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Northend United 3 Shankill Juniors 0

The U14s travelled to Lisburn on Saturday to play Shankill Juniors in the last League match of the year. The Blues welcomed their influential captain, Declan Dobbin for his first start from the 1st day of the League and how it showed in an inspired performance from the young Ballymena Boys.

Northend started the strongest with Jamie Stevenson and Daniel Bell pulling the strings in midfield. Sam Hutchinson and Brandon Millar were causing the Shankill defence all sorts of problems down the Northend wings with some outstanding pass and move play. Northend should have taken the lead on fifteen minutes when Aaron Campbell's shot cannoned off the upright after he ran on to a delightful throughball from Evans. However Northend took the lead five minutes later when Graeme Macartney was fouled inside the Shankill box for a penalty. Up stepped Declan Dobbin to take the penalty to give the young Blues a 1-0 lead.

Shankill came more into the game in the final ten minutes of the first half but the Northend defence of Evans, O'Boyle, Dobbin and Shaw defended passionately to see the first half to an end. Half time score 1-0

Into the second half and Shankill continued to pressure the Northend defence but found Josh Mark, in the Blues net, in outstanding form. Northend introduced their substitutes Josh Wharry, Lorcan McLean and Eoin McLaughlin midway through the second half and all three players looked dangerous running at the Shankill defence. Indeed Wharry won the corner from which Northend increased their lead. With twelve minutes of the match remaining, Northend scored their second goal, when a corner wasn't properly cleared by the Shankill defence and Anthony Shaw pounced on the loose ball to steer it past the Shankill keeper. This goal gave Northend the breathing space they were looking for and for the last ten minutes of the half, the Blues dominated the play. Northend scored their third goal five minutes before the end of the game from another corner. A perfectly crossed ball from Campbell, was met head-on by, Alex O'Boyle, who powered his header into the roof of the net to leave the final score 3-0

Man of the Match: Team Performance

Panel: J Marks, T Evans, A Shaw, A O'Boyle, D Dobbin, S Hutchinson, J Stevenson, D Bell, B Millar, G Macartney A Campbell, J Wharry, E Mc Laughlin, L McLean

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Northend United 0 Oxford Sunnyside 5 Saturday 13th December 2013

Northend travelled to Lisburn to play Oxford Sunnyside in terrible weather conditions on Saturday morning. Oxford started the strongest team and took the lead on ten minutes, when their striker ran at the Northend defence before slipping the ball past Josh Mark in the Northend nets. Worse was to follow three minutes, when Oxford doubled their lead, leaving the score 2-0.

Northend began to claw their way back into the game with Jamie Stevenson and Kuba Babuszewski beginning to dominate play in midfield with Brandon Millar and Josh Wharry causing problems down the wings. Indeed from a Stevenson pass, Aaron Campbell found himself with only the keeper to beat but unfortunately shot straight at the keeper. Northend kept up the pressure and next it was the turn of Brandon Millar who found himself in a good goal-scoring position but the Oxford keeper brought off a good save.

With minutes remaining in the first half, Oxford scored their third goal after another defensive lapse in the Northend defence. Half time score 3-0

Into the second half and the Northend defence of O'Boyle, Shaw, Evans and Hayburn had to be alert to keep the Oxford strikers at bay. The Blues had their chances throughout the half with first Brandon Millar and then Graeme Macartney with good goal-scoring opportunities but unfortunately, the Oxford keeper made good saves on each occasion.

However Northend got punished for the missed chances when Oxford ran in two late goals in the match, giving Josh Mark no chance on either occasion. Final Score 5-0

Man of the Match: Josh Mark

Panel: J Mark, T Evans, J Hayburn, A Shaw, A O'Boyle, J Wharry, B Millar, K Babuszewski, J Stevenson, A Campbell, G Macartney, M Kirk, E Mc Laughlin, D Dobbin, H McClurkin

Northend United 1 Greenisland 3 Saturday 6th December 2014

Northend travelled to Lisburn on Saturday morning for their match against Greenisland, full of confidence, following their recent unbeaten run. The last time these two teams met, Greenisland scored the winner in the last minute and so a close encounter was again anticipated.

