Maxwell and Morrison on target for Parkview Ladies

The 2-0 win at Foundry Lane means that Clare McClean’s girls are now in a mid-table position, level on points with their north Antrim opponents. Maimie Graham, who has been playing with the 2nd XI recently, stepped up to don the gloves and marked her debut with a clean sheet. The visitors bossed the opening quarter during which the four defenders - Penny Purdy, Jenny Rankin, Emma Stubbs and Lauren Brady - all made clearances, in addition to stops by Graham. Castle’s two midfield runners were at the heart of all their attacks, but gradually Parkview’s midfield trio - Jenny Wallace, McClean and Brooke McCullough - got on top and took play towards the visiting circle. Tammy Gamble, Jenna Maxwell and Toni Smallwood got in shots but the first half ended scoreless. In the second session Wallace and McCullough made incisive runs down the flanks, and eventually the pressure paid off from a penalty corner. The well rehearsed routine involving Wallace, McCullough and McClean ended with Maxwell sweeping the ball in to the net after an hour’s play. Five minutes later it was all over for the visitors, when Jenny Morrison picked up a pass from Maxwell and drilled the ball in to the net. “Our coach, Becky Linford, said that week by week our performances are coming together, and that she hopes to see us continuing to climb the league table in the second half of the season,” said team captain, McClean. The girl of the game award went to striker Smallwood, who was a thorn in the flesh of the Ballycastle defence all afternoon. Parkview Ladies panel: M Graham, P Purdy, J Rankin, E Stubbs, L Brady, J Wallace, C McClean (C), B McCullough, J Maxwell, T Smallwood, T Gamble, K Morrison, J Morrison, W McCullough, C Oliphant. On Friday evening PSNI Ladies will be in town in search of league points. n Ballyclare Ladies had no game, but this Saturday they travel to Belfast to fulfil a Senior League Section 1 fixture against Victorians, who are nine points better off than Vikki Milligan’s girls.