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St. Mary's U16s 3 Northend United U16s 0 Saturday 17th Dec 2011

Northend travelled to Newtownabbey on Saturday to play league leaders St. Mary's. In arctic conditions Northend defended into the strong wind in the first half.

St. Mary's took the game to Northend from the start but found Matt Kirk, Matt King, Gareth Williams and Lee Kirk in the United defence in top form. United played some good football in the first half without creating any clear scoring chances. With Kerr and Dunne playing superbly in midfield, half time arrived with the score remaining 0-0.

Northend started off the second half playing with the strong wind. However instead of going on to dominate the second half, Northend allowed St. Mary's to get the all important first goal. Ten minutes into the half and a short back pass held up in the poor conditions, leaving Dylan Little in the Northend nets stranded, and the St. Mary's striker nipped in to get a touch on the ball to score into the corner of the net.

Worse was to follow on fifteen minutes when a cross from the wing was bundled over the Northend goal line by the St. Mary's striker.

To their credit, Northend didn't give up but attacked St. Mary's with Kinney and O'Brien going close.

As play flowed from end to end, Dylan Little pulled of a good save before St. Mary's scored a final goal with minutes of the game remaining. The ball had clearly crossed the by-line before a St. Mary's player pulled the ball back to their big striker to score the third goal.

Although beaten 3-0 the boys deserved to get something out of this game, with their best team performance of the season.

Man of the Match: Team Performance

Panel: D Little, M Kirk, L Kirk, M King, G Williams, C Ferris, E Kerr(c), C Dunne, S Cunningham, R Kinney, D O'Brien, P McKay, N McCarry, T Sloan

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Northend United U16s 1 Carrick Rangers U16s 1 Saturday 26th November 2011

Northend played Carrick Rangers on Saturday again at their "home" venue of Mallusk. In windy conditions, both teams played some good football and a draw was probably the best result.

Play flowed from end to end in the first half and for the first fifteen minutes of the match no team was able to break the deadlock. Then a high ball over the Northend defence caught them sleeping and the Carrick striker went on to slide the ball past the advancing Dylan Little in the Northend nets.

Dylan Little was called upon to make two good saves to keep Northend in the game at this stage. Gradually as the half wore on, Northend came more into the game and from a Rory Kinney cross, Emmet Kerr looked to have equalised for Northend with a good header but the referee adjudged that the ball didn't cross the line before the Carrick keeper scrambled it to safety.

Just before half time, Kerr was again denied a goal, when a throughball placed him clear of the Carrick defence with only the keeper to beat; however the keeper made a good save to leave the half-time score 1-0 to Carrick.

The second half of the game was played mostly in midfield with the windy conditions bit the Northend midfield of Robinson, Dunne and Kerr began to get the upper hand. From a Conan Dunne corner, the ball wasn't properly cleared and David O'Brien headed the ball past the Carrick keeper to bring Northend level at 1-1.

The Northend defence of M Kirk, King Williams and L Kirk dealt comfortably with whatever Carrick could throw at them in the second half and the match played out to a 1-1 final score.

Man of the Match: Conan Dunne

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

Ballynure OB U16s 2 Northend United U16s 2 Saturday 19th November 2011

Another below par performance from the U16s saw them drop two points against Ballynure OB in the last kick of the game.

Northend found themselves a goal down after five minutes, when the Ballynure striker lobbed Dylan Little, in the Northend nets, from all of thirty yards, without a Northend defender trying to close him down.

On twelve minutes, Northend went on to equaliser from top striker David O'Brien, when he cut in from the right wing and unleashed an unstoppable shot which flew past the keeper into the left hand corner of the net.

Northend took the lead on fifteen minutes when David O'Brien was bundled over inside the box and up stepped Matt King to take the penalty. For the second week in a row the goalkeeper pulled off a great save and pushed the ball around the post. From the resultant corner, Rory Kinney rose majestically to head the ball past the keeper, giving Northend a 2-1 lead, which remained until half time.

Northend started the second half strongly, with the midfield of Dunne, Kinney, Kerr and Robinson producing all the play but they couldn't find a way past the Ballynure keeper.

