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Northend United 1 Ballymoney United 4 Saturday 2nd March 2013

Northend entertained local neighbours Ballymoney United YA to the Showgrounds on Saturday with the final score in the match not reflecting how close the contest was until the final few minutes.

Play started with Sam Millar and Oliver Boyle dominating the midfield play for Northend. With Carson and Hamill in defence dealing with the early Ballymoney pressure, Northend looked assured in the opening exchanges but it was Ballymoney who opened the scoring against the run of play, when a throughball wasn't picked up and the Ballymoney striker outpaced the Northend defence and slid the ball past Ross Horner in the Northend nets.

Northend continued to take the game to Ballymoney and went close with a free-kick which the Ballymoney keeper did well to save. With McSparron and Cairns causing the Ballymoney defence with their darting runs, it looked like Northend would draw level but a lack of concentration with the last kick in the first half allowed Ballymoney to score a second goal, with barely time to take the resultant centre. Half time score 2-0.

Ballymoney started the second half the stronger and took the game to Northend from the kick-off. However the Northend defence of McHugh, Hamill, McKenna and Carson soaked up the early pressure and Ross Horner dealt comfortably with the long range shots.

Gradually Northend began to claw their way back into the game with Glenn Stewart reverting to his more normal midfield role. From a Cairns in-swinging corner, Sam Millar saw his header cleared off the Ballymoney goal line, with the goalkeeper beaten.

It was Millar who pulled a goal back for Northend when he latched onto a loose ball, slid the ball past his marker and shot into the bottom corner of the Ballymoney net.

Northend were now on top in the game and from an almost identical corner, Millar again saw his header cleared of the Ballymoney goal-line.

However as Northend pushed forward looking for an equaliser in the final minutes of the match, Ballymoney hit them on the counter-attack and their striker again slid the ball past Horner in the Northend net, to give them a two goal cushion and effectively kill off the Northend fight-back.

In the last minute of the game, a Northend defender handled the ball in the goalmouth and Ballymoney scored from the resultant penalty kick, leaving the final score 4-1.

Man of the Match: Sam Millar

Panel: R Horner, C McHugh, R McKenna, C Hamill, J Carson, S Millar, O Boyle, B Cairns, S McSparron, S Olliver, J Anderson, G Downey, L McFall, J Dawson, G Stewart, S Stewart

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Glentoran 5 Northend United 1 Saturday 23rd February 2013

This score line flattered Glentoran as they scored two late goals to put them out of sight of the Blues. The game was even for long periods with Glentoran attacking and Northend counter-attacking with Bradley Cairns and Sam Millar on the wings putting Glentoran's fullbacks under pressure and with the score at nil-nil Johnny Carson forced the Glens keeper into a great save at their front post, but it was the Glens who went infront when Ross Horner in the Northend goal pulled of a great save from the Glens striker but could only watch as it trickled into the bottom corner of the Northend goal. Just before half-time the Glens got a second, but the Northend boys did not let their heads drop. Half time score 2-0

The second-half started like the first with both teams seeing plenty of the ball but the Glens looked the more dangerous and added a third before Northend responded when Sam Millar pulled one back with a cool finish into the bottom far corner of the Glens goal. Northend had a good spell when they were on top but as they pushed up the Glens counter-attacked and scored two late goals.

Men of the Match: Sam Millar, R Horner

Panel: R Horner, G Downey, A Milligan, J Crawford, C Graham (c), B Cairns, S Millar, C Hamill, O Boyle, J Dawson, J Carson, S Olliver, G Stewart, S McSparron, S Stewart

Northend United 0 Glendowan 4 Saturday 26th January 2013

This scoreline did not reflect the game with Northend playing well but Glendowan scoring goals at important times in the game. Glendowan took the lead midway through the first half as play flowed from end to end. However as Glendowan took the game to Northend, they found Bradley Cairns and Oliver Boyle in top form for the Blues. Glendowan got their second goal as half time approached to leave the half time score 2-0.

Northend came out with all guns blazing after half time and began to gain the upper hand in midfield with Ross Horner in the Blues nets also stamping his authority on the game. Northend had a number of chances to score in the second half but sharpness in front of goals let them down.

The Blues were made to pay for the poor finishing as Glendowan scored two late goals.This was a hard working performance from the Northend players who were down to the bare bones on Saturday due to sickness and injuries.

Men of the Match: Bradley Cairns, Oliver Boyle

Panel: R Horner, C McHugh, A Milligan,, G Downey, B Cairns, L McFall, J Dawson, C Graham (c), O Boyle, R Kelly, S Olliver, J Carson, R Kelly

Northend United 0 Ballinamallard 5 Saturday 12th January 2013

Northend were never in this game from start to finish as Ballinamallard controlled large parts of this game and they went infront on nineteen minutes and added another one just before half-time. Half time score 2-0

Ballinamallard added three more goals in the second-half to progress to the next round of the NIBFA Cup when Northend failed to close down their opponents.

Men of the Match: Conor McHugh, Ryan McKenna

Panel: R Horner, C McHugh, R McKenna, G Downey, B Cairns, A Milligan, J Dawson, C Graham (c), O Boyle, R Kelly, J Carson, G Stewart, H McNally, S McSparron

Magherafelt Sky Blues 1 Northend United 1 Saturday 5th January 2013

In a typical match after a lengthy lay-off, both teams struggled to find any consistency on a poor pitch. Magherafelt went infront with a deflected goal that the Northend keeper Ross Horner, would easily have caught but it took a wicked deflection of a Northend player and flew into the far corner of the Northend goal. Northend then missed four good chances in a blistering five minute spell before Andrew Milligan smashed a shot from just inside the eighteen which flew into the net. The half time score 1-1

Both teams made substitutions at half time and play began to get bogged down in midfield in the opening exchanges of the second half. Johnny Carson went close for the Northend Blues from a Conor Graham throughball but saw his shot go narrowly wide and the same player again saw another shot just go over the cross bar, when he outpaced the Sky Blues defence. As the half wore on, the rest of the game went from end to end but no team looked like finding the winning goal and a good save right at the end from Ross Horner saw Northend take a share of the points.

Men of the Match: Ryan McKenna, Conor McHugh

Panel: R Horner, C McHugh, R McKenna, C Graham (c), B Cairns, A Milligan, J Dawson, G Stewart, H McNally, J Carson, R Kelly, S Olliver, G Downey, S McSparron, O Boyle, L McFall

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