Northend United Youth FC

Limavady United Colts U11s 6 Northend United U11s 2

Saturday 30th January 2010

Northend United Youth U11s travelled to Limavady for a NIBFA cup match but probably wished the match was cancelled.

A mixture of non tackling, lack of talking and unfair refereeing decisions had Limavady four-nil up at half time with no way back for United.

Limavady had Northend on the back foot from the off, with some good passing moves, but just couldn't finish, firing a couple of shots over the bar. Northend then broke and from a tight angle Zack Herbison did manage to get the ball over the keeper, only for it to hit the post and be cleared.

After ten minutes Limavady scored when their big forward turned and rifled the ball into the net. Much to the displeasure of the Northend contingent, they couldn't believe it when the referee awarded the goal as it was scored from an offside position.

Shortly afterwards, Limavady Colts won a corner from which they scored their second goal. Their third goal, again another contentious offside decision, caused the young Northend player's heads to drop.

Ben Sempey was replaced by Robbie Dennison. Limavady scored another goal to put the game safe by half time.

A quick shuffle and two substitutions were made at half time with Ryan Gordon and Matthew Adams replacing Crawford and Milligan, who both had picked up knocks from the hard hitting Limavady team.

A cross from the Limavady left winger to another player in an offside position produced Limavady's fifth goal, their third from an offside position.

Northend now had their best spell of the game and with it, Zack Herbison won a corner. The ball was played in by Ryan McKenna and there was Conor McHugh who slammed it into the net for Northend's first goal.

Limavady then won a corner and Northend's luck just wasn't in when a clearance cannoned back off their player and into their net.

Credit to Northend who started to get the ball down and put some good passing moves together, only for Limavady to get in some fine last gasp tackling.

Northend did get the last goal of the game which involved good link-up play between Ryan McKenna, Rhys O'Mullan, David Kilgore and Eamon Elliott before Zack Herbison finished it off, giving the keeper no chance.

A big thanks to Limavady Colts for their hospitality and good luck for the rest of the season.

Man of the Match: Ryan McKenna

Panel: James Morgan, Ryan McKenna, Andrew Milligan, Oliver Boyle, Jamie Crawford, Philip Maybin, Conor McHugh, Ben Sempey, David Kilgore, Zack Herbison, Rhys O'Mullan, Robbie Dennison, Ryan Gordon, Matthew Adams, Eamon Elliott, Archie Magill

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Northend United U11s 4 Upper Ardoyne U11s 0

Saturday 23rd January 2010

Northend U11s welcomed Upper Ardoyne to the Ballymena Showgrounds for a league match. Played on a Friday night under floodlights, this was a first for both teams and was watched by a sizeable crowd.

Northend started off slowly as this was their first game from early December. Conor Graham and Oliver Boyle started winning the ball in midfield and this helped the young Northend team to settle.

Northend had to make a change after twenty minutes when their left back Andrew Milligan went off injured, being replaced by Robbie Dennison. United then made the breakthrough when Conor McHugh and Conor Graham combined to set up Zack Herbison, who beat a defender and shot past the Ardoyne keeper.

Northend dominated the remainder of the first half with Rhys O'Mullan being prominant in all United's attacking, but the half time score remained 1-0 in Northend's favour.

The second half started as the first had finished, United in control and after only a minute Northend had doubled their lead when the excellent Rhys O'Mullan beat his man and played the ball to David Kilgore who blasted it past the keeper.

Goal number three came after five minutes when Conor Graham hit a shot from twenty-five yards only to see it rebound off the post, but following up was the ever alert Zack Herbison, to hammer it home off the underside of the bar from ten yards.

Northend scored shortly after when again Rhys O'Mullan beat a defender to cross the ball in and David Kilgore got on the end of it to smash it past the Ardoyne keeper for his second and United's fourth.

Substitutions were made with Graham and O'Mullan being replaced by Ricky Waide and Archie Magill. When Ardoyne did attack, Northend's defence of Ryan McKenna, Robbie Dennison, Philip Maybin and Jamie Dennison, playing their first game together were absolutely solid and gave nothing away.

More substitutions were made with Crawford and Boyle being replaced by Matthew Adams and James Brown. The rest of the game was played out with some good passing from both teams.

