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St Oliver Plunketts 0 Wakehurst 2 Friday 6th December 2013

The Wakehurst boys travelled to Belfast for the second week in a row for the early Friday night kick-off, this time to play St. Oliver Plunketts.

Plunketts started the match strongly, taking the game to Wakehurst, but found the Wakehurst centre-backs Niall Swann and Bryan Etherson in top form.

On ten minutes they should have taken the lead when their winger cut inside Kalin McCollum and fired a shot across the face of the Wakehurst net, only to see their striker shoot narrowly past the post. Aodhan Tolan in the Wakehurst nets had to be alert on two occasions saving well from long range shots from Plunketts in the opening exchanges.

However Wakehurst weathered this early pressure with Jamie Speirs and James Cameron beginning to claw their way into the midfield game. Wakehurst took the lead midway through the half when the ball broke to the alert Kyle Jackson, who noticed the keeper off his line, and chipped the ball into the net from all of thirty yards.

This goal visibly shook Plunketts who began to get undisciplined in their play.

Wakehurst doubled their lead on thirty two minutes when from a Jamie Speirs free kick, Stephen Hare stole in infront of the Plunketts defenders to place the ball past the Plunketts keeper. Wakehurst dominated the rest of the half without getting the all important third goal. Half time score 0-2

Into the second half and Wakehurst started where they left off in the first half, stroking the ball around the pitch. In the best move of the game, Lee Scroggie picked up a great cross-field pass, rounded his marker and whipped in a great cross which Stevie Hare could only head narrowly over the crossbar.

However with James Cameron replaced due to injury, Plunketts began to take the game to Wakehurst and Niall Swann and Johnny Hanlon both cleared the ball of the Wakehurst goal-line in a frantic attack by Plunketts.

However this was the last piece of real action for the Northend rearguard in this half and Wakehurst went on the offensive again, with a superb Jonny Hanlon overlap run and cross into the box, found Jamie Speirs whose shot went narrowly past the post.

Next it was Stevie Hare, following a good run and shot, only to see it clip the outside of the Plunketts upright.

However as Plunketts discipline began to disintegrate, they had a couple of players booked before their No 10 saw red for some unsavoury actions against Wakehurst's Jamie Speirs. Speirs to his credit didn't react but was forced to retire from the game shortly afterwards due to injury.

Wakehurst dominated the remaining play in the game with Jack Nixon forcing the Plunkett's keeper into a good save from a fierce shot and Thomas Brady seeing another shot go narrowly over the bar.

In the final move of the match, some good passing play from Ryan Gault saw Jack Nixon free of his marker and when he whipped over his cross, Kyle Jackson saw his first time volley go narrowly wide of the upright.

So the match ended up another good win for the Ballymena Boys but not a match befitting this League due to a number of unsavoury incidents by the home team. Full time score 2-0

Panel: A Tolan, J Hanlon, K McCollum, N Swann (c), B Etherson, J Cameron, J Speirs, T Brady, A McAvoy, K Jackson, S Hare, R Gault, M Laverty, R Swan, J Nixon, L Scroggie

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Cliftonville 3 Wakehurst 0 Friday 29th November 2013

Wakehurst got off to the worst possible start in this game, arriving minutes before kick off due to the heavy traffic in Belfast caused by a car crash, thus bringing into question the early kick off in Belfast at this time of year.

With virtually no warm up time allowed by the referee, the Ballymena Boys found themselves on the back foot against Cliftonville in the opening minutes of the match. However Wakehurst began to claw their way back into the game with James Cameron and Jamie Speirs getting their passing game together in midfield.

In defence, Jonny Hanlon, Kalin McCollum, Niall Swann and Michael Laverty were on top of their game, dealing comfortably with whatever Cliftonville could throw at them.

Cliftonville opened the scoring thirty minutes into the match when their Northern Ireland striker , Andy Mooney, was allowed to turn inside the Wakehurst penalty box and plant the ball into the bottom corner of the net, giving Aodhan Tolan no chance.

Wakehurst came back at Cliftonville and Stephen Hare should have equalised for Wakehurst when the Cliftonville goalie spilled the ball and Hare picked up the loose ball but hesitated, allowing the goalie to recover and smother the ball.

Minutes before the end of the half, Aodhan Tolan pushed a Cliftonville free kick over the cross bar and the Ballymena boys easily cleared the resultant corner. Half time score 1-0

Into the second half and Wakehurst began to grow into the game and for the opening ten minutes of the half looked like they might pull a goal back. However disaster was to strike, when Wakehurst conceded a free kick twenty-five yards out. Andy Mooney stepped up to thump the ball into the Wakehurst net, giving Cliftonville a two goal cushion.

Wakehurst came storming back again at Cliftonville, and from a Thomas Brady throughball, Stephen Hare found himself clear of the Cliftonville defence, and ran on to slip the ball past the keeper, only to see the ball go agonisingly past the post. What a let off for the Belfast Reds!

Wakehurst gave all their large panel a full run out in the second half as they looked to get back in the game but Cliftonville scored a late goal to take the shine of the Wakehurst performance, when their striker was given too much time in the Wakehurst penalty box to fire the ball past the helpless Aodhan Tolan. Full time score 3-0

Wakehurst are on their travels again next week when they play St Oliver Plunketts at the DUB, in this highly competitive Elite league, which is the envy of so many other teams who only aspire to this level.

