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Ballyclare Colts U12s 2 Northend United U12s 7 Saturday 26th March 2011

The young Blues had to travel to the neutral venue of Greenisland to play Ballyclare Colts in the Shield on a lovely sunny morning. The match got under way and it didn't take Northend long to open the scoring when Zack Herbison flicked the ball through to Oliver Boyle, who held off a couple of challenges before slotting it past the keeper. The blues doubled their lead soon after, Herbison and Ben Sempey combining in midfield and playing the ball out to Boyle on the right, who beat the defender before crossing for David Kilgore to hammer it into the net.

Ballyclare broke through but James Morgan saved and the ball was cleared. Northend now playing some attractive football found the net again. Herbison was fouled just outside the box and up stepped big Philip Maybin to drive the ball past the keeper. The score remained 3-0 to half time.

The second half started and Northend kept the pressure on with some neat passing football. Andrew Milligan replaced young Ben Sempey who had ran his socks off on the left wing.

The blues scored their fourth goal. Conor Graham and Maybin won the midfield battle and got the ball out to Boyle on the wing. Once again he beat his man and crossed for Kilgore to slide in for his second goal of the game.

Northend then were awarded a penalty when Kilgore was upended in the box and up stepped Herbison who tucked it into the corner for United's fifth.

The Blues were playing great football and when Herbison sent Milligan off down the left wing his excellent cross was met by Boyle whose header just went wide. Eamonn Elliott replaced hardworking Boyle on the right wing and Jamie Crawford replaced the reliable Robbie Dennison at the centre of defence.

The referee then awarded Northend a second penalty for a push on Milligan. Up stepped Herbison again to dispatch the ball into the other corner of the net for his second and United's sixth.

Fair play to Ballyclare who kept their heads up and did find the net when the big striker beat the offside trap and gave Morgan in Northend's goals no chance.

Sam Stewart and Jack Galbraith came on for McKenna and Downey who both gave solid performances at fullback.

Northend hit the net again, this time Graham playing the ball over the defence and Herbison ran on to volley the ball past the keeper for his hat-trick and United's seventh.

The Colts scored near the end of the match when the striker chipped Morgan but as he got back to catch the ball on the line it seemed to bobble out of his hands and the striker ran in to head it into the net.

The last few minutes were played out for a final score of 7-2 to Northend.

Well done to the boys who all gave a good solid performance and credit to Ballyclare Colts who are a decent team.

Men of the Match: Conor Graham, Zack Herbison

Panel: J Morgan, G Downey, R McKenna, R Dennison, C McHugh, P Maybin, C Graham, O Boyle, D Kilgore, Z Herbison(c),B Sempey, J Crawford, E Elliott, A Milligan, S Stewart, J Galbraith

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Ballyclare Colts U12s 2 Northend United U12s 4 Saturday 19th March 2011

Northend Youth United U12s had to travel to Mallusk to play Ballyclare Colts in the Knock-Out Cup missing a couple of players, knowing a place in the semi final was at stake.

Northend kicked off the first half in perfect playing conditions but for the first few minutes no team could get their foot on the ball. The Blues did take the lead when Oliver Boyle crossed the ball and when the ball fell to Zack Herbison he controlled it a blasted it past the keeper.

Northend doubled their lead midway through the first half when the referee awarded a free kick twenty five yards out. Up stepped Philip Maybin and his shot deceived the keeper and nestled in the back of the net. The score remained 2-0 to half time.

Colts kicked off the second half and from their first attack were awarded a penalty. Ryan McKenna who was standing in for James Morgan in the Northend goals seemed to collide with a Ballyclare player and the referee pointed to the spot. The big Colts midfielder blasted the ball high past McKenna who couldn't quite keep it out.

