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Ballinamallard 3 Northend United 1 Thursday 16th May 2013

Northend United Youth U16s travelled to Cookstown to play Ballinamallard in the league cup semi final and the crowd in attendance were treated to a very entertaining match.

Ballinamallard started the match the livelier team and went 1-0 up after only eight minutes. This was a wake up call to Northend and slowly but surely they began to play their way into the match. The rest of the first half was evenly fought with chances at either end but no more goals. Half time score 1-0

Into the second half and again Ballinamallard were quicker into their stride, going 2-0 up before Northend could get going.

The lads weren't going to throw in the towel and reduced the deficit to 2-1 midway through the second half. This goal spurred Northend on and at this point of the game could easily have drawn level with the numerous chances they created but with time running out and Northend committing more men forward; they were caught on the break, Ballinamallard scoring their third goal with only two minutes of the game remaining.

This was a match the Northend lads deserved more out of but a performance they should be proud off giving them a lot of confidence as they prepare for the forthcoming Foyle Cup Tournament.

Man of the Match: Team Performance

Panel: R Gault, R Swan, M Laverty, B Etherson, J Cameron, J Speirs, N Swann, L Scroggie, S Hare, J Nixon, R Sloan

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Limavady United 3 Northend United 3 aet (Northend win 6-5 on pens) Wednesday 8th May 2013

Played on an appalling standard of a pitch where the first silage cut of the season isn't far away, Northend and Limavady fought out an entertaining League Cup quarter final match in Maghera on Wednesday night in conditions more akin to the middle of winter than on a night in May.

Due to the timing of this match, Northend were stretched to the bare bones of a panel because of school exam commitments. However Northend started brightly with Scroggie, Speirs and Swan all prominent in the Northend midfield. The first chance of the night fell to Stephen Hare who saw a good shot go narrowly wide of the post.

Limavady opened the scoring after fifteen minutes of the match, when a Northend defender didn't clear the ball and this allowed the Limavady winger to cross the ball into the Northend box where their striker was on hand to fire past Richard Sloan in the Northend nets.

Northend came storming back and from a Niall Swan cross into the Limavady box, Ryan Gault saw his well timed header, cleared off the Limavady goal line. Northend kept up the pressure on the Limavady defence for the remainder of the half but couldn't get the all important opening goal. Half time score 1-0

Into the second half and Northend continued on, where they left off in the first half by taking the game to Limavady. Ryan Gault should have equalised for the Blues early in the second half when he miskicked in front of an open goal, following another good cross from Niall Swann.

Limavady always looked dangerous on the break and the Northend defence of Etherson, Cameron, Swan and Laverty had to be alert.

Stephen Hare was next to test the Limavady keeper, when his well struck shot, forced him into a great finger-tip save.

Just when it looked like Northend would claw their way back into the game, Limavady doubled their lead on twenty minutes of the half, when a speculative long range shot somehow found its way into the Northend net, following a goalkeeping error.

With fifteen minutes of the match remaining it looked like Limavady was heading towards the semi-final but such is the resolve of this Northend team, they had other thoughts. Ryan Gault scored the first of his goals on the night, when following a quick free kick from Jamie Speirs, he planted the ball into the bottom corner of the net, with the Limavady keeper well beaten.

With only six minutes of the match remaining, Northend should have equalised when Lee Scroggie missed a glorious chance when well placed in front of goals, but he somehow managed to steer the ball wide of the post. Northend kept up the pressure and Stephen Hare saw another good shot well saved by the Limavady keeper, almost on full time.

With two minutes of extra time played in the match, that man Ryan Gault was on hand to finally equalise for Northend, when he was quickest to react in the penalty box to a loose ball and slammed the ball past the helpless Limavady keeper. Full time score 2-2

Northend started off the extra time almost with ten men, as Speirs now was limping heavily following a heavy tackle at the end of normal time. With no substitutes available, a number of the Northend lads began to take cramp in a match that flowed from end to end. Northend took the lead in the first period of extra time when that man Gault again scored, following a mix up in the Limavady defence. Leaving the score 3-2 to Northend. This was a lead that Northend held until the final minute of the second period of extra time when Limavady equalised following a free kick on the edge of the Northend penalty box. Throughout the second period of extra time, the Northend lads looked very tired after having given their all in such an entertaining match. With penalties looming, Ryan Gault replaced Sloan in nets for the final minute of the game. Extra time score 3-3

Northend eventually won the game, following an epic penalty shoot out, with Ryan Gault pushing the all important penalty around the post from Limavady. Penalty scorers for Northend were Etherson, Speirs, Swann, Hare and that man Gault.

Although big Ryan gets all the headlines, Man of the Match goes to Lee Scroggie, who put in a tireless performance from start to finsh, playing just in front of the Northend defence and breaking up numerous Limavady advances.

Man of the Match: Lee Scroggie

Panel: R Sloan, R Swan, M Laverty, J Cameron, B Etherson, J Speirs, N Swann, L Scroggie, J Nixon, S Hare, R Gault

Northend United 1 Cookstown United 1 Saturday 6th April 2013

The Blues entertained Cookstown United in the last match in the League Cup section of the National League. Northend started the more livelier and took the game to Cookstown from the start. Jamie Speirs and Niall Swann were pulling the strings for Northend in the middle of the park and their surging play was causing problems for the Cookstown defence. After some good link up play between James Cameron and Connell Lemon, Stephen Hare found himself in front of the Cookstown defence but chose to lift the ball over the goalkeeper, only to see it go narrowly wide.

