The contest kicked off in perfect playing conditions as Inglewood raced out of the blocks and put the Lions under immense early pressure. The Lions were saved by the post in the first sixty seconds as Jason Colli had a long range shot that bounced away to safety off the woodwork, giving the home side early hope. It was end to end action as the Lions did likewise when an Andy Brown header fell invitingly for Jordan Rhodes to smash at goal from 15 metres only to see it rebound off the post in the 3rd minute.

The Inglewood side won an early free kick when Kevin Griffiths was fouled outside the box in the 6th minute and Daniel Neiderberger stepped up to curl it over the wall and into the bottom corner giving United the lead. Inglewood had their tails up and their lead was doubled in the 15th minute when a clever flick by Alex Stamatiadis sent Neiderberger to race through and clinically slot home leaving Lions keeper Phil Straker no chance.

The Lions star signing Mark Redshaw was busy early and showed he was likely to score, and that he did as he cleverly beat the United’s offside trap then outfoxed Inglewood keeper Oliver Taseski as he rounded him and slotted the Lions first into the empty net in the 20th minute.

Stirling were now back in the hunt and an exhilarating exchange of passes between Brown, Leo Harman and Redshaw found the nippy striker through on goal and Redshaw calmly belted the ball under the advancing keeper for the equalizer in the 30th minute.

The Lions surge continued as the Stirling defence led by Captain Darko Ilomanoski, Michael Pugliese, Dean Evans and Steve Hesketh tightened up and gave little room to the United strikers to threaten any real danger.

Redshaw must have thought he'd have his hat-trick before the half was out as he raced on goal with only keeper to beat, but the ball bobbled on an uneven piece of turf and his shot was skewed off target. Phil Arnold got in on the action soon after but his goal bound shot deflected off the body of Shane Pryce and away to safety for United.

A set piece from a Jordan Rhodes in-swinging corner would give the Lions the lead in the 43rd minute as Andy Browns header was saved off the crossbar by Taseski, but deflected off Jason Colli for a bizarre own goal to make it 3-2 to the Lions at half time.

The second half opened up with the same enthusiasm by both sides as first Redshaw's shot whizzed past the post in the early minutes and then Neiderberger did the same at the opposite end minutes later. But it was the Lions who had found the path to goal as some excellent delivery work from big front man Brown and Rhodes sent Redshaw through on goal to blast in his hat-trick in the 56th minute.

It was one way traffic now as the Lions superior fitness kicked in and signs of another goal were there when a curling free kick from Steve Hesketh sizzled narrowly past the post. The final Stirling goal came in the 70th minute when creative midfielder Alan Muir crossed to Brown who headed down to Rhodes for him to belt in the Lions 5th for the day.

The Lions had a red letter day as the Reserves had an impressive hard fought 2-0 win with Rory Feely and Chris Rutherford being the scorers, while the Under 18's made it a clean sweep with a 3-1 win.

Next week the Lions are at home where they meet top of the table Sorrento with a 3pm kick off at Macedonia Park.

 Don Evans