Northend United 5 Loughgall Colts 1                                    Saturday 1st March 2014

Northend got back into winning ways with a convincing 5-1 victory in this league match. Building on last week's 2nd half performance against Carrick, Northend were very impressive at times in this match. They dominated from the start and should have been two goals up before Conor McGarry set up Ruairi Campbell on eight minutes to make it 1 - 0. Northend pressed Loughgall the entire first half, and with Conall Gordon on the right and Tom Patchett on the left, they tortured Loughgall's defence. Northend hit both post and bar again before the break and were unlucky to go in at half-time only one goal to the good. Half-time score 1-0.

Six minutes into the second half, Ruairi Campbell made it 2-0, reacting quickest from a Robert Iovu corner. Six minutes later, against the run of play, Loughgall pulled one back to make it 2-1. The next goal was vitally important and when Tom Patchett released Ruairi Campbell yet again 5 minutes later, this time Ruairi made it count and grabbed his hat-trick to make it 3-1 to Northend. Conor McGarry fed in Ruairi Campbell on 26 minutes whose goal bound shot went in off a Loughgall defender. The 'Dubious Goals panel' have since sat and awarded this goal to Ruairi. 4-1. It was Ruairi's turn to play assist, and when his shot struck the bar and bounced clear with 2 minutes to go, Philip Kyle was first to react the knock the ball home. Final score 5-1.

This was a much-deserved win for Northend, especially since Loughgall had defeated Lisburn Youth 3 - 1 the previous week. Northend worked hard from start to finish in this match, and the return of Conor McGarry and Niall Craig to the squad, definitely had a positive impact here. Northend play league leaders Hillsborough next week and if they play and work half as well as they did today, win, lose or draw, I'll be more than happy.

Man of the Match: Conor McGarry

Panel: C Brennan, S Frew, S Lecky, R McCluney, J Brady (c), R Iovu, M Willighan, T Patchett, C Gordon, C McGarry, R Campbell, T McAuley, P Kyle, N Craig
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Northend United 2 Carrick Rangers 3                                                 Saturday 22nd February 2014

Northend United went into this match looking for their first league win since Christmas, missing first team players Conor McGarry and Niall Craig. However, this was also made more difficult by the return to Carrick's side of their two forwards from Linfield, who formed over a 60 goal partnership in the East Antrim League, two seasons ago. The game itself started fairly even, with both sides forcing corners. It was Carrick who took the lead on 15 minutes when Northend's defence switched off at a Carrick throw-in , their left winger crossed to the far post, and their right winger converted to make it one nil. Carrick finished the first half probably the stronger of the two sides, with Connor Brennan pulling off one superb save, but failed to add to their scoreline. Half-time score 0-1

Northend started the second half much the stronger side and dominated the early possession. Against the run of play, Carrick scored from a corner, when Northend failed to clear their lines 2 - 0. Northend reacted almost immediately and when they forced yet another corner, the Carrick keeper fumbled Robert Iovu's great delivery into his own net. 2 - 1. At this stage, Northend were on top and went on the hunt for the equaliser. They had great chances to equalise from both open play and set-pieces, but just could not find that much-deserved equaliser. Northend were defending well and Carrick were creating nothing. Despite this, Carrick scored a third goal with seven minutes to go from a well-struck direct free kick from twenty yards. With nothing to lose Northend went on the attack straightaway and scored through Ruairi Campbell with five minutes to go, to make it 3 - 2. It was all Northend until full-time but sadly they could not find the equaliser that their play probably deserved. Full-time score 2-3

This was a much better performance from Northend and the pleasing thing here was that they got visibly stronger as the match wore on. They defended well for the bulk of the match, worked ever so hard, especially in the second half, and created far more chances than Carrick, over the course of the whole match. They must however learn to defend better at set-pieces, from which they have been heavily punished in games since Christmas. John Brady was the games outstanding player and he formed a strong defensive pairing with Robert McCluney in this match.
Man of the Match: John Brady

Panel: C Brennan, S Frew, S Lecky, J Brady, R McCluney, T Patchett, C Gordon, R Iovu, M Willighan, R Campbell, P Kyle, T McAuley, C Fullerton
............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. Northend United 1 Oxford Sunnyside 5                                                  Saturday 8th February 2014

