There was no fairytale finish to the season with Inglewood United suffering a 4-2 loss to a star-studded Perth Glory outfit this afternoon at Intiga Stadium. Glory hit the ground running, scoring three times in quick succession before Andrija Jukic reduced the deficit not long out from the break. And although the ‘away’ team created the better second half chances, their only reward was on opportunistic finish by debutant Emmanuel Mansaray.

Caretaker coach Goran Stajic felt his players performed well against a Glory line-up that featured seven national league players, amongst them Australia youth internationals Jamie Maclaren, Daniel De Silva and Jack Duncan. “I thought we were unlucky to not at least get a point out of it,” he said. “When they walked out with the players they walked out with, I thought it was going to be a tough day at the office.”

The ball had been in motion just 6 minutes when Maclaren got away down the left to deliver a low centring ball which ricocheted off Jordan D’Souza, Chris Harold then Sean Browne before entering the net. Three minutes later Maclaren doubled Glory’s lead with a precision finish into the bottom corner from 15-metres which gave goalkeeper Luke Martino no chance.

Glory were on a roll and in the 14th minute McLaren delicately lifted over the oncoming ‘keeper after getting on the end of Daniel De Silva’s superb pass out of midfield. The team in yellow rallied and, after several promising moves, Jukic nodded in at close-range after the Glory backline failed to deal with Ryan Clarke’s 33rd minute cross.

This had a galvanising effect on Inglewood and the momentum remained with them leading into half-time. Shane Pickering was unlucky not to put another goal on the board but his header from a Jordan D’Souza cross was straight at Duncan. Shortly after Jarrad McNally centred for Pickering whose side-foot was too close to the Glory custodian.

The second half opened much like the first, Maclaren crashing into the crossbar a fierce strike from distance. However, this time Inglewood heeded the warning and carved out a string of attacks. Greg Sharland and Jukic sent the ball whistling narrowly the wrong side of the target, while Duncan was called upon to paddle Clarke’s dipping finish over the top.

Then, against the run of play, Glory gained a soft free-kick which Brandon O’Neill swung around the defensive wall and inside the far post for a four-one lead. Pickering came agonisingly close to replying with a well-placed header which was cleared off the line. Mansaray had more luck shortly after by turning the ball in at close-range following a long thrown by Clarke.

Martino’s instincts served to frustrate Maclaren as play swung from end-to-end. Inglewood were thrown a lifeline when referee Tim Mihevc pointed to the spot following a foul on Mansaray, however, Duncan guessed right to keep out Clarke’s effort. The final play of the day pretty much summed Inglewood’s season, Jukic cleverly picking out the run of Clarke whose low strike was turned away by Duncan.

Stajic, while disappointed with the final placing of ninth, is excited by what the future holds for Inglewood. “We’re a team that has a lot to offer next year,” Stajic said. “Sean Browne has shown he can match it up at the NPL level, Jarrad McNally really impressed me with his running from out the back also Josh DeMarte and Marc Eldridge, just to name a couple.”