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Northend United 0 Lisburn Distillery 6 Saturday 20th December 2014

This was a poor showing from a U15 team who throughout this season have been inclined to throw in the towel too easily in some matches.

Distillery dominated the first half to lead by a four goal margin, with Josh Mark in top form for Northend. Half time score 0-4.

Into the second half and it was a better showing from Northend, with Jamie Stevenson pulling the strings for the Blues in midfield. However a more confident Distillery side ran on to score another two goals in a well deserved win. Final score 0-6

Men of the Match: Josh Mark, Jamie Stevenson

Panel: J Mark, B Millar, J Hayburn, D Dobbin (c), A Shaw, S Hutchinson, J Wharry, J Stevenson, J Penny, R Laverty, G Macartney, E McLaughlin, B McGarvey, M Kirk, J Adams

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Newry City 3 Northend United 2 Saturday 6th December 2014

Northend turned in a good performance in this game before surrendering a two goal lead with some sloppy defending in the second half.

The Blues started brightly in this match and took the game to Newry. Kuba Babuszewski opened the scoring for Northend after ten minutes, when he headed past the Newry keeper from a pinpoint Jordan Adams corner kick.

The Northend defence of Penny, Shaw, Dobbin and Wharry were in top form dealing with whatever Newry could throw at them. Indeed Josh Wharry was proving to be a thorn in Newry's side with his overlapping play.

With Jamie Stevenson and Ben McGarvey pulling the strings for Northend, it wasn't long before they increased their lead. On twenty minutes a Northend cross from the left wing was controlled by Sam Hutchinson and he smashed the ball past the Newry keeper with his second touch.

Northend really were the team on top in the first half and Hutchinson could have put the game beyond Newry in the final minutes of the half, when he found himself with time inside the Newry box but his shot went wide of the upright. Half time score 0-2

Northend came out for the second half a different team and it was Newry who took control of the game in the opening minutes of the half. Newry scored their first goal after twelve minutes when their player burst through the Northend defence and saw his shot well parried initially by James Hepburn in the Northend nets, but unfortunately the rebound broke to the Newry striker who made no mistake the second time.

Newry increased their lead after twenty minutes of the half when a cross from their left wing wasn't dealt with by the Northend defence and the Newry striker reacted the quickest to score. Northend introduced Eoin McLaughlin, Matthew Kirk and Graeme Macartney as both teams went looking for a winner.

It was Newry who found the winner with seven minutes of the half remaining when a speculative pass upfield found their striker unmarked and he slipped the ball past Hayburn.

Northend attacked Newry to the end of the game with Graeme Macartney, Matthew Kirk and Eoin McLaughlin all missing chances before Jamie Stevenson saw a shot cannon of the Newry post with almost the last kick of the game. Final score 3-2

This was a match that Northend could have and should have won but unfortunately missed chances cost them dearly. Special mention goes to James Hayburn who stepped in to the role of goalkeeper and turned in a good performance.

Man of the Match: Josh Wharry

Panel: J Hayburn, J Penny, D Dobbin (c), A Shaw, J Wharry, B McGarvey, J Stevenson, J Adams, S Hutchinson, R Laverty, K Babuszewski, E McLaughlin, M Kirk, G Macartney

Institute 6 Northend United 3 NIBFA Cup Saturday 29th November 2014

Northend travelled to Drumahoe on Saturday to play Institute in the NIBFA Cup. The Blues were missing a number of regulars including Babuszewski, Laverty, McGarvey and Millar, for this match and it showed in the opening minutes.

Institute raced to a two goal lead in the opening ten minutes as the Blues come to terms with a reshuffled side and also playing on the quicker 3G surface.