Northend started strongly with Kuba Babuszewski and Jamie Stevenson stamping their authority in midfield. Up front Aaron Campbell was causing the Greenisland defence all sorts of problems with his visionary play. In defence, Alex O'Boyle and Anthony Shaw were on top of their game but could do nothing to prevent Greenisland taking the lead on twenty minutes, when their striker scored in a goalmouth scramble.

However Northend equalised straight away when Daniel Bell won a corner. Kuba Babuszewski's inswinging corner went straight into the net, beating keeper and defenders alike. Northend kept up the pressure for the rest of the half but were unable to add o their score. Half time score 1-1

Into the second half and Northend again dominated the early exchanges. They should have taken the lead when a series of corners, when the ball flashed across the face of the Greenisland goal but no Northend player was able to get on the end off.

On a breakaway, Greenisland caught the Northend defence on the hop and their striker placed the ball past Josh Mark, when the ball broke to him in the Northend box.

The Ballymena Boys kept plugging away looking for an equaliser in a match they should have been well in the lead and Brandon Millar nearly scored the equaliser when he outpaced his marker and slipped the ball past the advancing Greenisland keeper, only to see the ball go agonisingly past the post.

With almost the last kick off the game, Greenisland got the third goal to kill off the Northend fightback and earn the points in a match they ill deserved. Final score 3-1

It was great to see Declan Dobbin back playing today with the team, after a long lay off due to injury. How the influential team captain has been badly missed from the Northend defence this season.

Man of the Match: Josh Mark

Panel: J Mark, T Evans, J Hayburn, A Shaw, A O'Boyle, S Hutchinson, B Millar, K Babuszewski, J Stevenson, A Campbell, D Bell, M Kirk, E Mc Laughlin, J O'Loughlin, D Dobbin, J Wharry

Hillsborough Boys 2 Northend United 2 Saturday 30th November 2013

Fresh from their first win of the season last week, the U14s were looking to put more points on the board going into this game.

The Blues started strongly with Babuszewski and Stevenson dominating play in midfield and O'Boyle and Shaw winning the defensive battle. Northend took the lead on fifteen minutes when following a corner, the ball was only partially cleared and James Hayburn fired in an unstoppable shot from the edge of the penalty area.

Hillsborough came storming back at Northend but Josh Mark in the Northend nets pulled off a good save. However he could do nothing, seven minutes later when a Hillsborough player ran from the half way line and slipped the ball into the Northend nets.

Minutes before half time, Northend restored their lead when after some good play from Aaron Campbell, Daniel Bell was on hand to smash the ball into the net from the edge of the penalty area. Half time score 2-1

Into the second half and with both teams attacking, play flowed from end to end. Hillsborough drew level ten minutes into the half. Northend introduced all their substitutes in the second half, with Sam Hutchinson in particular giving the Hillsborough defence a torrid time.

Northend should have taken the lead again when a couple of chances were missed and the match ended up a draw. Final score 2-2

Northend were disappointed not to take all the points in this game such is the improvement in this team.

Man of the Match: Josh Mark

Panel: J Mark, T Evans, J Hayburn, A Shaw, A O'Boyle, G Macartney, K Babuszewski, J Stevenson, J Wharry, A Campbell, D Bell, K Babuszewski,, M Kirk, S Hutchinson, B Millar, H McClurkin

Northend United 3 Ballymena United 2 Saturday 23rd November 2013

Northend welcomed Ballymena United to Smithfield on Saturday in their first home match of the season in the Lisburn League. The Blues were up for this highly anticipated game and it was no surprise they raced to a 3-0 lead on twenty minutes. The only surprise is that they didn't score more in a one sided first half.

James Hayburn got the first goal for Northend on ten minutes when he was on hand to steer the ball into the Ballymena net from a Babuszewski corner kick.

Indeed the Northend midfield of Stevenson, Hutchinson, Macartney and Babuszewski began to take control of the game and from a Graeme Macartney throughball on fifteen minutes, Daniel Bell outpaced the Ballymena defence and coolly slipped the ball past the advancing Ballymena keeper to give Northend a 2-0 lead.

