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Warrenpoint 2 Northend United 1

This game at Mallusk went to the wire with Northend leading this match from the twenty first minute when Andrew Milligan finished of a great move which started from the Northend half of the pitch and ended with Milligan blasting a shot in at the back post from a Johnny Carson cross. The Blues should have doubled their lead when in a carbon copy of the first goal, Johnny Carson somehow missed a glorious opportunity to score at the back post from another excellent cross. Warrenpoint had chances to level but Ross Horner in goal was in outstanding form and with the Northend defence making some great tackles to keep their noses infront. Glenn Stewart and Conor Graham were in outstanding form in a first half where the young Blues were winning the midfield battle against their much bigger opponents.. Northend though they had went further infront when Conor Graham received the ball in the eighteen yard box turned well and placed the ball in the bottom corner but the referee ruled it out for offside. Northend went in at half-time 1-0 up.

The second half was more or less the same with both teams attacking each others goals but Bradley Cairns at the heart of the Northend defence was having a great game. With some heavy tackles flying in, Northend lost Conor Graham when he had to go off with a nose injury and this gave Warrenpoint the chance to level the score when they played a ball through from midfield when Graham was being attended to. The game again moved from end to end but it was Warrenpoint who got the winner that looked to be well off-side but the referee waved play on and this allowed Warrenpoint to go infront with only minutes remaining. This was an outstanding performance from the whole team with special mention for Glenn Stewart, Ryan McKenna and Conor McHugh

Man of the Match: Team Performance

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

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Coleraine 5 Northend United 1 Saturday 8th December 2012

Northend travelled to this match at the Crescent in Coleraine, mising a few regulars due to injury. They could not of got of to a worse start when they lost their left-back to injury in the match warm-up. This lead to the team being moved about and it costed them dearly with Coleraine dominating this game. Northend's goal came from Johnny Carson.

Men of the Match: Ross Horner, Conor Graham

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

Northend United 1 Portadown 6 Saturday 1st December 2012

Northend missing several due to injury had to shuffle the team around just before the match started were made to pay for poor defending in the first half with Portadown going in at half-time 4-0 up.

Northend came out a different team and took the game to Portadown and should have scored four times in the first seven minutes but for good goalkeeping and poor finishing this scoreline could of been so different and with the only goal coming from Johnny Carson for Northend.

Portadown added two more before the game ended but Northend will have to show the second half performance from start to finish if they are to pull themselves out of the hole that they are in .Outstanding performance from Ross Horner in the Northend goal.

Man of the Match: Ross Horner

Panel: R Horner, R McKenna, A Milligan, R Kelly, B Cairns, S McSparron, C McHugh, G Stewart, H McNally, J Dawson, S Olliver, G Downey, E Elliott, J Carson

Glenavon 5 Northend United 1 Saturday 17th November 2012

This match played at Lurgan on a 3G surface started well with Northend knocking the ball around well and Stephen Oliver had a good chance early on but it was Glenavon who opened the scoring when a Northend player failed to track back allowing his player to score at the back post. Glenavon quickly added a second before Northend scored when Stephen Olliver forced the defender and goalkeeper into a mix up and coolly slotted into the empty goal. Glenavon went further infront when Northend scored an own goal just before half-time. Half time score 3-1 Glenavon

Northend made a few changes with Bradley Cairns playing on the right wing causing lots of problems for the Glenavon defence and Conor Graham bossing the middle but it was Glenavon who went further infront and they added a late goal to kill the game off.

Men of the Match: Bradley Cairns, Conor Graham

Panel: E Elliott, C McHugh, A Milligan, G Downey, J Galbraith, Z Herbison, J Dawson, R Dennison, G Stewart, H McNally, S Olliver, S McSparron, O Boyle, B Cairns, R McKenna, C Graham (c)

Northend United 2 Carniny Youth 7 Saturday 10th November 2012

Northend went infront in the first minute of this game when they were awarded a penalty after Zack Herbison neatly turned his marker by slipping the ball through his legs but was then up-ended in the Carniny box. Zack dusted himself down to place the ball in the bottom corner. Carniny came at Northend and they were awarded a penalty after a Carniny player slipped when turning with the ball in the Northend box and to the amazement of the Northend line, the referee pointed to the spot,. This was not to be the only controversial decision the referee was to make as Simon Evans levelled the score from the spot. The game went from end to end with the midfield seeing most of the ball. The referee changed the course of the game when he allowed play to continue when two Carniny players were clearly in offside positions, with both so far infront, the Northend defence stopped expecting the referee to blow his whistle but he waved play on much to the amazement of everyone watching the match, and Carniny scored to go infront before half-time. Half time score 2-1

The match had only started again when the referee was again involved in more controversy when Carniny were awarded a free kick just inside the Northend half. With the Northend defence stepping out, a Carniny player headed the ball on to their striker who was standing beside the Northend keeper and who duly knocked the ball into the net. With the Northend line expecting the referee to award them a free-kick, he instead allowed the goal to stand. Northend continued to press Carniny but their heads had dropped and Carniny went onto to score two more goals before Scott Wilson pulled one back for the Blues.

Northend made a few changes and got more into the game but a mistake at the back allowed Carniny to go further infront. The referee was again steeped in controversy as he allowed another Carniny off-side goal to stand when the ball was played forward to their striker who was three yards infront of the last Northend defender.

This match could of been so much different for both teams but for a referee who does not understand the off-side rule. Not for he first time this season the Blues suffered at the hands of some sub-standard refereeing.

Man of the Match: Andrew Milligan

Panel: R Horner, J Galbraith, R McKenna, A Milligan, G Downey, R Dennison, S Wilson, G Stewart, C Graham (c), S McSparron, B Cairns, Z Herbison, J Dawson, S Olliver, C McHugh