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Northend United 0 Hillsborough Boys 4 Saturday 20th December 2014

This match was never a 4-0 scoreline with Northend missing a number of chances to score while on top in this match and conceded the softest of goals at the wrong moments.

The match started with Northend on the front foot and Sam Bennett was causing the Hillsborough defence all sorts of problems with his attacking wing play. As early as the fifth minute, Bennett outpaced his marker down the Northend right wing and crossed into the Hillsborough penalty box where Jamie Houston's shot was well saved by the Hillsborough keeper.

On twelve minutes Stephen Olliver saw his shot cannon off the Hillsborough crossbar and get cleared to safety, following a good pass from Zack Herbison.

On fifteen minutes, Jamie Houston intercepted the ball from a poor defensive clearance and outpaced his marker and slipped the ball to Zach Herbison, who saw the Hillsborough keeper make a good save from his shot.

On twenty-five minutes, Northend conceded a needless free-kick twenty-five yards out. When the ball was delivered into the Northend box, it wasn't dealt with at the back post and their striker planted the ball into the corner of an empty net.

However Northend weathered this setback and came storming back at Hillsborough. Sam Bennett again jinxed his way past the Hillsborough full-back and saw his well placed cross go wide of the upright.

With minutes of the half remaining, a high ball launched at the Northend defence wasn't dealt with and the Hillsborough striker ran on and headed the ball over the advancing Lewis McFall in the Northend nets. Half time score 0-2

Into the second half and instead of taking advantage of the strong breeze, Northend sat back and invited Hillsborough to attack them. Northend introduced Andrew Milligan and Lewis McFall was called upon to make a good save from the Hillsborough striker. However Hillsborough added a third goal twenty minutes into the half.

Northend introduced substitutes Cameron Neilly and Oliver Boyle with fifteen minutes of the half remaining. It was almost an inspired substitution as Neilly took a firm grip on the game and twice jinxed past his Hillsborough marker and seen his shots hit the side-netting, with the keeper well beaten on both occasions.

Cameron Neilly was causing the Hillsborough defence all sorts of problems and with five minutes remaining, jinxed past his marker again and instead of shooting, slipped the ball to Oliver Boyle whose shot was well saved by the Hillsborough keeper.

With the game almost up, Hillsborough added a fourth goal when their striker ran from a clear offside position to plant the ball into the bottom corner of the net. Final score 0-4

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

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Lurgan Town 4 Northend United 1 Saturday 6th December 2014

Northend went into this Shield semi-final match full of hope following a good win in the NIBFA Cup the previous week. However even though they started strongly in the opening minutes with Cameron Neilly and Sam Bennett causing the Lurgan Town defence some problems, the Blues had only themselves to blame as they found themselves 2-0 down after twelve minutes. Their defence was caught out by two longballs played upfield and the Lurgan strikers were allowed to run on and shoot past Lewis McFall in the Northend nets.

After this poor start it was always going to be a long way back for Northend but Bradley Cairns saw the Lurgan keeper pull off a great save from his header on fifteen minutes.

Bradley Cairns was causing problems for the Lurgan defence and he saw a good run and shot go narrowly past the Lurgan upright, minutes later. Northend were causing Lurgan all sorts of problems at this stage of the match and Cameron Neilly flashed a shot across the face of the Lurgan nets but unfortunately no Northend striker could get on the end off.

The Blues pulled a goal back on twenty-two minutes when following a short corner, Jamie Houston was hauled down in the Lurgan penalty box. Zach Herbison stepped up to take the penalty and send the Lurgan Town keeper the wrong direction to leave the score 2-1.

This goal visibly lifted the Blues and with Tom Campbell and Conor Graham driving them forward it looked like they might draw level.

However Northend pressed the self-destruct button again, seven minutes before half time, when the defence was caught out by a Lurgan counter-attack and their striker turned his Northend marker to plant the ball into the corner of the Northend goals.

Northend had further chances at the end of the first half with Bradley Cairns going close with a shot from a Herbison throughball and Conor Graham flashed a shot across the face of the Lurgan goals. Half time score 3-1

Northend came out for the second half knowing the next goal would be the all important one, if they could score early then it would be game-on. Conor Graham went close with a driving shot after five minutes. However as the half wore on the defence and midfield started to lie very deep and this encouraged the Lurgan strikers to take the game to them.

