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Northend United 2 Willowbank 3 Saturday 28th February 2015

Northend were on top in the early exchanges in this match and Zack Herbison found space to get a shot in on the Willowbank keeper after four minutes. Tom Campbell, Sam Bennett and Jack Dawson were pulling the strings in midfield and Bradley Cairns was stretching the Willowbank defence all over the place.

However Willowbank took the lead on fifteen minutes when a high ball into the Northend box was poorly dealt with by the Northend defence and the Willowbank striker had time to plant the ball into the corner of the Blues net.

Zack Herbison and Bradley Cairns were working well together and Cairns squared the ball across the edge of the Willowbank penalty box where Jack Dawson's shot went narrowly wide.

Northend began to get the upper hand in the game and Zack Herbison watched on as his inswinging corner was cleared off the Willowbank goal-line.

On twenty minutes, Willowbank doubled their lead when a longball found their striker in what looked like an offside position but he was allowed to run on and slip the ball into the Blues net.

Northend still looked dangerous going forward in this match and Bradley Cairns again saw a shot flash across the Willowbank goal line with nobody able to get a touch on the ball. Half time score 0-2

Into the second half and following a half time reorganisation, Northend came more into the game. Zack Herbison pulled a goal back for Northend after twelve minutes of the half when he scored a penalty following a handball in the penalty box.

With Campbell and Stewart driving forward from midfield, the Willowbank keeper was called upon to make a good goal-line save. Northend introduced Oliver Boyle and Gareth Downey to play as they went looking for the equaliser.

Robbie Dennison and Ryan McKenna were soaking up whatever the Willowbank strikers could throw at them but they could do nothing for Willowbank's third goal. The Willowbank striker picked up the ball when clearly yards offside and was allowed to run on and plant the ball into Northend's net much to the displeasure of the Northend players and coaches.

This was a cruel blow to the Blues fightback but they introduced Cameron Neilly and Andrew Milligan to try and get back in the game.

Following a free-kick by Northend, the Willowbank defence didn't clear the ball properly and found Robbie Dennison hovering on the edge of the penalty box to smash the ball into the Willowbank net.

It was all Northend at this point in the game and with time running out, the Blues won a series of corners. Two Zack Herbison expertly struck corners in the dying minutes of the half should have resulted in goals but the Blues attackers didn't show enough determination to get the all important touch. Final score 2-3

Northend again left it late in this game before showing their true potential in a game they should never have lost. Too many players didn't have a good first half. Best for the Blues on the day was Zack Herbison who tortured the Willowbank defence throughout the match.

Panel: J Galbraith, L McAllister, R Dennison, R McKenna (c), T Campbell, S Bennett, J Dawson, B Cairns, J Houston, Z Herbison, A Milligan, C Neilly, O Boyle, G Downey

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Willowbank 2 Northend United 0 Saturday 21st February 2015

A weakened Northend travelled to Lisburn on Saturday minus a number of regulars but the players on show can count themselves unlucky not to have got at least a share of the points in this match.

The game started with the makeshift Northend midfield on top in the match with some good passing play. However Willowbank began to claw their way back into the game and took the lead on ten minutes when their striker ran through the Northend defence and chipped the ball over Lewis McFall in the Northend nets.

Willowbank could have doubled their lead after fifteen minutes but McFall pushed the ball onto the crossbar from a fierce Willowbank shot.

The game flowed from end to end after this and Jamie Houston and Jack Galbraith both had good chances to score from free-kicks, before half time. Half time score 1-0

Into the second half and with Cameron Neilly on, it was a rejuvenated Northend team who took the game to Willowbank. Bradley Cairns went close with a shot following some good play from Neilly and Herbison.

Against the run of play Willowbank double their lead when their striker scored from what looked like an offside position.

To make matters worse, Northend then lost their influential Captain, Ryan McKenna, to injury and was replaced by Matthew Waide. The Blues reorganised again and began to create some good scoring opportunities. Matthew Waide could have pulled a goal back when well placed in front of goals. Waide then turned provider for Zack Herbison, who also went close to pulling a goal back for the Blues.

