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Ballyclare Colts U11s 1 Northend United U11s 2 Saturday 12th November 2011

This eagerly awaited top of the table encounter finally took place at Mallusk on Saturday, with both sides playing their part in this three goal thriller. In summary, this match was a game of two halves, with the league leaders going a goal up and shading the first half, before Northend dominated the second half from start to finish, completing an astonishing comeback to eventually win the match.

The first half of the match started tentatively and was scrappy with no real efforts on goal from both sides. Northend should have gone one goal up on twelve minutes, but the referee made a horrendous mistake, in disallowing a perfectly good Eoin Hynds header for off-side, when the same player had at least two opposing defenders in front of him. Other contentious refereeing decisions appeared to unsettle Northend and their opponents took complete advantage of this. On twenty minutes, they went one goal ahead and from then until half-time, they shaded possession, without really creating any more clear chances on goal. Half-time score 1-0.

After a stern talking-to at half-time, Northend started the second half like a house on fire and started to trouble the Ballyclare Colts defence, which they had barely troubled in the first half. Northend's midfield trio of Scott Sempey, Connor Meneely and Robbie McGaughey began to win both first and second balls in midfield and attack the Colts both through the middle with Stuart Lecky and on the flanks through Sean McKay, Conor McGarry and Eoin Hynds.

The Colts defence ,under constant pressure ,conceded one free-kick after another and it was one of these that was to lead to Northend's equaliser. After a foul on Scott Sempey, Sean McKay crossed a free kick over to the far post, which Conor McGarry knocked past the helpless Colts goalkeeper, to equalise the match.

At one goal each, there was only ever going to be one winner, and Northend started to attack in droves with Stuart Lecky, Scott Sempey, Conor Meneely and Sean McKay all having good chances to score. The winner game on forty-seven minutes, with possibly the goal of the season, from midfield maestro, Robbie McGaughey. After taking the ball of his opponents foot in midfield, Robbie dribbled past four Colts players, before drawing the Colts goalkeeper out and coolly slotting the ball by him. This was an absolutely brilliant goal by Robbie McGaughey and the Colts players heads visibly dropped after this. Northend created at least four good chances after this but were kept out by the Colts goalkeeper, clearly their Man of the Match. Final score was 2-1 to the Northend Blues.

This was a great victory for Northend and this eighth straight league win, puts them deservedly joint top of the table. All Northend's players were superb on the day and had to be, to defeat this strong and stubborn Ballyclare Colts team. It was not easy to pick a Man of the Match on the day, as all played well from one to fourteen, but in the end, both Josh Mitchell in defence and Robbie McGaughey in midfield, just shaded their team mates. For this young Northend team, the title race is now well and truly on

Men of the Match: Josh Mitchell, Robbie McGaughey

Panel: L McAfee, M Willighan, C McGarry, J Mitchell, R McCluney, S McKay (c), C Meneely, R McGaughey, S Sempey, E Hynds, S Lecky, P Kyle, T McAuley, T McDowall

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Northend United U11s 9 Antrim Rovers U11s 3 Saturday 5th November 2011

After six straight league wins in a row, Northend were quietly confident of getting a result against Antrim Rovers at home. Northend started the game well, just edging the possession and looking the more likely team to score. Robbie McGaughey had what appeared to be a perfectly good goal, just ruled out for off-side, when Antrim Rovers broke free on the half-way line and slotted the ball past Northend goalkeeper Louis McAfee to go one up. Northend quickly equalised with a Sean McKay goal after some great work on the right from Scott Sempey. Northend went 2-1 up after Robbie McGaughey scored shortly after. Sean McKay added another to make it 3-1 when the same Antrim Rovers player broke free again on the left to make it 3-2. Philip Kyle scored just before the break to make it 4-2 for Northend. Half-time score 4-2.

Northend started the second half quite well, but as they looked more and more vulnerable to Antrim Rovers hitting them on the break, Northend brought on Stuart Lecky to create more movement up front and Thomas McAuley to restrict Antrim Rovers forward play on the left hand side. This appeared to give Northend more solidity and shortly afterwards, Sean McKay scored for his hat-trick after some great play by Stuart Lecky. Conor McGarry scored within a few minutes to make it 6-2. Scott Sempey made it 7-2 then crossed shortly after for Stuart Lecky to head past the helpless Antrim Rovers goalkeeper to make it 8-2. Scott Sempey made it 9-2 just before the final whistle.

In the end, this was a great win for Northend and sets them up nicely for next week's away fixture at Ballyclare Colts. All three substitutes, Stuart Lecky, Thomas McAuley and Thomas McDowall made a difference when they came on. Both Sean McKay for his hat-trick and all round forward play plus Conor Meneely with a great midfield performance, scooped Man of the Match. Both just edged out Scott Sempey who has got his good form back at just the right time of the season.

Men of the Match: Sean McKay, Connor Meneely

Panel: L McAfee, M Willighan, C McGarry, R McCluney, J Mitchell, S McKay, R McGaughey, C Meneely, S Sempey, R Campbell (c), P Kyle, S Lecky, T McAuley, T McDowall