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Northend United 2 St. Andrews 4 Saturday 15th December 2012

Northend started off the Knock-Out Cup match in blistering form but missed two early chances before St. Andrews scored on twenty-five minutes, when a high ball into the Northend box wasn't dealt with properly and the St. Andrews tucked the ball into the bottom corner of the net.

St. Andrews scored a second goal five minutes later when after a great save from Josh Mark, the loose ball was not cleared and the St. Andrews striker hammered the ball into the Northend net. Half time score 2-0

Northend again started the second half in top form and the chances piled up for the young Blues but again they were squandered and it looked like being a bad day at the office. Three quality corners from James Hayburn and Aaron Campbell should have been finished off but nobody could steer them into the St. Andrews net.

Graeme Macartney eventually pulled a goal back for Northend when he flicked the ball up in midfield, saw the keeper off his line and chipped the ball into the net from all of twenty-five yards, leaving the score 2-1.

With their heads up, Northend again missed great chances to level the game and even take the lead but again the chances went abegging.

St. Andrews made it 3-1 after fifty minutes when again slack defending allowed them in to score and it was game over on the hour when they scored a fourth goal.

Credit to the Northend Blues for not giving up and they got their second goal with six minutes remaining of the match. From an Aaron Campbell corner, the ball re-bounded to Jordan Adams who met it first time and his shot hit the net before the keeper had time to react.

The scoreline flattered the League leaders considering the amount of chances spurned by Northend. In fairness they should have won the game but its goals that count and unfortunately they left their shooting boots at home on the day. The U13s now look forward to a well earned Festive Break and return to action on Saturday 5th January with a match against North Belfast United in the Northern Ireland Boys Cup.

Man of the Match: Declan Dobbin

Panel: J Mark, A Shaw, A O'Boyle, D Dobbin (c), J Hayburn, J Adams, J Stevenson, K Babuszewski, B Millar, G Macartney, A Campbell, T Evans, H McClurkin

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Loughside 5 Northend United 1 Saturday 8th December 2012

Northend went into this game knowing that only a win would keep them in with a chance of challenging for the League title. However the young Blues blew their chance, with Loughside now sitting top of as very competitive league, ten points clear of Northend. United went into this game on the back of two straight wins and two clean sheets. They Blues fancied their chances and played some great attacking football in the opening half, creating several opportunities with Jamie Stevenson and Alex O'Boyle going close.

United going forward always looked threatening but they have also built a reputation for being very hard to break down and defensively very good which went out the window in a below par display.

Northend went a goal down when the Loughside striker looped the ball over Northend's impressive keeper, Josh Mark. United never really improved defensively and went 2-0 down on thirty minutes when they again failed to clear their lines and were punished with a well taken first time shot into the bottom corner. Half time score 2-0

The Blues started the second half sluggishly and found themselves 3-0 down after five minutes when the Loughside forward was allowed to run unchallenged into the box and get a free shot in on goal which found the bottom corner.

The Ballymena Boys should be commended for continuing to play their fluent brand of football despite the scoreline as most teams would have buckled and started playing the long ball at every opportunity. The Blues continued to play neat attractive football and this caused Loughside a lot of problems. With the addition of substitute Aaron Soupy Campbell, whose vision and technical ability adds much to the Northend game, his pass found top goalscorer, Graeme Macartney who made no mistake from twelve yards as his shot found the bottom corner of the net, leaving the score 3-1.

However instead of going on to take the game to Loughside, the young Blues pressed the self destruct button, conceding two late goals in this match, within the space of the final ten minutes.

Man of the Match: Josh Mark

Panel: J Marks, H McClurkin, A Shaw, D Dobbin (c), J Hayburn, J Adams, B Millar, J Stevenson (c), A O'Boyle, K Babuszewski, G Macartney, A Campbell, M Kirk, M Erwin, T Evans, S Hutchinson

Northend United 4 Whitehead Eagles 0 Saturday 1st December 2012

Northend went into this game with their heads up after beating Newington 8-0 the previous week and this was a game they dominated from start to finish and they had several opportunities to take the lead when Jamie Stevenson and Graham McCartney forced two great saves from the Whitehead keeper. It didn't take long for United to open their account when Captain Stevenson made a mazy run into the box which was abruptly ended when he was up-ended in the box. Jamie Stevenson dusted himself down and put the ball into the top corner of the goal. United's front two of Stevenson and Macartney were causing the Whitehead defence all sorts of problems and where well backed up with Lennon, Adams and Millar who made several amazing runs from the midfield area. Top goal scorer Macartney doubled United's lead on twenty minutes when he chased a lost cause and won the ball from the Whitehead right back, he lifted his head and hit an unstoppable shot which flew over the keepers head for 2-0. United piled the pressure on and created several more chances, with Millar going close and Adams forcing the keeper into several smart saves. Half time score 2-0

United came out for the second half with their tails in the air and played some excellent two touch football with Stevenson and Lennon pulling the strings in midfield. Northend introduced the very talented Sam Hutchinson and Aaron Campbell and they both played excellent football down Northend's left hand side, with some amazing link up play. Indeed it was Campbell instigated the third goal when he found Kuba Babuszewski, whose shot was well closed down, but Stevenson picked up the loose ball and found Jordan Adams who made no mistake when he beat the keeper with a powerful strike from twenty yards. United further increased their lead when Campbell again delivered an inviting ball into the box and as it was cleared to the edge of the area, Sam Hutchinson hit an unstoppable shot that rattled against the crossbar, the Whitehead defender tried to clear only for Anthony Shaw to volley home from six yards to wrap the game up for United. Whitehead rarely troubled the Northend goal but when they did they found an impressive Josh Marks a hard man to beat and with two outstanding saves. It's easy to see why United have the best defensive record in the league. United currently are well disciplined and hard to break down and this is down to great leadership from Declan Dobbin as United have kept back to back clean sheets.

