NPLM Top Four Cup: Stirling end trophy drought with final win over RedStar
Stirling Macedonia are the 2023 NPLM Top Four Cup winners after they deservedly beat league champions Perth RedStar 2-0 at the State Football Centre on Saturday night.
Goals from Calvin Whitney and Alexander Tanevski gave Ian Ferguson’s side their first top-flight silverware in 13 years, to the delight of their raucous support.
There was little to choose between the sides in the opening half, with Daniel Faichney shooting straight at RedStar keeper Liam Reddy in one of the few chances for either team.
But that changed within minutes of the second period. Whitney’s free-kick found its way to Tanevski, whose shot struck the outstretched arm of Ryan Finnie inside the box. Referee Shane Skinner gave a penalty and Whitney sent Reddy the wrong way for 1-0.
RedStar came close to levelling just before the hour when Sonny O’Shea let fly from the edge of the area. Stirling keeper James Bosdet seemed to think it was going over and let the ball go, only to look round in relief as it cannoned onto the crossbar and down to safety.
Stirling’s second on 73 minutes had a familiar feel. Another Whitney free-kick, this time from the left, had Reddy and defender Blair Govan in a mix-up and Tanevksi nipped in to nod home from two yards.
Whitney’s involvement ended soon after when he was dismissed for a second yellow card, and RedStar also finished the game a player down with O’Shea receiving two bookings in quick succession near the end.
Stirling skipper Luke Palmateer received the Gary Marocchi Medal as Player of the Match against his old team, before he joined head coach Ferguson in receiving the trophy from Football West director Richard Marshall and sparking long-awaited celebrations for the Stirling supporters.
Meanwhile, Perth Glory took out the two NPLM age group finals.
In the U20s decider, Glory never looked back from Khoa Ngo’s opener after 77 seconds as they thrashed Bayswater City 8-1.
It was 2-0 on five minutes as Royie Rahamim headed in Samuel Barry’s cross, and by the 22nd minute the game was all but over. First Gert Prinsloo dispossessed Sasha Demirovic before scoring, then Sebastian Despotovski converted a penalty to put Glory four goals in front.
It got worse for Baysie as Glory were awarded a second penalty, this time scored by Tadiwanashe Kuzamba, although Kevin Castle’s side did get on the scoresheet just before the interval through Cory McNelis.
Baysie managed to keep Glory from adding to their tally until the final 20 minutes when the dam finally burst. Daniel Adesina put away another Glory penalty, Louis Hewings scored the seventh from close range and a third substitute, Abdulla Dofash, saved the best until last with an excellent run and finish.
The result meant Ivan Zuvela's Glory outfit completed an U20s treble of league, State Cup and Top Four Cup.
The U18s decider was another goal feast, although Glory did not have it all their own way in this one as Sorrento FC raced into a two-goal lead inside the opening five minutes.
Rhys Thompson rifled in the opening goal from outside the box, and another counter attack resulted in a second for the Gulls as Jack Sprigg’s low effort nested in the corner.
Unfortunately for Sorrento they allowed Glory back into the game almost immediately, Louis Sollitt punishing some defensive uncertainty to score. And not long after the excellent Alexander Bolton shot home from the edge of the area.
It was the second time in a week that Glory had wiped out a two-goal deficit against Sorrento. That semi-final at RedStar Arena finished all square before Glory won on penalties, this time Kenny Lowe’s team were taking no chance as Santiago Flores and Sollitt struck in the space of 60 seconds to put them 4-2 up by the break.
Flores added another for Glory in the second half, then Brodie Roberts gave Sorrento hope with a low drive to make it 5-3. Sorrento had a few opportunities to reduce the arrears further and set up a grandstand finish. But Glory were worthy winners as they added the U18s Top Four Cup to their league title.
