Two first half goals were enough to see Stirling Lions claim all three points in their clash with Floreat Athena at Macedonia Park on Saturday.

Athena’s Jovo Pavlovic turned a Phil Arnold centre into his own net on twelve minutes and there was more egg on the Athena faces 15 minutes later when a quickly taken Steve Porter free kick bounced into the unguarded net.

Stirling keeper Phil Straker was a virtual bystander in the first 45 minutes with a Paul Vatistas effort on the stroke of half time that went well wide their only effort of note.

A long throw by the Lions almost caught the Floreat defence napping just eight minutes in, but Porter’s low shot was blocked in the six yard area with the follow up forced wide.

The breakthrough came only minutes later however, Ante Kovacevic backed off Arnold who coasted into the left side of the area and crossed low were Pavlovic who was running back towards his own goal could only divert it into the net with Athena keeper Vas Vujacic about to pounce.

Some brilliant close control by new Lions import Mark Redshaw moments later could have seen the Lions two up, however after he skipped by Julian Madaschi, Vujacic blocked with his legs from close range and dived gratefully on the rebound as it looked like the ball would roll over the line.

The Lions did grab the extra goal on 25 minutes after Athena conceded a free kick 25 yards from goal. Steve Porter and Marc Anthony were loitering around the ball, and after asking the referee if they could take it early, it was Porter who curled the ball over and into the net with Vujacic still organizing his wall.

On 41 minutes, Redshaw wasted his best chance of the day after taking a delightful through pass from Anthony, he opened his body to curl it into the far post but missed the lot as the chance went begging.

The visitors came out a much better side in the second period but the luck they needed to get back into the game had deserted them completely.

Raphael Insuralde was guilty of squandering a gilt edged chance after a Brad Scott switch found Garin Collins on the left, his early ball into the centre found the onrushing Insuralde who completely sliced the ball with only the keeper to beat in a sign it was not to be the Champions day.

Straker made a smart stop from a Scott strike on 66 minutes after a long Bachiller throw was flicked onto the back post by Mikulic as Athena probed for a way back into the game.

Stirling were strong enough to see out the rest of the match and claim all three points whilst for Athena it looks as though their glory days of last season will be hard to replicate this time around.

Football West Reporter -  Ben Fitzpatrick