In a frantic last ten minutes, Andrew Milligan could have scored for Northend and the referee completely ignored a handball by a Willowbank player in their penalty box. However the game eventually finish scoreless for the Blues when on another day it would have been a different matter. Final score 2-0

Best for Northend on a bitterly cold day were Lee McAllister in defence and Lewis McFall in the Blues nets who both had their best performances of the season so far,

Panel: L McFall, O Boyle, L McAllister, R Dennison, R McKenna (c), J Galbraith, A Milligan , J Dawson, B Cairns, J Houston, Z Herbison, C Neilly, M Waide

North Belfast 2 Northend United 1 Saturday 14th February 2015

This was certainly a game of two halves with Northend dominating the early exchanges but not taking their chances while on top and paying the price with five minutes of the match remaining.

The match started with the Ballymena Blues on the front foot with Tom Campbell and Sam Bennett pulling the strings in the Northend midfield. It wasn't long before the Blues tested the North Belfast keeper when Jamie Houston's corner wasn't properly cleared but the keeper got down well to push the resultant shot around the post.

Against the run of play, North Belfast took the lead after ten minutes, when the Northend defence got caught too square and this allowed the North Belfast striker to run on and slip the ball past the advancing Lewis McFall, in the Northend nets.

However this didn't knock the Northend confidence and the Blues came storming back. Jamie Houston saw a free-kick go inches over the crossbar. Houston was a thorn in the North Belfast defence and from his corner, Tom Campbell could and probably should have scored for Northend.

However North Belfast couldn't sustain the constant Northend pressure and the Blues equalised from another Houston corner, when Sam Bennett got in ahead of the North Belfast defender to equalise for Northend.

Indeed Bennett was having a good game and the same player could have given Northend the lead when he went on a jinxing run from almost the half way line and ended up with his shot being well saved by the North Belfast keeper.

Northend really should have scored minutes before half time when Bradley Cairns outpaced his marker but the keeper got a foot to Cairns shot to deflect it to safety.

The final chance of the half fell to Jamie Houston, who broke down the Northend left wing and cut inside to get a shot in on target but again the keeper wes equal to it. Half time score 1-1

Into the second half and North Belfast upped their game with the Northend defence of Oliver Boyle, Lee McAllister, Ryan McKenna and Robbie Dennison having to be alert in the opening minutes of the half.

However it was Northend who had the first chance to score in this half when Bradley Cairns saw his header from a Houston corner, go narrowly over the North Belfast crossbar.

Cameron Neilly and Matthew Waide were brought on to play to give the Blues a fresh pair of legs as they went looking for a winner. However , with five minutes of the match remaining, it was North Belfast who go the all important goal, from what looked like an offside position. Final score 2-1

Panel: L McFall, O Boyle, L McAllister, R Dennison, R McKenna (c), T Campbell, S Bennett, J Dawson, B Cairns, J Houston, A Milligan, M Waide, C Neilly

Northend United 3 Greenisland 0 Saturday 7th February 2015

This was a confident performance from an U16 team whose early season form is beginning to return throughout all areas of the team.

Northend hit the ground running right from the kick off with Tom Campbell and Sam Bennett pulling the strings in the middle of the park. Bradley Cairns and Zack Herbison were stretching the Greenisland defence all over the park with their penetrating play and it was no surprise when Zack Herbison opened the scoring after seven minutes when he converted a Jamie Houston cross.

It was all Northend at this stage of the game and Jamie Houston went close with a wrasping shot, forcing the keeper into a good save.

Midway through the half Robbie Dennison saw the Greenisland keeper make another good save when he got down to push his shot past the post, following a Herbison corner.

Indeed Zack Herbison was buzzing in the opening half and following some good play from Lee McAllister, Herbison flashed a shot across the face of the Greenisland goal, with nobody able to get a touch on it to score.

Northend added a second goal on twenty minutes when Bradley Cairns controlled a Tom Campbell pass and released Zack Herbison to outpace his marker and chip the advancing goalkeeper.

However Greenisland weren't to be outdone and Robbie Dennison, Ryan McKenna and Oliver Boyle had to be on top of their game to keep the Greenisland strikers at bay. The Blues had a let-off when the Greenisland striker fired a shot across the Blues goalmouth but nobody able to get a touch on it.

