Women lose opener

COLERAINE Women opened their NIWFA Division 1 league campaign with a fixture against Larne Olympic at The Showgrounds…

The balanced first half saw Coleraine matching their well drilled opponents as two senior starting debuts were handed out to youth players Eden Hanna and Ellie McGarry who proved to be a handful for the Larne defence.

Chelsea Moore and Erin Mulholland both provided a calm performance in front of the defence and were creative in transitional play.

Ellie McIlmoyle and Kelly Bolton also were handed debuts and were instrumental in the buildup play of Coleraine that saw them put in a pleasing performance.

Anna Bradley unlucky to be beat by a back post header in the latter moments of the first half.

The defence of Rachel Stewart, Kitty Gray, Skye Strickland and Leah Pollock remained a good team throughout the game.

Both Coleraine & Larne teams, management and spectators observed a minute’s silence before the game in memory of Crusaders Strikers U13 player Kaylee Black. The thoughts of everyone at Coleraine FC are with her family, friends, teammates, coaches and those that knew her during this time.

Second half substitutes saw Storm Ballantyne replace Kelly Bolton and bring a level of creativity and determination to unpick the tiring Larne defence.

Hayley Mathieson was granted twenty minutes to replace Bradley in goals while Vanessa Somerville, Yana Wells and Maria Diamond would finish out the game in place of Eden Hanna, Leah Pollock and Erin Mulholland.

Despite losing 6-0 to their visitors, Coleraine now look ahead to next week’s clash against Ballynahinch Ladies FC.

COLERAINE: Bradley (Mathieson ’65 mins), Pollock (Wells ’75 mins), Gray, Strickland, Stewart, Moore, Mulholland (Diamond ’75 mins), Hanna (Sommerville ’75 mins), Bolton (Ballantyne ’55 mins), McIlmoyle, McGarry.