of Teeboy Kamara and Abdul Sesay but they found it difficult to make an impact.

The second half barrage continued for Stirling as Kalau slotted past goalkeeper Luke Martino in the 57th minute. 

Seven minutes later Inglewood were given a penalty, which Clarke dispatched past Stirling keeper Aleks Vrteski for his 13th goal of the season.

But Salter had the final say when he scored in the 70th minute.

Inglewood United 1 (Clarke, 64pen)
Stirling Lions 5 (Salter 38’, 70’, Arnold 41’, 45+1’, Kalau 57)
Saturday 2nd August 2014
Intiga Stadium, Inglewood
Attendance: 150
Referee: T. Fleskens
Assistants: S. Moayer and S. Hicks

INGLEWOOD UNITED: GK L. MARTINO, 4 S. PICKERING, 5 S. BLACKMORE, 7 M. ELDERIDGE (15 A. SESAY 45’), 8 D. PERICH, 9 R. CLARKE, 12 C. SUTTON (2 J. EWEN 78’), 16 S. BROWNE, 18 J. COLLI, 21 J. DEMARTE (20. T. KAMARA 56’), 23 A. JUKIC
Subs not used: RGK M. PAPAS, 11 J. D’SOUZA
Yellow Cards:  Jukic 60’, Sesay 90’
Red Cards: Nil

STIRLING LIONS: GK A. VRTESKI, 2 R. SMITH (15 A. CHOULAMI 16’), 3 M. PUGLIESE, 4 J. PAVLOVIC, 5 D. EVANS (7 M. VUJACIC 72’), 6 H. DOYLE (12 R. PETKOV 75’), 8 A. BROWN, 9 M. KALAU, 10 D. MICEVSKI, 11 P. ARNOLD, 13 J. SALTER
Subs not used:  RGK C. CAMPBELL, 14 C. ARNEZ
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil