Report: Sam Johnston
Photo: Bill Guiller
Larne Ladies got their league campaign off to the best possible start with an impressive 7-1 victory over their Coleraine counterparts, at Inver Park on Wednesday evening.
As the game got underway, there were early chances at both ends of the pitch. The Inver Women went close with chances coming for Cathy Dunn and Elle Houston, but both the visiting goalkeeper managed to keep both out.
At the other end of the pitch, Abby Alexander forced a save from Larne goalkeeper Lauren McGuckin, with from former Larne player Kylie Doherty helping to create the opportunity.
Amanda Morton thought she had opened the scoring, when her header from Cathy Dunn’s corner rattled the bar and came back down on the line, but referee said no goal.
The Inver Women did take the lead through Elle Houston, when her cross found the back of the net giving visiting ‘keeper Sharkey no chance.
Five minutes before the break the Inver Women doubled their lead through Georgia Crawford. Her strike from range went through Sharkey’s arms and into the back of the net. From the restart Coleraine won a free-kick, but the low driven shot was comfortably saved by McGuckin.
The Inver Women thought they had a third just before half-time, when Aimee McKenzie’s cross found the head of Amanda Morton, but the referee blew for offside.
The home side did get a third before the interval though, as Georgia Crawford flicked on from Rebecca Boyce’s corner to grab her second and Larne’s third.
Half-time: Larne Ladies 3 Coleraine Ladies 0
William Noble’s side grabbed a fourth through Elle Houston within 45 seconds of the second half kicking off. She dances around the Bannsiders’ defence and fired it into the bottom corner past Sharkey.
Two minutes later and it was five. Amanda Morton finally got herself on the scorehsheet, when she nodded in Cathy Dunn’s cross to make it 5-0.
Coleraine grabbed a goal for themselves through Alison Nicholl. A free-kick into the box wasn’t dealt with and Nicoll was there to tap in to make it 5-1.
On 57 minutes, Morton went on to grab her second of the game, when the ball through was spilled by the goalkeeper and Morton was on hand to fire home to restore the Inver Reds five goal advantage.
The final goal of the night saw Amanda Morton complete her hat-trick as she calmly slotted past Sharkey from 10 yards .
In the dying embers of the game Crawford struck the post however that was the final play as the referee blew for full-time straight afterwards.
Full-time: Larne Ladies 7 Coleraine Ladies 1
