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Northend United 1 Limavady United 5 Saturday 1st December 2012

This scoreline does not reflect this game as Northend went up against the league leaders missing several players due to illness. However they put in a great performance, especially in the second-half, as they did not let their heads drop with the whole team working really hard to stop the fast moving Limavady team. Northend had a great chance to go infront in the first minute when Charlie Metrustry fired over from close range and with the game going from end to end Jason Givens in the Northend goal for the sick Sean Higgins was doing a great job making several good saves. As the game moved on Limavady started to get more of the ball and went infront with a well timed run into the Northend box to score, they then added three more before half-time. Half time score 4-0

Northend were under pressure from the start with Limavady's pass and move game so quick but they rode out the storm and got more into the game and started to push Limavady back with Leon Spurgeon in great form upfront holding the ball up well and Northend pulled one back when Charlie Metrustry fired home from close range to give the keeper no chance. Northend had another chance cleared of the line and several more scrambles in the front of the Limavady goal before Limavady scored. The backline of Connolly, Kirkpatrick, Meeke, and Coates worked really hard with some great tackling and closing down and Stewart in the middle always tracking back to help out and Jude Scullion upfront keeping the Limavady defenders busy the nine players of Northend were a real credit to the club with this improving team performance.

Man of the Match: Oisin Connolly

Panel: J Givens, J Kirkpatrick, C Meeke, J Coates, O Connolly (c), C Metrustry, M Stewart, L Spurgeon, J Scullion

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Northend United 2 Oak Athletic 1 Friday 22nd November 2012

This match, played on Friday night at the Clough MUGA, turned out to be a cracker with both teams playing great football on a very cold night. Oak Athletic from Derry were fourth in the league before this game and with Northend looking for their first win, on paper the Derry team were favourites. However under the new management of Conor Connolly and Dessie Metrustry, Northend took the game to Oak Athletic with the backline of Coates, Givens, Connolly and Stewart stopping any threats from the Oak frontline and turning it into a counterattack. Meeke and Forsythe in the middle of the park and Scullion and Metrustry up front were putting pressure on the defence of Athletic. The game moved from end to end with both keepers pulling of good saves from long distance. Athletic went infront on twenty minutes when a stray pass allowed the Oak Athletic player time to score past the advancing Sean Higgins in the Northend goal. The score remained 1-0 to half-time.

The game really kicked in for Northend in the second half with them playing the better football and they set out to level the score from the first whistle. They attacked the Athletic goal with wave after wave of attacks with Leon Spurgeon now moved upfront and putting more pressure onto the Oak backline. This paid of when a ball played back to Matthew Stewart was struck first time from twenty yards out and flew over the Oak Athletic keeper into the top corner to level the score.

Things got better for Northend when Oisin Connolly scored the goal of the game when they won a free-kick after another attack and when Connolly stepped up to take it, he coolly placed the ball into the far corner of the Oak Athletic goal to give Northend a deserved lead. However, they were made to fight the whole way with Sean Higgins pulling of three brilliant saves near the end of the game to give Northend a well deserved win.

Man of the Match: Team Performance

Panel: S Higgins, J Givens, J Coates, O Connolly (c), M Stewart, C Metrustry, C Meeke, J Scullion, C Forsythe, C Metrustry, L Spurgeon

Northend United 0 Coleraine Olympic 4 Saturday 3rd November 2012

This scoreline flattered Coleraine as Northend had lots of chances to score but once again the finishing let them down with Coates, Stewart, Forsythe and Scullion missing good chances. Northend started the game well with the link up play very good with Conner Meeke and Charlie Metrustry on the left wing and Jason Givens and Josh Coates on the right wing, driving at the Coleraine team. Oisin Connolly in the middle of the Blues defence was cutting out any dangerous attacks and Jay Kirkpatrick in the middle of the park was breaking up any counter-attacks. Matthew Stewart and Callum Forsythe were stretching the Institute defence with their darting play.

Northend fell behind after Sean Higgins in the Blues goals pulled of a great save but as the Northend player went to clear the ball it bounced up of his leg into the path of the incoming Coleraine player who smashed his shot into the net giving Higgins in goal no chance. Northend then had three players injured in a matter of minutes, so changes were made and Coleraine scored two more goals as the United players were finding their feet. Half time score 3-0

The second half was a very even affair with both teams having chances and Sean Higgins in the Northend goals in great form. If only the Northend team can put away their chances these scorelines will be reversed as they are playing good football and it is only infront of the opponents goal that they are missing the cutting edge.

Man of the Match: Conor Meeke

Panel: S Higgins, J Givens, J Coates, O Connolly (c), C Metrustry, C Meeke, J Kirkpatrick, M Stewart, C Forsythe, J Scullion, Marcel