Report & photograph: Sam Johnston
The Inver women ran 10 goals past a young Portadown team in their season opener at the Cliff on Wednesday night with competitive debuts for Erin McRandle, Rebecca Boyce, Rebecca Cargill, Francesca Agnew and Leanne Glass.
It took the Ladies seven minutes to grab their first goal with Rebecca Boyce getting on the scoresheet. Marion Gage won the ball in midfield and then played a superb ball through the middle of the Portadown defence for Boyce to fire it home.
It didn’t take them long to grab their second as Georgia Crawford raced through the Portadown defence firing the ball into the back of the net doubling the Ladies’ advantage.
Shortly after this Rebecca Cargill made a superb run into the box, but her cross was handled by a Portadown defender and a penalty awarded.
Marion Gage stepped up, but the penalty was well saved by the Portadown keeper parrying it out for a corner. From the resulting set piece, the ball found its way to McKenzie and found the top of the net putting the Ladies 3-0 up.
The Ladies grabbed their fourth of the evening on 25 minutes with Rebecca Cargill getting on the end of a mistake at the back by the Portadown defence and chipping past the Ports keeper to make it 4-0.
On the stroke of half time the Ladies made it five, with Rebecca Boyce on the scoresheet again. Great midfield play allowed Marion Gage to play a beautiful ball through for Boyce and her shot found the roof of the net.
Erin McRandle then grabbed the first goal of the second half as she raced through and tapped the ball past the Ports keeper. Rebecca Cargill added number seven shortly after as Georgia Crawford’s well struck shot from range was well saved by the ‘keeper but Cargill was there to grab her second of the night.
Erin McRandle likewise completed her brace when she won the ball off a Portadown midfielder in her own half and she breezed past the defenders, with her shot finding its way into the net through the slightest gap.
Elle Houston then made it 9-0 as she calmly received the ball on the edge of the box and chipped the ball over the ‘keeper’s head.
Shortly after she completed the scoring for the night with her own second goal. Aimee McKenzie played a wonderful ball which Elle received on the edge of the box before swiftly beating two Portadown defenders and firing home for the tenth goal of the night.
Larne Ladies: Leanne Glass, Aimee McKenzie, Ashton Hunter, Catherine Haveron, Lyndsey Noble, Erin McRandle, Marion Gage, Rebecca Boyce, Rebecca Cargill, Georgia Crawford, Holly Robinson.
Substitutes – Francesca Agnew, Paula Leworthy, Elle Houston and Lois