Lurgan scored a fourth goal midway through the half when their striker skipped past a number of Northend tackles to plant the ball high into the Blues net. Northend introduced all their substitutes as they tried to claw their way back into the game but unfortunately the Blues heads dropped with ten minutes of the match remaining. Full time score 4-1

Northend wish Lurgan Town all the best for the Shield final.

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

Northend United 3 Annagh United 0 NIBFA Cup Saturday 29th October 2014

Northend had a rarity at the weekend with a home match in Ballymena. The Blues welcomed Annagh United from Mid-Ulster to the Showgrounds, in an NIBFA Cup match, and ended up with a comfortable 3-0 win.

The Blues had to reorganise their defence in this match due to a suspension to the influential Robbie Dennison, with Conor Graham dropping back into central defence, alongside Ryan McKenna. Annagh started the strongest in this match and took the game to Northend in the opening fifteen minutes without creating any clear goalscoring chances. The Northend defence of Galbraith, Graham, McAllister and McKenna were in top form on the day, dealing with whatever Annagh could throw at them. Lewis McFall, in the Northend nets, dealt comfortably with any Annagh long range shots.

Gradually the Blues clawed their way back into this game with Tom Campbell and Jamie Houston starting to get the upper hand in midfield. On twenty minutes Sam Bennett saw a good shot go narrowly over the Annagh crossbar and on twenty-five minutes Olliver Boyle again saw a good shot go narrowly wide of the Annagh upright.

However try as they might, Northend couldn't open their scoring in the first half. Half time score 0-0

Into the second half and Northend picked up where they left off in the first half. Sam Bennett and Cameron Neilly were taking the game to Annagh down the Northend wings.

Zack Herbison opened the scoring after twelve minutes of the half, when he got on the end of a Tom Campbell throughball and planted the ball past the advancing Annagh keeper. This goal visibly lifted the Blues and five minutes later Sam Bennett rose majestically to head the ball past the Annagh keeper from a Jamie Houston corner.

Northend made a number of substitutions with Matthew Waide, Andrew Milligan and Bradley Cairns all being introduced to play to replace tiring legs.

Indeed this was almost an inspired substitution with Milligan rattling the Annagh crossbar with a shot from all off twenty-five yards.

However instead of Northend finishing off the game, they allowed Annagh to come more into the game and a defensive lapse almost left the team from Mid-Ulster in to score, but the Blues keeper McFall had to be alert to clear the danger. Craig Cunningham was introduced into the left-back role to help Northend defend their lead.

Northend scored a third and final goal ten minutes before the end of the game when Herbison turned provider and his cross into the Annagh penalty box was met by Jamie Houston who slipped the ball past their keeper.

Northend saw out the remaining minutes of the game to proceed into round 2 of the NIBFA Cup as Ballymena's sole surviving team in this age group. Final score 3-0

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

Ridgeway Rovers 4 Northend United 2 Saturday 22nd October 2014

Northend gifted their opponents this match with a number of goalkeeping and defensive lapses which were bordering on comical. The Blues minus their influential captain Ryan McKenna and winger Sam Bennett were second to the ball for long periods of this game.

Northend started brightly enough and Zack Herbison went close with a turn and shot following some good play from Oliver Boyle. However they conceded the first of the goals when the Northend centre back didn't pick up the Ridgeway striker and allowed him to shoot from an acute angle past Bradley Cairns in the Blues nets.

However Northend came storming back and following a good cross from Zack Herbison, Jamie Houston slipped the ball past the Ridgeway keeper to leave the score at 1-1

This game was flowing from end to end but the Northend strikers were finding it hard to hold the ball up, and as a result the defence was seeing more of the ball then they would have liked.

Northend conceded a second goal when the Ridgeway winger was allowed to get in a cross which somehow ended up in the back of the Northend net.

Again Northend put this set-back behind them and Conor Graham saw a good shot saved by the Ridgeway keeper. A good move involving Lee McAllister and Zack Herbison, down the Northend left wing, led to a good cross into the Ridgeway box where Jamie Houston should have equalised for the Blues but his shot was saved by the Ridgeway keeper.

Ridgeway scored their third goal almost on the stroke of half time when a mix-up between the Blues goalkeeper and fullback allowed the Ridgeway striker the simplest of tasks to tap the ball into the Northend net. Half time score 3-1

Into the second half and Northend hoped to put the defensive frailties behind them. Lewis McFall went into nets and Bradley Cairns went into a striking role.

