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Northend United U16s 6 Barn United U16s 1 Saturday 25th February 2012

Northend started off this Plate Match where they left off last week, in a winning mood and it didn't take long for them to open the scoring on ten minutes a superb throughball from Mark Robinson found Emmet Kerr and he made no mistake to be the keeper. Northend further increased their lead when on ten minutes, a great run down the left wing from Lee Kirk found Conan Dunne with a pass and he cut inside his marker and unleashed a great shot from the edge of the box to give the keeper no chance.

Barn United pulled a goal back on thirty minutes when a throufghball caught the Northend defence napping and their striker ran on to beat Dylan Little in the Northend nets.

With the score now at 2-1 to Northend, approaching half time, Northend got the all important third goal just before half time when Ben Murphy, who was having an excellent game, picked up the ball from a Kerr pass on the edge of the penalty box and unleashed a powerful shot to beat the Barn keeper. Half time score 3-1

Northend came out for the second half and picked up where they left off the first. On fifty-five minutes Conan Dunne ran on to another great throughball from Mark Robinson and his first shot was well saved by the keeper but he followed up and beat the stranded keeper with his second attempt.

With Kerr, Kinney, Douds and Dunne pulling all the strings in midfield, it wasn't long before Northend further increased their led. Simon Cunningham was next on the score sheet when from a corner the ball wasn't properly cleared and he volleyed the loose ball into the net, leaving the score 5-1 to Northend.

Goal of the game was reserved for Northend's last goal when the ball was released from the Northend keeper, Dylan Little, to Lee Kirk at fullback. Kirk released the ball to Kinney and his subtle pass found Emmet Kerr to beat the keeper with his second goal of the match.

With no further scoring, Northend ran out 6-1 winners in this match, to proudly sit at the top of this Plate Competition.

Man of the Match: Glen Murphy

Panel: D Little, M Robinson, L Kirk, M King, G Williams, M Kirk, E Kerr(c), R Douds, C Dunne, C Ferris, G Murphy, R Kinney, S Cunningham

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Northend United U16s 3 Crewe United U16s 2 Saturday 18th February 2012

Northend U16s returned to competitive action on Saturday after a four week lay-off, at a wind swept Mallusk. However they hit the ground running and opened the scoring on eight minutes when a great Mark Robinson throughball was latched onto by Ciaran Ferris who outpaced the Crewe defence and went on to slide the ball past the Crewe keeper to give them a 1-0 lead.

It was all Northend at this stage of the game and they further increased their lead on twelve minutes when Emmet Kerr controlled the ball in the middle of the park, left his marker for dead and unleashed an unstoppable shot from all of twenty-five yards, to give Northend a two goal cushion.

United were playing some good football at this stage of the game but as the half worn on , play began to get bogged down in midfield. Crewe pulled a goal back on twenty-five minutes, when a ball played through the middle of the park caught the Northend defence napping and the Crewe striker beat Dylan Little in the Northend net.

Northend continued to battle in this game and almost on the stroke of half time were awarded a corner. From the resultant kick, the ball wasn't properly cleared and Matt King was on hand to stroke the ball home to give Northend a 3-1 scoreline at half time.

Northend came out after half time defending into a strong breeze and gave a backs to the wall performance. With play again becoming bogged down in the middle of the park, United's midfield of Kerr, Douds, Dunne and Kirk were closing down the Crewe midfield and snubbing out the supply to their forward line.

The Northend defence of Robinson, King, Williams and Kirk were equal to everything Crewe could throw at them in the second half but there was nothing they could do with ten minutes of the match remaining when a snapshot somehow found its way past Dylan Little in nets, to pull a goal back for Crewe.

With the score at 3-2 to Northend, they saw out the final minutes of the game to record a fine team performance and a win to go with it.

Man of the Match: Team Performance

Panel: D Little, M Robinson, L Kirk, M King, G Williams, M Kirk, E Kerr(c), R Douds, C Dunne, , G Murphy, C Ferris, S Cunningham, T Sloan

Northend United U16s 2 Ballyclare Comrades U16s 5 Saturday 14th January 2012

Northend travelled to Mallusk to play League leaders Ballyclare Comrades on Saturday. For the first twenty minutes of this match, played flowed from end to end, with some solid displays for Northend from their midfield of Kinney, Dunne, Williams and Kerr.

During this time, Dylan Little for Northend pulled off a great save for the Blues but he could do nothing when Ballyclare were awarded a penalty kick on twenty-five minutes.

Northend did not give up and came right back at Ballyclare. From an in-swinging corner, Matt King was able to steer the ball home for an equaliser for the Blues.

As half -time approached, Ballyclare scored an all important goal when from a cross, their striker wasn't picked up at the back post and he was able to tap it into an empty net to leave the half-time score 2-1 to Ballyclare.

Ballyclare came out after half time in dominant form but found Dylan Little equal to their long range shooting. After fifteen minutes, Ballyclare increased their lead to 3-1 and with this, Northend heads began to drop. Ballyclare went on to score another two goals in this half before Northend scored heir second and the best goal of the game. From a Dylan Little throw out, Lee Kirk raced forward and found Conan Dunne on the wing. Dunne crossed the ball into the Ballyclare box where Peter McKay was on hand to steer the ball past the Ballyclare keeper. Final score 5-2 to league leaders Ballyclare Comrades.

Man of the Match: Dylan Little

Panel: D Little, M Robinson, L Kirk, M King, M Kirk, G Williams, R Kinney, E Kerr(c), C Dunne, D O'Brien, C Ferris, S Cunningham, R Douds, N McCarry, P McKay

Grosvenor Youths U16s 4 Northend United U16s 0 Saturday 7th January 2012

Northend travelled to Lisburn on Saturday to play Grosvenor Youths in a NIBFA second round Cup match. Not having played for three weeks, Northend started off the match in second gear and Dylan Little was called upon to twice deny the speedy Grosvenor strikers in the opening fifteen minutes.

Grosvenor took the lead after twenty minutes when their striker outpaced the Northend defence and slid the ball past the advancing keeper.

Northend kept plugging away and the midfield of Cunningham, Dunne, Kerr and M Kirk were causing the Grosvenor defence all sorts of problems but Northend couldn't score the all important goal.

They were made to rue their misses when Grosvenor scored a second goal just before half time.

Northend started off the second half on the defensive with Matt King dominant in the middle of the Northend defence. On a breakaway, David O'Brien was unlucky when his shot was cleared by the Grosvenor defence.

Grosvenor scored the all important third goal after ten minutes of the second half and this effectively killed off the game as a contest.

Northend introduced Glen Murphy, Ryan Douds, Niall McCarry and Stephen McKay to try and freshen up the team and it was Glen Murphy who went on to prove to be a thorn in Grosvenor's flesh with his persistent midfield play.

However there was nothing he could do to prevent Grosvenor scoring their fourth of the day.

Panel: D Little, M Robinson, M King, L Kirk, S Cunningham, E Kerr(c), M Kirk, C Dunne, D O'Brien, C Ferris, R Kinney, R Douds, S McGaughey, G Murphy, N McCarry