Having beaten Oxford Sunnyside 5 - 4 when they last played them in the league, Northend were quietly confident of progressing to the next round of the Lisburn Cup. Oxford started the stronger of the two sides in terrible wet and windy conditions. They passed the ball well early on, without troubling Northend much in front of goal. They took the lead on thirteen minutes when a long through ball, passed through the Northend defence with ease, then an Oxford forward bore down on goal unchallenged to easily score 1 - 0. Northend slowly worked hard to get back into the match and deservedly equalised through Robert Iovu on 24 minutes. Oxford took the lead on the stroke of half-time, when a strange free kick on the edge of the box was awarded to Oxford, after a superb sliding tackle from Josh Mitchell knocked the ball out for an Oxford throw-in. Even the Oxford Linesman flagged for a throw-in but the referee from 20 yards away saw if differently. Oxford score from the free-kick. Half-time score 1-2.

Northend never showed up for the second half and Oxford deservedly scored four goals after the break. On paper there is nothing between these two sides, but in difficult conditions, only one team  put in the effort to get a result here and unfortunately it was not Northend. They looked disorganised, there was no talking amongst themselves, and their passing and movement was awful,. They failed to take the initiative and move towards an opposition player to tackle them but instead just waited for the other player to pass them and most importantly, they did not close down an opposition player all second half. It was only a few weeks ago when this side defeated current LIDYL leaders, Lisburn Distillery, 5 - 3 in an NIBFA cup-tie, and won this match played superb football. Final score 1-5

So it is back to basics and back to the drawing board for this young side once more.

Man of the Match: Robert Iovu, Conor Brennan

Panel: C Brennan, S Frew, S Lecky, J Brady, J Mitchell, R Iovu, M Willighan, R McCluney, C McGarry, R Campbell (c), T McAuley, P Kyle, N Craig, T Patchett
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Carniny Youth 6 Northend United 3 aet NIBFA Cup                             Saturday 18th January 2014

Northend started the stronger in this local derby NIBFA cup-tie, and went ahead through Ruairi Campbell on 4 minutes, who was assisted by Tom Patchett. While on top early on, Northend missed a catalogue of chances to extend their lead, and Carniny's keeper came to the rescue many times early on. Carniny equalised, against the run of play, on 16 minutes, and gradually came into the match. The scores remained level until half-time, with Ruairi Campbell seeing a good shot go inches past the Carniny upright minutes before half time. Half-time score 1-1.

Two minutes into the restart, a lapse in concentration in the Northend defence, let Carniny take the lead for the first time. Ruairi Campbell however pulled Northend back into the match six minutes later with a superb individual goal. After working hard to get back into the match, all Northend's good work was undone yet again, when Carniny broke through to go 2 - 3 ahead. Carniny looked to have won the match until Ruairi Campbell was deliberately brought down by Carniny's last defender, when clean through , in second half injury-time. Ruairi Campbell despatched the spot-kick to level the scores to take the match to injury-time. Full-time score 3-3.

Carniny took the lead just before half-time in extra-time, when a Northend bye-ball went straight to the feet of a Carniny forward, who took advantage and scored. Carniny scored two more goals, in the last six minutes of extra-time to win the match 3 - 6.

The overall scoreline did flatter Carniny in the end as this match was close from the start to the finish. Overall, Carniny deserved to win this match, as they made fewer defensive errors then Northend. It was a surprise to everyone present though that they finished the match with eleven men, particularly their left back, whose every tackle except one, was high and over the ball, and resulted in 3 separate Northend players needing treatment. After committing these fouls, the same player also amazingly escaped punishment when, as the last man, he deliberately brought down Ruairi Campbell, for the injury-time penalty. Other than that, Northend can have no complaints regarding this match.

Man of the Match: Ruairi Campbell

Panel: C Brennan, S Frew (c), S Lecky, R McCluney, J Mitchell, R Iovu, M Willighan, T Patchett, C McGarry, T McAuley, R Campbell, C Gordon, N Craig, J Brady, P Kyle, C McDonald
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Lisburn Youth 3 Northend United 1                                    Saturday 11th January 2014

I now have some sympathy for David Moyes when he stated last weekend, that he felt his team were playing against both the opposing team and the referee. Make no mistake, Northend were below par in this match and Lisburn Youth were very much up it, but the most impressive thing the referee did on Saturday morning was turn up ten minutes late for the match. Northend were two goals down within 10 minutes, one when a Lisburn throw-in was awarded when it was clearly not, the second when a strange free-kick was awarded on the edge of Northend's penalty box. Northend defended both scenarios poorly, but they should never have had to in the first place. Ruairi Campbell pulled one back for Northend to make it 2 - 1, five minutes before the break, but was denied a clear penalty when he was upended in Lisburn Youths box, on the stroke of half-time. Half-time score 2-1.