Men of the Match: Philip Maybin, Rhys O'Mullan

Panel: James Morgan, Ryan McKenna, Philip Maybin, Andrew Milligan, Jamie Crawford, Oliver Boyle, Conor Graham, Conor McHugh, David Kilgore, Zack Herbison, Rhys O'Mullan, Robbie Dennison, Ricky Waide, Archie Magill, Matthew Adams, James Brown

Northend United U11s 0 Bertie Peacocks 4

Saturday 12th December 2009

Northend played unbeaten League leaders Bertie Peacocks on Saturday and both teams started off well, with Northend just shading the play early on but couldn't find a way past Bertie Peacock's big, quick defence.

Rhys O'Mullan broke down the left but just dragged his shot past the far post and when Zack Herbison did get a shot the keeper saved with his legs.

Bertie Peacocks then won a tackle in midfield which fell kindly to their forward who broke clear and slipped the ball past the outrushing James Morgan, starting his first game in goal for Northend, and putting Peacocks in the lead. The score remainder 1-0 to Bertie Peacocks until half-time

It didn't help Northend's cause any when Conor Graham had to go off at half time with a knee injury, and was replaced by Eamon Elliott.

The second half begin with Bertie Peacocks starting the brighter and they scored two quick goals when Northend's defence failed to clear the ball. Ben Sempey then replaced Ricky Waide.

Bertie Peacocks then punished Northend's poor defending again by adding a fourth goal. Andrew Milligan replaced Matthew Adams.

This was a lesson on how to defend by Bertie Peacocks and hopefully Northend's young players will take this onboard for their next game.

Man of the Match: Conor McHugh

Panel: James Morgan, Robbie Dennison, Conor McHugh, Matthew Adams, Ryan McKenna, Philip Maybin, Ricky Waide, Conor Graham, David Kilgore, Zack Herbison, Rhys O'Mullan, Ryan Gordon, Andrew Milligan, Ben Sempey, Eamon Elliott

Northend United U11s 8 Barn United U11s 0

Saturday 5th December 2009

Northend United Youth U11s welcomed Barn United U11s to Smithfield in the league, having not played a match for six weeks and missing three of their regulars, but this didn't seem to hinder the young team as it only took them six minutes to open the score.

The first came from Conor Graham, playing in an unaccustomed midfield role, laying on Rhys O'Mullan who sprinted to the edge of the area before giving the Barn keeper no chance with a great strike. Northend started to take control in midfield with Eamon Elliott and Man of the Match Conor Graham pulling the strings.

It took a while for Northend to score again, as Barn's defence were not giving much away. Ricky Waide floated in a free kick and Conor Graham controlled the ball and slotted it past the helpless keeper.

Northend scored again when new boy David Kilgore somehow made time and space to turn in the box and rifle the ball high into the net, leaving the half time score 3-0 to Northend.

New signing James Morgan replaced Anthony O'Neill in the Northend goal at half time. Northend started the second half were they left off the first, with Zack Herbison forcing a corner. Rhys O'Mullan swung the ball straight into the net for his second and Northend's fourth. The fifth goal came from Zack Herbison, who after having a shot saved, somehow managed to gain control of the ball again and shoot past two defenders and the keeper.

Conor McHugh, another new signing, replaced the hard working Andrew Milligan.

Northend's sixth was goal of the match when Ricky Waide was played down the right wing and he let go with a rocket from twenty five yards, giving the helpless keeper no chance.

Ben Sempey replaced Waide. More was to come from Northend when Rhys O'Mullan played the ball to Zack Herbison. His through-ball played in David Kilgore, who out muscled his marker and slotted the ball through the outrushing keeper's legs.

Then Kilgore picked the ball up in his own half and out sprinted the Barn defence, but the keeper came out to make a great block, forcing the ball wide. Kilgore retrieved it and played it back inside to Zack Herbison who shot high; the keeper got a touch but couldn't prevent the ball ending up in the net for his second and Northend's eighth goal.

Fair play to Barn United who kept going to the end of the game and were unlucky to hit the cross bar late on. This was a good performance from the young Northend team who played some boys out of position and it was also the first game for others.

Man of the Match: Conor Graham

Panel: Anthony O'Neill, Ryan McKenna, Matthew Adams, Philip Maybin, Andrew Milligan, Ricky Waide, Conor Graham, Eamon Elliott, David Kilgore, Zack Herbison, Rhys O'Mullan, James Morgan, Conor McHugh, Ben Sempey, Ryan Gordon