Panel: A Tolan, J Hanlon, M Laverty, K McCollum, N Swann (c), J Cameron, J Speirs, R Gault, B Etherson, S Hare, K Jackson, A McAvoy, T Brady, R Swan, C Waring, L Scroggie

Wakehurst 1 Moyola Park Youth 2 aet NIBFA Cup Saturday 23rd November 2013

Wakehurst U17s welcomed Moyola Park U17s to the Showgrounds on Saturday morning in an NIBFA Cup match. Manager Glenn Speirs used the match to give all his squad some match time, fielding an experimental formation. Wakehurst started strongly and forced a series on corners in the opening minutes. Ryan Gault gave them the lead on ten minutes when he was on-hand to stroke the ball into the net after the goalie had spilled the ball. Next a good move down the Wakehurst right wing resulted in a Kyle Jackson shot hitting the side netting.

On twenty minutes, another Wakehurst corner saw the ball fall to Ryan Gault who saw his shot go inches over the crossbar.

At the back, Johnny Hanlon was ably marshalling his defence to deal with the dangerous Moyola forwards. Just before half time, Aodhan Tolan pushed the ball over the Wakehurst crossbar in Moyola's first serious attempt on goal. Half time score 1-0.

Into the second half, and Wakehurst introduced Thomas Brady and Michael Laverty to play and for the first ten minutes looked like they were going to pass Moyola off the pitch. But gradually Moyola clawed their way back into the game and for the rest of the second half, it was Moyola who were pulling the strings in this match.

Midway through the half, Moyola equalised from a corner kick, when Wakehurst failed to clear the ball.

Indeed Moyola could have scored a second goal, only for a top class save from Aodhan Tolan who dived full length to push the ball round the Wakehurst post.

However there were no further goals in normal time and the match headed for extra time. Full time score 1-1

Into the first period of extra time and Moyola scored their winner when their striker placed the ball wide of the Wakehurst keeper. Wakehurst couldn't get back in the game , leaving the final score 2-1

This was definitely a wake-up call for the Wakehurst boys who now travel to Belfast on Friday night to play Cliftonville in the Elite National League.

Panel: A Tolan, R Swan, J Hanlon, K McCollum, A McAvoy, N Swann (c), J Cameron, R Gault, C Waring, K Jackson, S Hare, T Brady, M Laverty, J Nixon, J Speirs

Wakehurst started this match much the stronger team with Speirs, Cameron and Hare all prominent in the early exchanges. Indeed Stephen Hare could have given Wakehurst the lead on ten minutes but his shot went narrowly wide of the upright. As Wakehurst piled on the pressure, they won a series of corners and from one of these, Ryan Gault headed the ball narrowly over the bar on eighteen minutes.

At the back Wakehurst looked composed with Swann, McCollum, Brady and McAvoy giving nothing away to the alert Cookstown strikers.

On twenty-five minutes, Wakehurst won another corner and from a Brady cross, James Cameron could only look on in horror as his first time struck shot went over the crossbar when it was easier to score.

However the breakthrough came on thirty minutes, when following a good Ryan Gault aerial challenge, Stephen Hare saw the keeper off his line and lobbed the ball into the top corner of the net, giving the defender on his goal-line no chance.

Minutes before half time, Northend could have doubled their lead following a good move between Cameron and Hanlon down the Wakehurst right hand side, saw Hanlon pick out Gault in the Cookstown box but his shot hit the side netting. Half time score 1-0

Into the second half and with Jack Nixon and Cameron Waring on for Gault and McAvoy, it wasn't long before Nixon soon made his presence felt when he picked up a throughball from James Cameron and his shot called on the Cookstown keeper to pull off a great save.

In a half where the Wakehurst keeper, Aodhan Tolan, was seldom troubled, on fifteen minutes of the half, it was Hare who hit a good shot on the turn, only to see another good save from the Cookstown keeper.

Next it was the turn of Jamie Speirs to trouble the Cookstown keeper, when another good shot was well saved.

The Cookstown man of the match, their goalkeeper was involved in another great piece of goalkeeping when he performed a double save from Hare and Hanlon in quick succession, minutes before the end of the game.

However Cookstown won a free kick twenty yards out with almost the last kick of the game and Wakehurst had to clear their lines before the final whistle was blown.

The match ended with a 1-0 win for the Ballymena Boys but they are going to have to do better in front of goals if they are to beat some of the bigger teams in this League. Final score 1-0

Panel: A Tolan, R Sloan, A McAvoy, T Brady, K McCollum, N Swann (c), J Hanlon, J Cameron, J Speirs, R Gault, B Etherson, S Hare, R Swan, J Nixon, C Waring

Wakehurst 0 Foyle Harps 0 Friday 8th November 2013

Wakehurst U17s welcomed Foyle Harps to the Showgrounds on Friday night and with the two teams sitting mid-table, it was expected to be a close game. The match started with Wakehurst the stronger team, with James Cameron and Jamie Speirs pulling the strings in midfield.

Wakehurst could have taken the lead after fifteen minutes when James Cameron saw his weel struck shot go inches wide of the upright.

Gradually Foyle Harps began to claw their way back into the game and found the Wakehurst defence of Johnny Hanlon, Niall Swann, Kalin McCollum and Thomas Brady in top form and dealing comfortably with whatever Foyle could throw at them.

Aodhan Tolan was having a good game in the Wakehurst nets and was called upon on a few occasions to be alert to the Foyle Harps throughball.. Half time score 0-0

Into the second half and it was more of the same, with Swann, Hanlon, McCollum and Michael Laverty in outstanding form for the Ballymena boys and Aodlan Tolan looking comfortable in the Wakehurst nets.

As play flowed from end to end in the second half, no team could get the all important first goal. With time running out, James Cameron was again lucky with a long range shot which clipped the outside of the post, in the final minutes of the game. Full time score 0-0

Panel: A Tolan, R Sloan, J Hanlon, T Brady, K McCollum, N Swann (c), J Cameron, J Speirs, R Gault, A McAvoy, K Jackson, S Hare, M Laverty, R Swan, J Nixon, C Waring