Gradually Northend began to claw their way back into this game with the midfield pairing of Jamie Stevenson and Jacob Penny beginning to pull the strings for the Blues. Ten minutes before half time, Northend pulled a goal back, when from an Aaron Campbell corner kick, the ball wasn't properly cleared, and Jacob Penny smashed the ball past the Institute keeper and in doing so, scored his first goal for the Club. This goal lifted the Blues and for the remainder of the half, Northend laid siege to the Institute goals, without adding to their score. Half time score 2-1

Into the second half and it was more of the same from Northend. Five minutes into the half, a great move, involving Graeme Macartney and Matthew Kirk, lead to the equalising goal, when Matthew Kirk outpaced his marker and coolly chipped the ball over the advancing Institute keeper.

With Sam Hutchinson and Eoin McLaughlin stretching the Institute defence it looked like Northend would take the lead in this match. However Institute scored a third goal after twenty minutes of the half, following some poor defending. Midway through the half, Northend brought on Jordan Adams and Josh Wharry as they looked to get back in the game, and it was from an Adams corner, that the Blues drew level again. This time the ball wasn't properly cleared and Eoin McLaughlin was on hand to drill the ball into the Institute net. Game on at 3-3!

With Penny and Stevenson urging the Blues on, they almost took the lead with fifteen minutes of the half remaining. Graeme Macartney broke through the Institute defence and unleashed a thunderous shot which crashed against the Institute crossbar and Aaron Campbell was first to react but unfortunately headed the rebound just wide of the Institute upright.

Northend had given everything they had on the 3G surface and conceded three late goals in the last ten minutes of the match as the defence struggled to come to terms with the speed of the ball. Final score 6-3

Man of the Match: Jamie Stevenson, Jacob Penny

Panel: J Mark, G Macartney, J Hayburn, D Dobbin (c), A Shaw, J Penny, J Stevenson, E McLaughlin, S Hutchinson, A Campbell, M Kirk, J Adams, J Wharry

Carrick Rangers 5 Northend United 1 Saturday 22nd Novemeber 2014

This team are starting to make a habit of playing well for stretches in a match and then losing concentration at vital moments and letting the match slip out of their grasp. This match was no different in this respect.

Carrick Rangers took the lead after ten minutes of this match when Josh Mark reacted to save a good shot but as the ball spun away from him, the Carrick striker reacted quicker than the Northend defence and he slipped the ball into the back of the Northend net.

Gradually Northend clawed their way back into this game with Anthony Shaw and Ben McGarvey starting to get the upper hand in midfield. Having won a free-kick twenty five yards out, up stepped Kuba Babuszewski to fire an unstoppable shot into the top corner of the Carrick net, to level the score at 1-1.

Back came Carrick attacking the Northend goals and Josh Mark had to be alert to deal with two good shots on goal.

However as play flowed from end to end, it was Matthew Kirk for Northend who was causing the Carrick defence all sorts of problems with his darting play.

Carrick took the lead in the match minutes before half time when a free-kick was directed into the Northend box and as it dropped none of the Northend players reacted in dealing with it and the ball ended up in the back of the Northend net. Half time score 2-1

Into the second half and as played flowed from end to end it was Carrick Rangers who added to their score after ten minutes. Following this cruel blow, Northend switched off for a ten minute spell and Carrick went on to score another two goals to effectively kill off the game.

With ten minutes of the match remaining, Jordan Adams can count himself very unlucky when his shot across the face of the goals went agonisingly wide of the upright with the Carrick keeper and his defence well beaten. Final score 5-1

Man of the Match: Josh Mark

Panel: J Mark, J Penny, B Millar, J Stevenson, K Babuszewski, A Shaw, B McGarvey, S Hutchinson, J Adams, M Kirk, A Campbell, E McLaughlin, G Macartney, J Wharry

Ballyclare Colts 4 Northend United 1 Saturday 15th November 2014

Due to the condition of the Ballymena pitches this hastily rearranged local derby match was held in Ballyclare.

Ballyclare started the strongest and took the game to Northend right from the off. The Blues players never got to grips with the lively Ballyclare forwards and conceded a goal after twenty minutes.

Worse was to follow five minutes later when an attempted clearance by a Northend defender only ended up in his nets giving Josh Mark, the Northend keeper no chance.