Man of the Match: Graeme Macartney

Panel: J Marks, H McClurkin, J Hayburn, A Shaw, D Dobbin, J Adams, B Millar, A O'Boyle, H Lennon, J Stevenson (c), G Macartney, A Campbell, T Evans, S Hutchinson, N Stewart, K Babuszewski

Newington 0 Northend United 8 Saturday 17th November 2012

Northend went into this game on the back of two straight defeats and they rang the changes with seven changes being made. It was a player they welcomed back into the squad namely James Hayburn that put United one up after only three minutes when he ran the length of the pitch avoiding several challenges before coolly slotting past the keeper. Northend piled the pressure on with Alex O'Boyle and Harry Lennon pulling the strings in midfield. Man of the match Jordan Adams set up the second goal when Harry Lennon found Adams on the left, who beat two Newington players before delivering an inviting ball into the middle which McCartney made no mistake in slotting home. McCartney had a helping hand in number three when Lennon's shot was only parried, McCartney put pressure on the defender and forced him into a mistake by scoring an own goal. Half time score 3-0

Northend continued to pile the pressure on Newington in the second half and they had several opportunities to go further ahead with McCartney, Kirk and Lennon all guilty of missing great opportunities. Newington's front men never really got involved in the game thanks to some great defending from the Blues rearguard of Dobbins, Hayburn, Shaw and McClurkin. The Blues rang the changes ten minutes into the second half with the introduction of Jamie Stevenson, Kuba Babuszewski, Brandon Millar and Aaron Campbell and they made an instant impact on the game as Stevenson scored an excellent team goal when he rifled his effort into the roof of the net to put the Blues 4-0 up. Jordan Adams got himself on the score sheet when he collect the ball wide, cut infield and unleashed a great strike into the bottom corner. Jamie Stevenson scored a screamer of a goal for his second of the game when Brandon Millar won a header on the right wing and as he ran at his marker, he slotted the ball wide to Campbell who delivered a brilliant ball into the run of Stevenson who volleyed into the top corner from eighteen yards to leave the score 6-0.

Stevenson got his hat-trick minutes later when Kuba slotted the ball into Stevenson run who clotted past the on-rushing keeper. United ended the game on a high when Soupie Campbell received the ball from Stevenson in the middle, and unleashed an unstoppable shot into the top corner leaving the keeper no chance to leave the final score 8-0.

This was an outstanding performance from Northend who have played well at times in recent games but have failed to take their chances and in this game made all the chances count.

Man of the Match: Jordan Adams

Panel : J Marks, H McClurkin, A Shaw, D Dobbins, J Hayburn, J Adams, S Hutchinson, H Lennon, A O'Boyle, M Kirk, G McCartney, J Stevenson, K Babuszewski, B Millar, A Campbell

Northend entertained League Leaders, St. Andrews, to the Showgrounds on Saturday. The first fifteen minutes saw end to end football, with neither team getting a grip on the game

St. Andrews took the lead when a cross from their right wing was well saved by Josh Mark, in the Northend nets, but the St. Andrews striker was first to react to the ball and stab it into the Northend net.

On twenty five minutes, St Andrews doubled their lead when their midfielder ran from the middle of the park and let a thunderbolt of a shot. Mark was again equal to the shot but couldn't hold it and the St Andrews again first to react to the loose ball and stroke it into the net for a 2-0 half time lead.

The Blues started the second half strongly with Jamie Stevenson and Kuba Babuszewski putting some good passing play together. However St Andrews further increased their lead after ten minutes of the half. In a bizarre moment of madness, the St Andrews striker crossed the ball only for it to go through a hole in the Northend goal's side netting and the referee to award a goal, when he was totally unsighted of the incident.

This incident really knocked the confidence out of the young Northend team and in a final flurry in the match, the St Andrews striker broke through the middle of the park and hit an unstoppable shot from twenty yards out to leave the final score 4-0

Man of the Match: Josh Mark

Panel: J Marks, T Evans, A Campbell, A Shaw, A O'Boyle, B Millar, J Adams, J Stevenson, K Babuszewski, H Lennon, G Macartney, M Kirk, N Stewart, S Hutchinson, H McClurkin, L Buick

Apex Sky Blues 1 Northend United 0 Saturday 3rd November 2012

The U13s travelled to the Valley Leisure Centre in Newtownabbey on Saturday to play Apex Sky Blues. Northend, fresh from the win over Barn United last week, were looking to put some more points to their total as they challenge for a top four place in the League.

The Northend defence of Shaw, Dobbin, O'Boyle and Hayburn had to be in top form to see off the early challenge of the Apex strikers. As the match went on, play became bogged down in midfield with Babuszewski and Millar putting in a full shift for the Blues.

However no clear scoring opportunities were created in the first half of the match with Macartney and Campbell unable to trouble the Apex keeper. Half time score 0-0

The second half continues as the first half left off, with Northend unable to create any clear scoring opportunities. Declan Dobbin was having a strong game in the middle of the Northend defence and Josh Mark was dealing comfortably with any shots from the Apex strikers.

However Apex did eventually score midway through the half when their striker shot past Josh Mark, at the Blues near post.

Northend went in search of an equaliser in the last ten minutes when Macartney went close with a half chance but the match ended with a 1-0 scoreline to Apex Sky Blues.

Man of the Match: Declan Dobbin

Panel: J Marks, A Shaw, A O'Boyle, D Dobbin (c), J Hayburn, B Millar, S Hutchinson, K Babuszewski, J Adams, G Macartney, A Campbell, M Kirk, T Evans, L Buick