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Northend United 2 Connor 1 Saturday 3rd December 2022

In the run up to the festive fixtures Northend found themselves In their first game against Connor in the short history of the club. In the early stages Connor applied some early pressure and after a series of corners, a loose ball in the box was nicked away from the Northend defence and a late challenger led to the referee awarding a penalty. Jason Givens put some pressure on from the Northend goal and the ball was fired against the crossbar to give Northend a lifeline.

The Blues then managed to be the team who created some pressure themselves and Charlie Metrustry linked well with James Hunter on a few occasions but saw efforts from the edge of the area fly just wide.

Hunter was to be the man to create the best opportunity for the young Northend side and after winning the ball high, he pulled the ball back to the edge of the box. Joe Rocks dummied a shot but let the ball run and that gave space for Christy McKillop to arrive late and fire Into the bottom corner to give the Blues the lead.

Just before half-time, Northend got another golden opportunity and after some really good work from Paul O’Boyle a good cross into the box was handled by the Connor defender to give Northend a penalty of their own. McKillop, on fantastic recent form, stepped up and fired in his second of the game with aplomb. Overall Northend finished the half with a deserved 2 goal lead after some of their best football of the season. Half time 2-0

The second half was a different challenge as Connor attempted to seize the momentum and find a route back into the game. Northend didn’t lie down however and McKillop went very close after some great passing work from Rocks led to McKillop firing a low shot across the net but just wide.

Connor’s best route back into the game looked like it may come from a set piece apart from a few long range efforts which were well saved by returning keeper Jason Givens. Givens dealt well with some very tough crosses into the box and looked assured under any aerial pressure.

Connor did get a chance as they won a free kick wide on the left and a really good whipped delivery found it’s way into the net after a touch in the box. For the last 10 minutes Northend clung on well and managed to hold out under some pressure to finish the game as victors. Full time 2-1

Panel: J Givens, J Dallas, P O’Boyle, J Montgomery, L Rea (c), M Armstrong, C McKillop, C Gordon, C Metrustry, J Hunter, J Rocks, C Black, R Mark, M Taggart, K Barr

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Northend United 0 North Ballymena Rangers 3 Saturday 19th Novrmbrt 2022

Northend continued league action against North Ballymena, last season’s Division 3 champions.

The performance was a far cry from the positive result the week before, and Northend struggled to bring intensity and quality to a game which was played in a very scrappy fashion.

The first half lacked chances for both sides, with Christy McKillop going closest for the Blues with a free kick which was well tipped over the bar.

Just before the halfway mark, North Ballymena scored with their first real chance of the game as a corner was only half cleared and as it came into the box again, it was bundled over the line. Half time 0-1

The second half began as the first ended, with Northend losing the ball in their own half and North Ballymena firing a goal in from 20 yards to extend the Lead.

As the game went on, Northend did improve but they didn’t manage to get a route back into the game. Jamie Montgomery wasted the best chance of the game volleying over from close range and Conall Gordon saw a few half chances come to nothing.

Late in the game on the break North Ballymena exposed the young Blues on the break and scored to kill the game. Full time 0-3

Panel: J Scullion, J Dallas, J Montgomery, J Montgomery, L Rea (c), C McKillop, C McKenna, C Gordon, C Metrustry, K Barr, J Rocks, P O’Boyle, J Hunter, M Taggart, C Martin, C Black

Waveney Swifts 0 Northend United 2 Saturday 12th Novemmber 2022

This week Northend resumed to league action with a match away at Waveney to take on Waveney Swifts. After defeat in the reverse fixture earlier in the season, the Blues knew they would have to be at their best to get anything from the game.

The early tempo was all set by the young Northend team, who had two debutants leading the attack with Kai Barr starting his first game since his move to the senior team from last season’s U19s, and new signing Joe Rocks accompanying him. The early pressure nearly led to an early lead as Christy McKillop burst down the left hand side of the area before crossing low for Barr to divert the ball into the net only for the offside flag to spoil a perfect start in his first game.

The left hand side was where Northend were getting a lot of joy with Jamie Montgomery particularly impressive at left back and Conor McKenna get acres of space on the left wing.

At around the 15 minute mark Northend did take the lead with a near carbon copy of the disallowed goal. Again McKillop overlapped McKenna on the left of the box and drilled a low cross which Barr met with a neat finish at the near post and opened his account for the senior team.

An attack on the right hand side was very close to extending the lead, as Conall Gordon burst away to drill another low cross into the box and this time Barr could only fire his effort into the crossbar before the follow up from Jamie Speirs was saved well by the Swifts keeper.

Northend knew that with the lead at only one goal they were always susceptible to being caught on the counter, but any half chances that Swifts had were held well by Jude Scullion playing his first game of the season. Before the half, Rocks, Speirs and McKillop all had long range efforts go narrowly wide or saved and Northend went into the break still with their narrow lead. Half time 0-1

Knowing a goal was key to killing the game, James Hunter was summoned from the bench in an attempt to get the key second goal, and soon after coming on had a big chance saved as Jamie Speirs played a cute ball behind the defence and Hunters effort was smothered by the keeper impressively.

Rocks was causing all sorts of problems for the Swifts defence, Holding up the ball well and bringing Speirs and McKillop into the game as the two centre midfielders ran the tempo of the game showing their class. McKillop showed evidence of why he was voted player of the month for the division in October as he had 2 attempts from the edge of the box go just past the post.

The back 4 of Montgomery, Dallas, Rea and Armstrong were absolutely solid in limiting the Swifts chances and this paid dividends when Northend finally did manage to get the killer goal. Hunter worked hard to earn a free kick in shooting range and McKillop stepped up to rifle a low effort goal wards which was tipped onto the post brilliantly, only for the unlikely source of Joe Dallas to follow in and finish the chance to the jubilation of the whole squad.

The last 20 minutes were professionally dealt with by the Blues as they held the ball brilliantly and didn’t allow Swifts any sniff of a comeback, and were unlucky not to extend their lead further. Hunter turned on the edge of the box and his low effort was again brilliantly saved, and then Callum Black went close with a free kick which was just over the bar. In the last minutes of the game, a frustrated Swifts saw a red card after a late challenge on McKillop and another was lucky to survive the same treatment with a similar challenge on Rocks after already receiving a yellow.

At the final whistle, the management were pleased to reflect on a fantastic performance in which all of the squad played well. It is pleasing to see that 13 of the 16 man panel have played for the Northend youth setup up until U19s and evidence that the coaching and management at the club is reaping rewards. Full time 0-2

Panel: J Scullion, J Dallas, J Montgomery, J Montgomery, L Rea (c), C McKillop, J Speirs, C McKenna, C Gordon, K Barr, J Rocks, P O’Boyle, C Metrustry, J Hunter, C Martin, C Black