However the Northend heads didn't drop and following a good throughball from Ben McGarvey, Kuba Babuszewski went close with a good shot. Half time score 2-0

Into the second half and following a good half time talk, the Blues came more into the game. With ten minutes on the clock in the second half, some great play from Brandon Millar, on the overlap, released Kuba Babuszewski with a throughball and the Blues top goalscorer made no mistake to reduce to the score to 2-1. Josh Mark was called upon to make a good save from a Ballyclare breakaway attack a few minutes later.

However the Blues were now having their best spell in the game and were looking like going on to score another goal but unfortunately ten minutes later, another defensive lapse in the Northend rearguard let the lively Ballyclare striker through on goal and he slipped the ball past the advancing Josh Mark.

This goal effectively killed off the game as a contest and Ballyclare scored a fourth goal five minutes before the end of the game. Final score 4-1

Panel: J Mark, J Penny, B Millar, D Dobbin (c), J Stevenson, A Shaw, B McGarvey, R Laverty, E McLaughlin, K Babuszewski, A Campbell, M Kirk, J Wharry, G Macartney, J Adams, S Hutchinson

Greenisland 2 Northend United 2 Saturday 8th November 2014

Northend lost to Greenisland by a 4-1 scoreline earlier in the season and were determined to avenge the defeat this time.

The Blues were fired up for this game and turned in a good team performance on the day. The game started with Jamie Stevenson and Ben McGarvey stamping their authority on the game in the Blues midfield with Sam Hutchinson and Ronan Laverty causing problems for the Greenisland defence down the Northend wings.

Northend were the team on form in the early exchanges and should have taken the lead on two occasions from corner kicks, when the Greenisland defence failed to clear the ball but the Blues strikers couldn't take advantage of the mix-ups.

Against the run of play, Greenisland took the lead midway through the first half when a throughball placed their striker clear of the Northend defence and he ran on and slipped the ball past Josh Mark in the Northend nets.

Northend didn't drop their heads after this cruel blow but instead came storming back at Greenisland. Kuba Babuszewski raced clear of the Greenisland defence but shot straight at the keeper. On twenty eight minutes Ronan Laverty had a shot from the edge of the Greenisland penalty box but again the Greenisland keeper pulled off a good save. Half time score 1-0

Into the second half and the Northend defence of Jordan Adams, Brandon Millar, Anthony Shaw and Declan Dobbin were dealing comfortably with whatever Greenisland could throw at them.Ten minutes into the half Northend equalised after a period of sustained pressure. Kuba Babuszewski picked up the ball on the edge of the Greenisland box from an Aaron Campbell pass and slipped the ball past their keeper, to leave the score 1-1.

However the Blues joy was short lived; when they conceded a goal two minutes later when the Greenisland winger crossed the ball across the face of the Northend goals and their striker stroked the ball into the Northend nets, past a helpless Josh Mark.

Fifteen minutes into the half, the forceful running of Ben McGarvey was almost rewarded when he saw a good run and shot well saved by the Greenisland keeper.

Next it was the turn of Graeme Macartney to test the Greenisland keeper when he picked up a throughball and unleashed a good shot which the keeper did well to save.

With time running out in the match, Graeme Macartney was straight through on the keeper but was hauled down in the Greenisland penalty box. However the referee saw it otherwise and waved to play on.

It looked like it wasn't going to be Northend's day again but with five minutes of the match remaining, Kuba Babuszewski unleashed a good shot, which the Greenisland keeper couldn't hold and Eoin McLaughlin was on hand to stroke the ball into the Greenisland net. Final score 2-2

The result was hard on Northend with the Greenisland defence and goalkeeper being the busier of the two teams. However in the end this was a good improvement from the Blues over a team that had beaten them earlier in the season.

Man of the Match: Team Performance

Panel: J Mark, J Adams, B Millar, D Dobbin (c), A Shaw, B McGarvey, J Stevenson, R Laverty, S Hutchinson, K Babuszewski, A Campbell, E McLaughlin, M Kirk, J Wharry, G Macartney