Oliver Boyle who was struggling with an injury was replaced by Eamonn Elliott. Northend then won a corner which Maybin took it and when the ball was cleared back out to him he crossed again and there was Kilgore who headed it home from ten yards. The Blues now were on top and when Gareth Downey played an excellent pass towards Herbison he won the race and somehow held off the big defender and steadied himself before firing past the keeper, to leave the score 4-1 to Northend.

Sam Stewart and Jamie Crawford replaced Ben Sempey and Jack Galbraith.

Ballyclare did score the last goal when their forward ran threw and beat McKenna from ten yards.

This was a solid Northend performance with some players having to play out of position and now have the semi final to look forward to. Well done lads and thanks once again to the parents and supporters and all who provide lifts to the matches.

Men of the Match: Zach Herbison, Gareth Downey

Panel: R McKenna, G Downey, J Galbraith, C McHugh, R Dennison, P Maybin, C Graham, O Boyle, D Kilgore, Z Herbison(c), B Sempey, J Crawford, E Elliott, S Stewart

Northend United U12s 5 Willowbank U12s 1 Saturday 5th March 2011

Northend U12s welcomed Willowbank to the Smithfield playing pitch for their first meeting of the season and this was also the young Blues first game in Ballymena since October.

The half started with both teams not able to get a hold of the game. The Blues did break the deadlock on ten minutes when Zack Herbison played the ball through to David Kilgore who held off a defender and beat the keeper from twelve yards. The Blues usually drive on from here but still couldn't get their passing game going and Willowbank equalized when a couple of mistakes in defence let in the forward who

squared for his team mate to slot past the helpless James Morgan in goals. The score stayed the same to half time at 1-1

The second half started, and after the half time talk the blues seemed to come out with a bit more purpose. Northend started to take control of the game and took the lead again. This time Philip Maybin beat a couple of players before hitting a great shot from the edge of the area giving the keeper no chance. The boys now started to get a bit of passing together with Maybin and Conor Graham now winning the midfield battle.

Maybin sent young Ben Sempey down the right and when he played in Kilgore the big striker again made no mistake from just inside the area.

Eamonn Elliott replaced Andrew Milligan, who picked up a knock in the first half.

Sempey moved over to the left wing, and indeed from another of his runs Northend scored again. The ball was again squared to Kilgore and this time the big striker nearly burst the net from fifteen yards for an excellent hat-trick.

Jack Galbraith and Jamie Crawford replaced Ryan McKenna and Conor McHugh to give everyone a run out.

Northend scored a fifth goal when Eamonn Elliott went on a run beating two defenders and as he shot the keeper saved with his legs only to see the ball ricochet back off the ever alert Herbison and into the net.

This was a good second half performance by all the boys leaving the final score 5-1 and keeps them at the right end of the table.

Men of the Match: Philip Maybin, David Kilgore

Panel: J Morgan, G Downey, R McKenna, R Dennison, C McHugh, P Maybin, C Graham, B Sempey, D Kilgore, Z Herbison(c), A Milligan, J Crawford, E Elliott, J Galbraith

Ballyclare Colts U12s 1 Northend United U12s 6 Saturday 19th February 2011

Northend United Youth U12s had to travel to Ballyclare on Saturday to play the league leaders. This match was always going to be an intense affair and the boys knew they had to be up for it.

United started well but when the referee failed to spot a blatant offside the Ballyclare striker ran down on goals but James Morgan in nets narrowed the angle and the striker could only hit the post and the ball was cleared.

Northend got into their stride and Oliver Boyle had a one on one with the keeper only for the keeper to make a decent save. After ten minutes the Blues broke the deadlock. Philip Maybin and Boyle combined well and the ball was played to Zack Herbison who squared the ball to David Kilgore, who steadied himself before shooting low past the keeper.

Now Northend were well on top and five minutes later doubled their lead when Conor McHugh played the ball up field for Kilgore to head on and Herbison got in behind the defence and gave the keeper no chance. Oliver Boyle down the right hand side was giving the defender a torrid time and this led to the third goal. From a corner, Philip Maybin crossed the ball into the box, Kilgore headed on and there was Herbison the smallest man on the pitch to flick his header past the keeper.

