Michael Garcia has started his senior coaching tenure with Inglewood United on the right note by guiding the club to a 4-2 win over Armadale in sweltering conditions at Litis Stadium. David Sesay, Kenny Keogh and Matt Izzo had Inglewood in a seemingly comfortable position by half-time but it wasn’t until late that the points were made safe by Ryan Clarke.
Inglewood were quick to get on the front foot so it came as no surprise when Sesay forced a defensive error and stroked into the bottom corner after 9 minutes. Keogh doubled the lead just after the half hour by latching onto Scott Blackmore’s long clearance and streaming away from the last defender before finishing tidily across the goalkeeper.
Armadale were now starting to ask a few questions of their opponents defences, however, an Inglewood backline under the command of Scott Blackmore and Rikki Smith had answers to everything that came their way. The margin blew out to three-nil in the shadows of half-time, Izzo drilling in first time from 10-metres courtesy of Andrija Jukic’s deft touch inside the 18-yard box.
The second half was minutes old when Faustinho Machochi brought Armadale back into the game. And when Nick Crerand further cut the deficit it seemed as though the Reds might be on the verge of salvaging their evening. With the full-time whistle drawing near, Clarke majestically glanced in at the front post from a Greg Sharland free-kick to secure the win.
Match stats
Armadale 2 (Machochi 47, Crerand 82)
Inglewood United 4 (Sesay 11, Keogh 32, Izzo 44, Clarke 91)
Armadale: Jordan Howell, Jake Sardelic, Reece Davies, Dylan Eastough, Caleb Dixon, Beau Rahim (Sam Loveless 46), Jackson Bealey (Tom Covell 77), Ravi Kuppusamy, Michael Lawson, Faustino Machochi, Nick Crerand (Ryan James 84)
Inglewood United: Aleks Vrteski, Jason Collli, Scott Blackmore, Rikki Smith, Scott Witschge, Ryan Clarke, Matt Izzo (Josh DeMarte 53), Andrjia Jukic (James Steedman 82), Greg Sharland, David Sesay, Kenny Keogh (Abdul Sesay 62)
Bookings: Dixon (11), Rahim (27), Machochi (49), Smith (52)
Dismissals: Nil