Twelve minutes into the half, Northend pulled a goal back when following a Robbie Dennison free-kick, Bradley Cairns controlled the ball and shot past the Ridgeway goalkeeper.

Northend lifted their game after this goal and went looking for an equaliser. Conor Graham and Tom Campbell were beginning stamp their authority on the game. Play again was flowing from end to end and Lewis McFall made a good save to keep the Blues in the game.

However the first half defensive problems came back to finish off the Northend fight-back when the Ridgeway striker easily shrugged off two half hearted tackles and ran on to smash the ball past McFall from a tight angle.

Northend almost had the last say in the game when Cameron Neilly slipped the ball through to Zack Herbison who drilled the ball over the face of the Ridgeway goal and narrowly past their upright. Final score 4-2

Panel: B Cairns, J Dawson, J Galbraith, C Cunningham, R Dennison, T Campbell (c), C Graham, L McAllister, O Boyle, J Houston, Z Herbison, M Waide, S Olliver, A Milligan, L McFall, C Neilly, M Mucka

Northend United 2 North Belfast United 2 Saturday 8th November 2014

Northend started this match strongly and took the lead after four minutes when a good move down the Northend left wing involving Lee McAllister and Zack Herbison, led to a great throughball to Jamie Houston to run on and plant the ball past the advancing North Belfast keeper.

Northend were playing some good football in the opening exchanges but their joy was short lived when they conceded a bizarre goal on eight minutes. As the ball was passed back to a North Belfast defender, he unleashed a long punt upfield which caught Northend keeper Bradley Cairns on the edge of his penalty area and unable to get back to prevent the ball entering the net.

However the Northend heads didn't drop and the Blues kept up their attacking play. Craig Cunningham, making a good run from deep, unleashed a shot which forced the keeper to make a good save.

Northend probably should have regained the lead when a good cross from the wing saw the ball fall to Jamie Houston but his low shot was well saved by the North Belfast keeper.

Northend were in top form at this stage of the game and with Tom Campbell and Conor Graham putting in a full shift in midfield, the North Belfast keeper pulled off another great save from a Houston corner. On twenty minutes the relentless Northend pressure paid off. Again good work from Lee McAllister down the Northend left wing found Zack Herbison in space and after he had slid the ball past a North Belfast defender, he lofted the ball into the North Belfast penalty box, where Jamie Houston met it with full force and planted the ball into the corner of the Belfast net, to leave the score 2-1.

Northend were in inspired form at this stage of the game and thought they had killed off the game when they should have been awarded a penalty after a North Belfast defender blocked Zack Herbison's shot on their goal line with his hand, but the referee though otherwise.

However games turn on decisions and after thinking they should have been 3-1 ahead the Blues conceded a North Belfast equaliser, minutes before half time, with some poor defending to leave the score all level. Half time score 2-2

Into the second half and the Blues were again slow on the uptake and North Belfast could have taken the lead when their winger crossed the ball across the Blues penalty box but nobody was able to get a touch on it.

However the Blues weathered this early pressure and from a Northend corner, Craig Cunningham was bundled over in the North Belfast box in what should have been a certain penalty but the referee saw otherwise.

Jamie Houston burst through the North Belfast and from an acute angle saw the keeper make a good save from his shot. The same player saw another shot go narrowly over the North Belfast cross bar.

As Northend legs began to tire, Matthew Waide, Oliver Boyle and Andrew Milligan were introduced into play. This almost proved an inspired substitution with Andrew Milligan twice getting himself into good goalscoring positions. Jamie Houston had a final shot, which forced the North Belfast keeper, their man of the match, into another good save.

With time running out, both teams saw out the remainder of the match to leave the final score 2-2

This was a hard fought draw today in poor conditions with Conor Graham having a good game. The Blues now return to Cup action next week when they host Annagh United in the NIBFA Cup in a rare appearance in Ballymena this season.

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

Midway 3 Northend United 4 aet Saturday 1st November 2014

Northend had to content with a very late pitch change in this match, due to a water-logged pitch, with a number of their players only arriving shortly before kick-off.

However this didn't disrupt a great team performance from the young Blues team who turned in their best footballing performance of the season.

