Inglewood United have bowed out of the Top Four Cup by surrendering 3-0 to Perth SC in this evening’s Preliminary Final at Perth Plasterboard Centre Stadium.   It brings to an end a season that promised so much only to finish with disappointment for Andy Keogh’s team, who placed second in the home and away series before exiting the finals early.

The game started encouragingly enough for the hosts, Chok Dau picking out Brian Farrell whose crisp strike was deflected wide.   Farrell was thwarted again soon after, this time by Francis Soale who guessed correctly to keep out his opponents penalty kick awarded when Ashley Rosindale went down under Nicholas Ambrogio.

Undeterred, Inglewood was quick to resume the attack but Farrell lifted high from Dau’s cutback.   These missed were punished just before the half hour when Aleks Jovic fired Perth into the lead after combining with Gustavo Catarcione.   And in the minutes before the break Frank Furfaro doubled the visitors advantage.

The second half brought the best out of both goalkeepers, Soale denying Jason Barrera before Dunn came off his line to thwart Catarcione.   Dau flashed one shot narrowly past the post and was prevented another by Adrian Madaschi’s last gasp tackle as Inglewood fought desperately to keep their season alive.

But all hope was snuffed out on 77 minutes when substitute Paul Zimarino finished into the net after gettong on the end of Lewis Milne’s cross.   Kieran Colwell went agonisingly close to adding a fourth goal to Perth’s tally when his late free-kick crashed into the frame of the goal.

Match stats

Inglewood United 0
Perth SC 3 (Aleks Jovic 28, Frank Furfaro 41, Paul Zimarino 77)

Inglewood United: Alex Dunn, Jason Colli, Adam Tong (Scott Newland 63), Scott Blackmore, Alex Ishida-Livings, Matthew Ntoumenopoulos, Jason Barrera (Jason Progri 67), Brian Farrell, Chok Dau, Hamza Hina (Shubham Molaka 81), Ashley Rosindale

Perth SC: Francis Soale, Alex Silla, Rocco Pizzata, Adrian Madaschi, Harley Orr, Kieran Colwell, Nicolas Ambrogio, Lewis Milne, Frank Furfaro (Paul Zimarino 74), Aleks Jovic (Andreas Theodosiades 70), Gustavo Catarcione (Jordan De Leo 87)

Bookings: Tong (36), Silla (88)

Dismissals: Nil