A couple of minutes later the referee awarded Ballyclare a dubious penalty for what he deemed a hand ball. Up stepped the midfielder to shoot hard but somehow Morgan produced an excellent save diving to his right and then pounced on the rebound.

Ballyclare did score a couple of minutes later when the same player hit a great shot from just outside the box and young Morgan slipped as he was going for it, leaving the half time score 3-1 to the Northend Blues.

The second half started with Ballyclare breaking down the right and for not a wonderful save from Morgan, tipping the ball over the bar, would have scored. That gave Northend the kick they needed and indeed that was the last shot Ballyclare had with Northend's defence of Ryan McKenna, Conor McHugh, Robbie Dennison and Gareth Downey dealing with everything. Ben Sempey replaced the hardworking Andrew Milligan.

The Blues scored soon after with Maybin releasing Sempey down the left wing and as he crossed there was big Kilgore to fire past the keeper.

Ballyclare were starting to get frustrated with the slick Northend passing and indeed were guilty of some late tackles, although the referee acknowledged this didn't once caution them, much to the disgust of the Northend coaches.

The Blues rose above this and after a fine run by Boyle on the left he squared the ball to Kilgore who slipped the ball past the keeper for his hat-trick and Northend's fifth.

Just before the whistle, good work from Conor Graham saw him cut in from the right and give the keeper no chance from the edge of the box for Northend's sixth goal.

This was a tremendous display from the young Northend team against a decent Ballyclare Colts team. Thanks to the big support who turned out to cheer the boys on to this deserved victory.

Men of the Match: Philip Maybin, Conor McHugh

Panel: J Morgan, G Downey, C McHugh, R Dennison, R McKenna, P Maybin, O Boyle, C Graham, D Kilgore, Z Herbison(c),A Milligan, B Sempey, E Elliott, J Crawford, J Galbraith, S Stewart

Northend United U12s 5 Larne Youth U12s 0 Saturday 12th February 2011

Northend United Youth U12's had to travel to Mallusk for their home match with Larne Youth and it was Larne who started off the quicker winning three corners in the first few minutes. However good defending kept them out and indeed the young blues broke out of defence and the ball was played to Oliver Boyle on the right wing, he beat the defender and crossed for David Kilgore to smash past the keeper.

United soon doubled their lead, this time Andrew Milligan on the left crossed for Kilgore to score low into the net.

Northend now were well on top with their neat passing game and Conor Graham and Philip Maybin winning the midfield battle, United got a third. When Graham was fouled twenty five yards out, Maybin smashed the resulting free-kick against the bar and when the ball came back out to Boyle he hammered the ball into the net from the edge of the box.

The blues scored again before half time, Zack Herbison won a corner and when Maybin played the ball in there was Herbison to sweep it home, to leave the half time score 4-0 to Northend.

The second half got under way and Larne pressed Northend but the back line of Gareth Downey, Robbie Dennison, Conor McHugh and Ryan McKenna gave nothing away and James Morgan in goals was ever alert.

Northend did score again when Downey played the ball to Maybin in midfield who held off a couple of challenges before shooting past the keeper from the edge of the area.

Ben Sempey, Jack Galbraith, Eamonn Elliott and Sam Bennett replaced Milligan, McKenna, McHugh and Maybin to give everybody a good run out. Final score remained 5-0 to Northend.

This was a great all round display with some good individual performances against a decent Larne team which keeps the young blues still in contention.

Men of the Match: Oliver Boyle, Conor Graham, Robbie Dennison

Panel: J Morgan, G Downey, R Dennison, C McHugh, R McKenna, P Maybin, C Graham, O Boyle, D Kilgore, Z Herbison, A Milligan, S Bennett, E Elliott, B Sempey, J Galbraith