The match started with Northend on the front foot and Jack Galbraith was first to test the Midway keeper with a high shot which went narrowly over the crossbar. With Tom Campbell and Conor Graham stamping their authority on the game, it wasn't long before the Ballymena Boys took the lead. Some great exchange play from Sam Bennett and Jamie Houston played Zack Herbison through and he slipped the ball past a Midway defender and smashed the ball past a helpless Midway keeper, to give the Blues the lead after ten minutes.

Northend were looking very comfortable at this stage of the game, with the formidable central defensive pairing of Robbie Dennison and Ryan McKenna dealing with the rare Midway attacks but they were caught out when a long punt upfield from a Midway player found their striker in an offside position, however he was allowed to run on and slip the ball past Bradley Cairns in the Northend nets, much to the dismay of the Northend coaches, players and supporters.

However such is the spirit in this team, that the boys didn't allow this setback to affect them and they came storming back at Midway. Jamie Houston was causing the Midway defence all sorts of problems with his darting play and from his throughball, Northend's diminutive striker, Zack Herbison, again took possession the ball and beat a Midway defender before planting the ball past the Midway keeper and into the corner of the net.

Herbison was having a great game at this stage and he almost scored his hat-trick five minutes later, when the livewire Tom Campbell slipped him the ball but unfortunately the Midway keeper pulled off a top save. Herbison again went close minutes later when he outpaced the Midway defence but saw his shot go inches wide of the upright.

This was a great spell in the game for Northend and Sam Bennett went close with another chance.

With five minutes of the half remaining, Midway drew level in the game when their striker wasn't picked up in the Northend penalty box and he was allowed time to plant the ball into the Blues net.

Almost on the stroke of half-time, Robbie Dennison's header, from a corner kick, went narrowly over the Midway crossbar. Half time score 2-2

Into the second half and it was Midway who started the strongest and Bradley Cairns had to be alert in the early stages. Midway could have taken the lead after five minutes, but saw a good shot hit the Northend side-netting. Next the Midway striker out-muscled Northend's McKenna on the edge of the penalty box and got a good shot at goals, but Cairns was again equal to it.

However the Blues weathered this early pressure and with Graham and Campbell again asserting their control in midfield, Northend began to claw their way back into the game. Lee McAllister was unlucky with a good shot after twelve minutes of the half, when he saw the Midway keeper pull off a great save from his piledriver of a shot.

Northend were now the team on top in this match and eventually took the lead when following a good Robbie Dennison header, Jamie Houston was first to react and score past a disappointed Midway keeper.

Minutes later, Houston again got a good shot in on the Midway goals, but their keeper made another good save. Northend were looking for another goal to kill of the game and Sam Bennett had a good run down the Northend right wing and cut in and unleashed another good shot on the Midway goals.

Next it was the turn of Andrew Milligan to go close for Northend when he just failed to get a final touch on the ball at the back post, as the ball crossed over the Midway goals.

Following a good four man move involving Houston, Herbison and Campbell, Sam Bennett really should have killed off the game when he had a good shot at the Midway keeper but unfortunately the keeper pulled off another great save.

With Northend not being able to kill off the game, the Blues bench knew a Midway counterattack always had the opportunity to get them back in the game and so it turned out. With eight minutes of the match remaining, a long punt upfield again found their striker in a clearly offside position but again he was allowed to run on and plant the ball into the bottom corner of the Northend net.

Again Northend came storming back at Midway. Tom Campbell had a good shot at the keeper before Jamie Houston was upended when he was straight through on the keeper with five minutes remaining and the referee had no option other than reduce Midway to ten men.

With almost the last kick of full-time, the Midway keeper blocked another good shot but as the ball broke and rolled along their goal-line, the Midway defender was first to react and clear the ball as Houston came storming in. Full-time score 3-3

Into extra time and Northend brought on Cameron Neilly and Oliver Boyle as Northend went looking for a winner. As both teams began to tire, play flowed from end to end in the first period of extra time, with no clear chances being created. However all this was to change in the second period of extra time. With penalties looking ominous, It was Oliver Boyle who turned his marker and got a good shot the Midway keeper. The Midway man of the match pulled off another good block but Zack Herbison was first to react and score his third goal of the game and the Northend winner with a few minutes of the match remaining.

The Blues saw out the remainder of this game and set up a semi final clash in the not too distant future. Final score 3-4

This was a top team performance from the Ballymena boys today, with Zack Herbison looking really sharp leading the Northend forward line and Tom Campbell having his best game of the season in the Northend engine room. The boys return to League action next week where they play North Belfast.

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