During this half, Northend found themselves on now fewer four occasions with their strikers straight through on the keeper but each time the keeper came out on top. Peter McKay, Rory Kinney, Ryan Kennedy and David O'Brien missed the chances.

As with previous football matches, Northend paid dearly by missing all these chances. Ballynure were awarded a free-kick almost on full-time and from almost thirty-five yards out, their striker hit the ball and it sailed into the bottom corner of the net, with the Northend keeper well beaten.

Final score 2-2 in this game

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

Northend United U16s 0 Willowbank U16s 1 Saturday 12th November 2011

Northend's U16s travelled to Mallusk to play their "home" game against Willowbank. Play swung from end to end for the first twenty minutes of the game with no real team on top.

Gradually the Northend midfield of Conan Dunne, Emmet Kerr, Rory Kinney and Mark Robinson began to get the upper hand and on twenty-five minutes, Conan Dunne outpaced the Willowbank defence and pushed the ball past the Willowbank keeper, only to be pulled down. Much to the amazement of the Northend coaches the referee only booked the keeper and awarded Northend a spot kick.

Up stepped Matt King to take the penalty abut the Willowbank keeper had other ideas, pulling off an excellent save, diving low to his right hand side and pushing the ball around the post. From the resultant corner, Matt King saw his header go narrowly wide of the upright.

Northend kept piling on the pressure at this stage and from another Lee Kirk corner, Matt King again saw his header sail narrowly over the bar.

As half-time approached, the Willowbank midfielder took a long range shot which cannoned off the Northend crossbar and the Willowbank striker was first to react to steer the ball past Dylan Little in the Northend net. The half time score remained 1-0 to Willowbank.

Willowbank started off the second half in commanding, buoyed up with their goal just before half-time, and Dylan Little was called upon to make two good saves to keep Northend in the game.

Both midfields became bogged down with some scrappy play on a very heavy pitch but Northend rallied their play towards the end of the game.

In the final ten minutes, Northend camped in Willowbank's half, but couldn't manage to get the all elusive goal to gain a share of the points, with the Willowbank defence soaking up whatever Northend could throw at them.

Man of the Match: Matt Kirk

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

Northend United U16s 6 18th Newtownabbey U16s 2 Saturday 5th November 2011

Northend gave debuts today to Peter McKay and Conor McFerran and both players went on help United to a convincing home win over 18th Newtownabbey.

Northend started this match strongly and dominated the early stages of this game, with the United midfield of Kerr, Kinney, McKay and Dunne pulling the strings.

Northend opened the scoring on ten minutes when an excellent Conan Dunne throughball found Emmet Kerr and he made no mistake slipping the ball past the keeper to give United a deserved 1-0 lead.

Five minutes later and from a Lee Kirk corner, Matt King's header was handled by a defender and Northend were awarded a penalty. King stepped up and scored the penalty to give Northend a 2-0 lead.

Newtownabbey came back at Northend and from a back-pass that was delivered short, allowed the Abbey striker in to beat Dylan Little, in the Northend net, leaving a 2-1 scoreline. Game on.

Northend now moved up a gear and Kerr now turned provider, when from his pass, David O'Brien slipped the ball past the keeper to restore Northend's two goal cushion.

Just before half time, Newtownabbey were awarded a free-kick outside the Northend penalty box. From the free-kick, the Abbey striker scored the goal when everyone stopped, waiting for the referee to blow for offside, leaving the half-time score 3-2 to United.

Northend started the second half strongly and after ten minutes of the half, a long clearance from Dylan Little found Conan Dunne and he beat the keeper with a clinical finish, into the bottom corner of the net.

David O'Brien, who was causing the Newtownabbey defence all sorts of problems with his darting runs, picked up the ball outside the penalty box and dribbled his way past two defenders before slipping the ball past the Abbey keeper to give Northend a 5-2 lead.

O'Brien was buzzing all day and from another penetrating run into the Abbey penalty box, he was hauled down and United were awarded their second penalty. Matt King stepped up to score his second penalty of the afternoon to give Northend a convincing 6-2 win

Man of the Match: David O'Brien

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