Connor Brennan made his goalkeeping debut at half-time, allowing Connor McGarry to take his natural position on the left-hand side. Northend were much better the second half and began to create a few goalscoring opportunities. The match was wide open and both teams were determined to add to their goal tally. The only disappointing thing that marred the second-half performance was that Lisburn Youth got away with several 'over the ball' tackles. The referee took no action until five minutes from the end when he 'yellow carded' a Lisburn Youth player for yet another late and high tackle on Niall Craig. Lisburn Youth scored on the break shortly before the end to make it 3-1. Final score: 3-1

Lisburn Youth were definitely more up for this game than Northend and on this point alone, probably deserved to win the game. Northend, missing influential midfielder Robert Iovu, were definitely under par. Even if a game is poorly refereed, Northend will have to learn to put this aside, use this to motivate them in a positive way and then become more competitive, rather than let a referees actions effect them. Northend will put this result behind them, regroup this week in training, and get ready for next Saturdays NIBFA Cup derby with Carniny Youth.

Men of the Match: Robert McCluney, Sam Frew

Panel: C McGarry, S Frew, S Lecky (c), R McCluney, J Mitchell, P Kyle, N Craig, M Willighan, T Patchett, J Brady, R Campbell, C Brennan, C Gordon, T McAuley
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Loughgall Youth 2 Northend United 2                                                      Saturday 4th January 2014

This was a tough post-Christmas opening game for Northend, against last years title winners, Loughgall Youth. Having only trained once since their last fixture, 3 weeks ago, this was always going to be a tricky fixture for this ever-improving Northend side. However, Northend started this match like they finished their last match 3 weeks ago, working hard both on and off the ball. Both sides were probably level in terms of early possession, but Northend were much better and more threatening in the last third. This proved evident when Tom Patchett slid through top scorer, Ruairi Campbell, on eight minutes, who passed the ball, past the Loughgall keeper, into the net from 12 yards out. Loughgall tried their best to respond immediately, but Northend were winning all the important 50:50 tackles and restricting them to only half-chances. It was only a matter of time before Northend scored again. Again Tom Patchett released Ruairi Campbell on the left who scored an almost identical goal to put Northend two goals up. At this stage of the match, Northend were dominant and created goalscoring chances for fun. Unfortunately, they scored no more goals before half-time with the best of the chances falling to Tom Patchett who saw his shot from just inside the box, skim the post. With the chances they created in the first half, a 3- 0 or 4 - 0 lead at half-time would not have embarrassed Northend. Half-time score 0-2.

Like all good sides, Loughgall regrouped at half - time and came out determined to get back into the match. They pushed forward in droves, sometimes only leaving two/three men at the back. They pulled one back nine minutes into the second half, when a clearance from Northend was punted straight back into their box from far out by a Loughgall defender, with the smallest Loughgall player on the pitch, deflecting a header into the corner of the net.1 - 2. With Loughgall pushing forward in numbers, they were leaving plenty of space at the back. Northend had several good chances on the break to put Loughgall to bed but unfortunately they did not take any of these. Loughgall equalised with ten minutes to go, and then the match became wide open, until the final whistle. The best chance of the game fell to Ruairi Campbell of Northend , with five minutes remaining, who after being put clean through on goal by Matthew Willighan,  unfortunately took a heavy touch, just as he bore down on goal. In the end, the match finished in a draw. Full time score 2-2.

Northend were slightly disappointed in the end not to taken all three points but a draw was probably a fair result here. Northend were much better in the first half and had enough chances to win two matches, but credit to Loughgall for their fight-back in the second half. Northend definitely tired in the last third of the game, having not played or trained much over Christmas, and this game probably fell a couple of weeks too early for them. Rest assured, fitness levels, will improve for the next match!!!

Men of the Match: Robert McCluney, Stuart Lecky and Conor McGarry (These three players all had good first halves and defended well under constant pressure in the second half).

Panel: C McGarry, S Frew, S Lecky, R McCluney, J Mitchell, R Iovu, P Kyle, T Patchett, M Willighan, J Brady, R Campbell (c), C Gordon, T McAuley, C McDonald, N Craig
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NORTHEND UNITED YOUTH FC
Ballymena, N. Ireland
Est 2003