Courtney scored twice in the Mariners' 2-0 win over lowly Inter Lions FC to continue the Mariners' quest to push up the NPL2 ladder.

Despite a few patches where the Lions got on top of the Mariners and they "dropped off", Mariners keeper Jess Daymond said it was good to return to the winners' circle after a few weeks of losses and draws.

She lauded the game of Courtney, who "hasn't played half-bad considering she's carrying a few niggles and injuries" to find the back of the net twice, once from a scrap in front of goal and the second from pressing the Lions' keeper into a false pass, which bounced off Courtney's shins into the open goal.

The side is in eighth spot of 12, but even with four wins are three victories adrift of SD Raiders FC, who sit in seventh, with a goal difference of five for the Sydney side bettering the -14 of Western.

However, Daymond said the Mariners' luckless runs in the front third were the only difference between Western and the top sides.

"We've shown we can match it with them, we're just not very fortunate when we go forward," she said.

The Mariners have the chance to build a winning streak when they head to Sydney next weekend to take on tenth-placed St George FC at 4.35pm on Sunday.