Northend had the last say in the half when Oliver Boyle wipped in a cross to the Greenisland back post, but Bradley Cairns saw his shot hit the Greenisland side-netting. Half time 2-0

Into the second half and the Blues could have scored a third goal after ten minutes, when Bradley Cairns' header found Jack Dawson on the edge of the Greenisland penalty box but the keeper got down low to gather Dawson's shot.

Greenisland kept playing angled balls to their right winger but Lee McAllister was cutting out the threat on every occasion.

Bradley Cairns was next to test the Greenisland keeper when a cross was heading for the top corner before the Greenisland keeper made a save just in below the crossbar.

It was all Northend at this point in the game and Tom Campbell was in top form in the Blues engine room.

Northend scored their third goal midway through the half when Jamie Houston pushed the ball wide to Zack Herbison and went for the return pass, to slip the ball into the bottom corner of the Greenisland net.

The Blues should have scored a fourth goal when Jack Galbraith's well timed pass found Herbison on the left wing and his cross went agonisingly across the Greenisland goal-line with nobody able to get the final touch. Final score 3-0

Panel: L McFall, O Boyle, L McAllister, R Dennison, R McKenna (c), T Campbell, S Bennett, J Dawson, B Cairns, J Houston, Z Herbison, J Galbraith, A Milligan

Midway 2 Northend United 2 Saturday 24th January 2015

Northend got back to business after a two week lay-off against a Midway side they had played twice previously in the League and Shield. Both encounters were close, with one win apiece, and this match proved to be the same.

The Blues started this match strongly, with Tom Campbell, Conor Graham and Sam Bennett in top form in the Northend midfield. However after ten minutes Northend went a goal down, when a throughball over the top of the Northend defence, found two Midway strikers clearly in an offside position, but they were allowed to run on and plant the ball past Lewis McFall in the Northend nets. This goal was a cruel blow for a Blues team starting to play some entertaining football.

The Blues came storming back and from a series of Zack Herbison inswinging corners, Northend should really have equalised the score, however miss-timed Northend headers saw the Midway defence escape both times.

Conor Graham was next to stretch the Midway defence when a good shot, forced the Midway keeper into a good save.

However it was only a matter of time before Northend equalised and it was something special when it came. Bradley Cairns, who was having a good game, controlled a Northend throughball and released Jamie Houston, who cut in from the right wing and planted the ball into the bottom of the Midway net, giving their keeper no chance.

The Blues were really playing well in this stage of the game, however twelve minutes before the end of the half, they conceded a needless free-kick. From the resultant kick, the Midway striker wasn't picked up and was allowed to head the ball into the Northend net.

Again Northend came back at Midway and from a Graham throughball, Bradley Cairns outpaced the Midway defence but saw his shot go inches past the post. Cairns was running the Midway defence ragged and minutes before the end of the half, good play between Herbison and Cairns, saw a cross go agonisingly across the face of the Midway goal-line with nobody able to get a touch on it. Half time score 1-2

Into the second half and play swung from end to end with Robbie Dennison marshalling the Northend defence. However the Blues had to reshuffle their defence after ten minutes of the half when captain Ryan McKenna had to retire from the game and was replaced by Cameron Neilly.

Midway rattled a shot off the Northend crossbar when their striker was allowed too much room on the edge of the Blues penalty box.

However Northend began to take control of the midfield play and Sam Bennett saw a shot go narrowly over the cross-bar. Bradley Cairns' all round play was forcing the Midway defence into a series of mistakes, and from these, they conceded a number of corners. Again Herbison's inswinging corners were causing havoc in the Midway defence and Northend should really have capitalised on these chances. Jack Dawson and Andrew Milligan were introduced to play as the Blues went looking for an equaliser. With time running out, a Robbie Dennison cross into the Midway penalty box was planted into the Midway net by the advancing Bradley Cairns, to level the score at 2-2.

However Midway almost had the last say in the match when Neilly conceded a free-kick on the end of the Northend penalty box, but fortunately the free-kick went narrowly wide on the Blues net. Final score 2-2

This was a good display from the Blues with Tom Campbell, Bradley Cairns and Robbie Dennison all turning in solid displays with Cairns particularly impressive leading the Northend forward line.

Panel: L McFall, O Boyle, L McAllister, R Dennison, R McKenna (c), T Campbell, S Bennett, C Graham, B Cairns, J Houston, Z Herbison, C Neilly, J Dawson, A Milligan