It was to get a lot better for Northend on twenty minutes, when Sam Hutchinson made a great break down the Northend right wing and when he crossed the ball, Graeme Macartney met the ball at the back post and slipped the ball into the Ballymena net, to give the Blues a 3-0 lead.

However Northend gave Ballymena a way back into the game just before half time when they conceded a goal to leave the half time score 3-1

Into the second half and play began to flow from end to end, with Aaron Campbell looking dangerous in a striking role for Northend. At the back, O'Boyle, Shaw, Hayburn and Evans were on top of their game and dealt comfortably with whatever Ballymena threw at them.

Ballymena scored their second goal of the game with two minutes of the match remaining to take the glossy look off the score. A twenty yard shot cannoned off Anthony Shaw and towards Josh Mark, in the Northend nets, as the ball somehow found its way into the Northend nets.

The Blues seen out the rest of the game to earn an well deserved three points in this derby match. Final Score 3-2

Man of the Match: Team Performance

Panel: J Marks, T Evans, J Hayburn, A Shaw, A O'Boyle, G Macartney, S Hutchinson, , J Stevenson, K Babuszewski,, D Bell, A Campbell, E Mc Laughlin, J O'Loughlin, M Kirk, L McLean, J Wharry

Northend United 0 Windmill 5 Saturday 9th November 2013

Northend entertained Windmill United on Saturday and took the game to them right from the off. With Jamie Stevenson and Kuba Babuszewski pulling the strings in midfield, it was long before Daniel Bell had the first chance for the Blues when he saw a good shot well saved by the Windmill keeper.

As Northend kept up the pressure, Kuba Babuszewski saw a shot go inches wide of the upright when he reacted the quickest from a corner kick.

However Northend conceded a goal ten minutes before half time when the Windmill striker was first to react in a goalmouth scramble. Half time score 1-0

Into the second half and Josh Mark was called upon to make a good save early on in the half. Anthony Shaw and Alex O'Boyle were defending well but they could do nothing when Windmill scored their second goal, ten minutes into the half.

Northend kept plugging away, with Aaron Campbell prominent in most of their play. However, Northend couldn't get on the scoresheet and allowed Windmill to dominate the latter exchanges in the second half and allowed them to run in three late goals as the Blues heads dropped. Final score 5-0

Man of the Match: Josh Mark

Panel: J Mark, T Evans, J Hayburn, A Shaw, A O'Boyle, S Hutchinson, K Babuszewski, J Stevenson, B Millar, A Campbell, D Bell, J Wharry, L McLean, E Mc Laughlin, M Kirk

Greenisland 3 Northend United 2 Saturday 2nd November 2013

Northend went into this game hot on the heels of their good performance last week, looking for something out of this match. They didn't disappoint when after twenty-five minutes of the first half, Aaron Campbell struck a thunderous shot at the keeper, which he could only parry and Brandon Millar was on hand to slot the ball past the keeper to leave the score 1-0 to the Ballymena Blues.

This was a lead they held until minutes before half time, when Greenisland scored a good goal. Half time score 1-1

Into the second half and that man Aaron Campbell gave Northend the lead again when he was on hand to smash the ball into the Greenisland net, from a Northend corner kick. Greenisland equalised again when from another corner kick they tucked the ball into the bottom corner of the Northend net, with no Northend player on the post.

The game looked like it was heading for a draw until Northend won a throw-in close to their penalty box. They lost the ball and when the Greenisland player crossed the ball into Northend's box, with the Northend team out of position, the Greenisland striker struck a good shot, which was originally saved by Josh Mark but the striker followed in and slipped the ball into the Northend net. Final Score 3-2

Man of the Match: Josh Mark

Panel: J Mark, H McClurkin, L McLean, A Shaw, A O'Boyle, D Bell, K Babuszewski, J Stevenson, B Millar, A Campbell, M Kirk, T Evans, E Mc Laughlin, J O'Loughlin, S Hutchinson, J Wharry