Alex Salmon laid the foundations for this afternoon’s 6-2 thrashing of Armadale by scoring his first hat-trick in Inglewood United colours.   Salmon completed his three-goal haul inside the hour while Kenny Keogh, team captain David Cyrus and Hamza Hina were also on target against a home team that played much of the game with ten-men.

The three points gained maintains Inglewood’s slender lead at the top of the National Premier Leagues ladder.   “The game got a bit upsidaisy in the second half, but the lads stuck together and we got the win which is what counts at this stage of the season,” Cyrus told nplwa.com.au after the game.

“This result puts the pressure on Bayswater (City) who play tomorrow and Perth (SC) keep piling the pressure on us, but we are in pole position and it’s ours to lose.   It’s close at the top but we just have to keep plodding on, it doesn’t matter how the results come as long as they keep coming.”

The ball had been in motion just 12 minutes when Armadale went down to ten players following Jackson Bealey’s poor challenge on Alex Ishida-Livings.   And the hosts woes were further compounded eight minutes later as Salmon made his way past the final defender before firing past goalkeeper Michael Craggs.

Kenny Keogh doubled Inglewood’s lead with a powerful shot on the turn that came to rest inside the bottom corner.   It didn’t take long for the margin to further increase as Matthew Ntoumenopoulos’ long ball led to a defensive mix-up to present Salmon the simple task of tapping into an empty net.

Salmon completed his hat-trick by converting from the penalty spot after being fouled by Milan Ognjenovic four minutes into the second half.   Cyrus took the difference to five goals by volleying past Craggs in the 55th minute after Ntoumenopoulos’ corner was flicked on at the near post.

Armadale flickered to life in the closing twenty minutes, Jordan Pavett twice sending the ball into Alex Dunn’s net to bring some respectability to the scoreline.   But it was the away team that had the final say with Keogh squaring for Hamza Hina to tuck the ball in just moments before the final whistle.

Match stats

Armadale 2 (Jordan Pavett 69, 78)
Inglewood United 6 (Alex Salmon 20, 39, 49, Kenny Keogh 29, David Cyrus 55, Hamza Hina 93)

Armadale: Michael Craggs, Jake Sardelic, David Annall, Nathan Costello (Broden Brown 86), Beau Rahim, Jordan Pavett, Charlie Kenna, Jackson Bealey, Milan Ognjenovic (Herman Alognon 86), Dylan White (James Atkins 68), Billy Quinncroft

Inglewood United: Alex Dunn, Brian Farrell, David Cyrus, Adam Tong, Alex Ishida-Livings, Matthew Ntoumenopoulos (Jason Colli 68), Jason Barrera (Ashley Rosindale 58), Kenny Keogh, Chok Dau, Hamza Hina, Alex Salmon (Victor Brauner 49)

Bookings: Tong (29), Keogh (40), Quinncroft (40), Kenna (57), Hina (58), Pavett (79)

Dismissals: Bealey (12)