No joy for Parkview Ladies in Portadown
Portadown Ladies 1st XI 2 Parkview Ladies 1st XI 1
DESPITE a storming finish Parkview Ladies got nothing from their trip to Edenvilla Playing fields where Portadown Ladies triumphed by the odd goal in three.
With the locals leading 2-1 Parkview player/coach Denise Doherty made a tactical change ten minutes from time that almost earned at least a point. She moved forward from defence to reinforce the attack, with team captain Emma Stubbs taking over at the back, and Angela Halaseh dropping in the vacant midfield position, and the changes resulted in the home defence being stretched to the limit.
With Jenny McGookin, Claire Dundee, Susie Weir and Karen Barr consistently bringing the ball forward the home circle was often crowded in those hectic closing stages.
Eight or nine penalty corners were forced, but shots by Gail Nicholson, Denise Doherty and Karen Barr were either saved by the goalie or blocked by a defender. In one goalmouth scramble the Ports goalie was penalised for lying on the ball, and Denise Doherty assumed the responsibility of taking the resultant penalty stroke, but her flick flew wide of the target.
Still there was time left for two more corners, but the home defence stood firm to send the Doagh girls home empty-handed.
This crucial Senior League Section 2 fixture had started so well for Emma Stubbs' girls, when they opened the scoring after only two minutes, when Jenny McGookin played the ball in to the circle from a sideline hit to Zoe Purdy who promptly dispatched it in to the net.
With Jenny McGookin, Claire Dundee and Gail Nicholson prominent in further attacks, Angela Halaseh and Zoe Purdy had scoring opportunities that were saved by the home keeper.
The young Portadown side used quick counter attacks as their main tactic and this paid off in the 20th minute when a left wing thrust provided an overlap from which they levelled the scores.
The first half ended with play at the home end where two penalty corners failed to produce anything when shots by Gail Nicholson were blocked.
Portadown had the better of exchanges during the third quarter during which Lynne Mehaffey made a couple of fine saves, but was glad to have Karen Barr on hand to clear another shot off the line.
They were eventually rewarded in the 45th minute when another left wing foray ended with the centre forward firing the ball in to the net from close range, and encouraged by this success the County Armagh girls continued to have the upper hand for some time.
Then came that inspired Parkview team reshuffle that turned the game on its head, and really should have clinched at least a point.
Parkview Ladies I: L Mehaffey, D Doherty, J McGookin, G Nicholson, C Dundee; L Chalmers, S Weir, K Barr, E Stubbs (C); A Halaseh, Z Purdy, J Wallace.
Parkview Ladies 2nd XI 2
Vicotrians Ladies 3rd XI 1
The 2nd XI girls were delighted with their 2-1 success against Victorians III, who had won the previous encounter 7-0.
Fiona Keenan opened the scoring in Doagh when she picked up a pass from Natasha McWilliams and netted from a mid-circle position.
Natasha then doubled the lead when she tucked the ball in to the net at the back post from a cross by Kerie Erskine, before Vics pulled one back.
Commenting team captain Karen Manson said, "Julie Murdoch and Penny Purdy stood out in defence when we were under pressure for a time, but gradually we got on top through some excellent play in midfield by Lauren Crowe, Norma Donaldson and Kerie Erskine, and only a controversial strike by Victorians set up a tense finish; we contested that the ball had been struck from outside the circle, but a goal was awarded and spoiled Sharon Gaffney's hopes of recording a deserved clean sheet,"ended Karen.
Parkview Ladies II: S Gaffney, D Kane, P Purdy, P Kane, J Murdoch, K Erskine, N Donaldson, L Crowe, K Manson (C), F Keenan, N McWilliams, S Blair.
THIRDS
The 3rd XI suffered a heavy 6-0 whitewash at the hands of Belfast Harlequins VI in a Junior League fixture. Despite having to retrieve the ball from the net six times goalkeeper Judy Blair was one of the few stars, having thwarted the eager city forwards on numerous occasions with her agility and courage.
Claire Oliphant's girls few scoring chances emanated from neat play in midfield by Avril McNeilly.
FIXTURES
This weekend's fixtures: 1st XI v Banbridge, home; 2nd XI v Belfast Harlequins IV, away; 3rd XI v Ards V, away.
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Weather for Newtownabbey
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 4 C to 5 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 7 C to 9 C
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