Maiden City Academy lads clinch win over Peacocks

MAIDEN City Academy Under 12s travelled to Coleraine University on a bright October morning to take on Bertie Peacocks Youth.

The home side started the game brightly and they put Maiden City on the back foot early on. Once settled, Sam McDermott and Jamie McKinney took control of the midfield battle and instigated wave after wave of City attacks. Killene Thornton playing on the left of midfield was a threat to the Peacocks defence with his pace and direct running.

Despite all City's possession they could only muster shots from distance with Josh Donnell, Thornton, McKinney and McDermott all failing to really test the Peacocks keeper.

With twenty minutes gone City wasted a glorious chance to take the lead when Josh Donnell was slid in by Sam McDermott but he shot just wide of the post.

Soon after that Donnell thought he had opened the scoring when he turned and shot low into the corner from 12 yards only to be adjudged offside by the referee. The dangerous Thornton then delivered a pinpoint cross but Matthew Duffy's header was wide of the target.

With half-time looming City were pushing to open the scoring but Peacocks cleared the danger and Cairnan Higgins played the ball back to Micheal Brown in goal, he in turn passed it out to Michael O'Hara but his first touch was heavy and the centre forward took full advantage and slotted past Brown to send the home side 1-0 up. From the resulting centre the referee blew for half time.

City made four changes at half time with Killene Thornton, Michael O'Hara, Josh Donnell and Oran McLaughlin making way for Niall Moore, Cathan McLaughlin, Joshua Green and Aaron Gardiner while Jordan Devenney switched with Micheal Brown in goal.

Maiden City came out of the blocks quickly in the second half and within ten minutes of the re-start they found themselves 3-1 ahead.

Firstly Sam McDermott slotted home after good work down the left by Micheal Brown, Ronan Johnston and Cathan McLaughlin. Then McLaughlin added the second when he fired home after good play by his strike partner Matthew Duffy.

Just a minute later Niall Moore burst through from midfield but was brought down on the edge of the area, Brown stepped up to take it and brilliantly dispatched it into the top right hand corner of the net.

With City now well on top they wasted several good chnaces to extend their lead, first McLaughlin raced through on goal but with just the keeper to beat he placed his shot too close to the goalkeeper and it was pushed round the post for corner.

Then moments later Duffy himself was clear through on goal but he tried to dink the ball over the on-rushing keeper but it landed on the wrong side of the post.

With time still left in the game Bertie Peacocks never gave up and squandered a few opportunites of their own to make the remaining ten minutes more tense. City did mange to hold on and see the game out and will be pleased with the victory over a team with a few very good players.

Next up for City is a home game against Cliftonville which will be followed by a trip to league leaders Dunngannon. More info and photos can be viewed at maidencitysoccer.net.

Maiden City Academy: Brown, O McLaughlin, Higgins, O'Hara, Johnston, Devenney, McKinney, McDermott, Thornton, Duffy, Donnell. Subs: Moore, C McLaughlin, Gardiner, Green.