Northend were playing some super football at this stage and Stevie Hare again found himself with time to spare in front of the Cookstown goals but again saw his shot go narrowly wide of the post with the goalkeeper well beaten.

In defence, Bryan Etherson, Benny O'Neill and Michael Laverty were soaking up any pressure Cookstown did exert in the opening half. Ryan Gault, making his return in nets after a long lay-off due to injury was seldom troubled in the opening half. Half time score 0-0

Into the second half and Northend again started at whirlwind pace and it wasn't long before Lee Scroggie beat his marker down the Northend left wing and slid the ball to Stevie Hare just on the edge of the Cookstown box. Hare skipped past his marker and planted the ball into the bottom corner of the nets to give Northend a well deserved lead.

Northend looked in dominant mood at this stage of the game and a good shot from Jamie Speirs went inches past the post. However Cookstown were awarded a free-kick about twenty yards out and had the ball in the Northend net only to be rulled out of offside.

This was a wake-up call to Northend who until this time looked like sure winners in the game. As the Blues again gathered momentum, Stevie Hare went on a darting run down the Northend left wing and when his ball was crossed into the box, Connell Lemon was first to the ball but saw his shot go narrowly over the crossbar.

However it didn't take Cookstown much longer to draw level, when from a break down their left wing, their striker lifted the ball into the Northend box and in a scramble their forward scored when he reacted quickest to the loose ball.

For the remaining ten minutes of the half, Cookstown won the important midfield battle but failed to capitalise on their possession and the match finished all square at 1-1

Men of the Match: Jamie Speirs, Niall Swann, Stevie Hare

Panel: R Swan, L Scroggie, M Laverty, B Etherson, B O'Neill, J Cameron, J Speirs, N Swann (c), J Nixon, C Lemon, S Hare, J McKitterick, R Sloan

Limavady United 2 Northend United 3 Saturday 30th March 2013

Northend travelled to Limavady Youth's 3G home pitch to play this League Cup tie. Starting strongly, playing some fluent passing football, Northend took the game to Limavady and took the lead after 15 minutes when Connell Lemon slotted home after outpacing the Limavady defence.

Northend kept pressing forward and doubled their lead when Jamie Speirs swung in a corner and Bryan Etherson nodded home from close range.

Limavady were given a lifeline towards the end of the first half, scoring from a debatable free kick. Half time score 2-1

Into the second half and with the Blues determined to claim maximum points in this match they again took the game to Limavady. With the chances coming at either end, the next goal was going to be crucial and with ten minutes remaining, from a free kick, Jamie Speirs knocked the ball into the box and for the second time in the game Bryan Etherson was on hand to loop his header into the far corner of the goal.

At this stage Northend were now comfortable to see the out remainder of the match but in the fourth minute of injury time Limavady were awarded a penalty, which they converted, with the referee blowing the final whistle immediately after to leave the score 3-2 to the Ballymena Blues for a fully deserved three points .

Man of the Match: Team Performance

Panel: R Swan, J McKitterick, M Laverty, B Etherson, B O'Neill, J Cameron, J Speirs, N Swann (c), L Scroggie, J Nixon, C Lemon, R Sloan

Maiden City Academy 3 Northend United 0 Saturday 9th March 2013

The Blues travelled to Limavady on Saturday to play Maiden City Academy in a Quarter Final Plate match, missing a number of regulars due to injury and sickness.

Northend started brightest and had the first chance of the game when Jack Nixon saw his shot go narrowly wide of the upright.

Jamie Speirs and Niall Swann were playing well in the opening exchanges, with James Cameron and Lee Scroggie providing width on the wings.

Gradually Maiden City began to play their way into the match with some good pass and move football but found Etherson, Laverty and McKitterick in fine form in the Northend defence.

Maiden City took the lead twenty minutes into the match when their right winger picked up the throughball and rounded two Northend players before slipping the ball past Ross Swan in the Northend nets.

Maiden City took the game to Northend for the remainder of this half and when the won a free kick twenty yards out, their striker hit an unstoppable shot past Swan to leave the score 2-0.

However Northend forced their way back into the game and James Cameron could have pulled a goal back when he slid in at the back post but watched as the ball went agonisingly wide. Half time score 2-0

Northend again started the second half brightly and when James Cameron found himself in space on the right wing, he outpaced his marker and crossed the ball to Jack Nixon who really should have scored but somehow steered his shot past the post, with the goal at his mercy.

As the half wore on, play began to get bogged down in midfield with attack and counter attack.

Richard Sloan replaced Swan in nets midway through the half as the Blues began to tire and pick up injuries. Maiden City had the final say in the match when their right winger again caused the Northend defence some headaches and he curled his shot beyond the reach of Sloan to leave the final score 3-0

Man of the Match: Bryan Etherson

Panel: R Swan, J McKitterick, M Laverty, B Etherson, A McAvoy, J Cameron, J Speirs, N Swann (c), J Nixon, R Sloan, B O'Neill