Northend U-12s beat league leaders in comeback game

Connor Meeke, Oisin Connolly, Conor McDonald and Josh Coates were all on target for the Blues in a top team performance.

UNDER 8s

Northend United 1 Dungiven Celtic 0: After a long winter break due to the weather the U8’s finally got back to action today against Dungiven Celtic. In terrible conditions Northend took the lead with a own goal.

In the second half Northend had chances to increase the score when Conan McKeown shot just wide and Callum Burnside hit the post with a shot.

Under 10s

Northend United 4 Berties Little Ants 7: Berties took advantage of two half chances to get their noses in front, before Owen Campbell worked hard to close down the Berties defence and cut the ball back for Kevin Cosgrove to smash the ball into the bottom corner. Three minutes Kevin Cosgrove looked very sharp in front of goal and he notched his second of the game.

As the chances kept coming at both ends the young Ballymena side paid a heavy price for being slow to close down the ball when they leaked two further goals just before the break. Half-time 2-4.

Both sides went for it again in the second half and it was the wee blues who struck first through Kevin Cosgrove. Berties responded with another goal before some great build up play by Corey McMillan saw Kevin Cosgrove scored his FOURTH, and best of the day, using the inside of his foot to steer a dropping ball into the far side of the net. With minutes remaining it was Berties who edged further in front. Full-time 4-7.

UNDER 11s

Sion Swifts 5 Northend Youth 1: Sion went one up mid way through the half when Northend gave the ball away cheaply and leaving a Sion player free to run on goal. It was all Pat Ferris who received the ball on half way and went past four of Sion’s players coolly slotting the ball past the keeper.

The second half began like the first, Northend failed to close down their opposition and probably passed the ball to their opponents more times than they passed to themselves. This led to Sion Swifts going 3-1 up in a space of minutes. Anything good that Northend put together always included Pat Ferris. Each time the Sion seemed to break they punished Northend.

UNDER 12s

Northend United 4 Moyola Park 2: The breakthrough came after only ten minutes when a speculative long range shot from the impressive Connor Meeke found the back of the Moyola net to make it 1-0 to the Northend Blues. Moyola were further shell-shocked when a right-footed, curled effort from Oisin Connolly made it 2-0 midway through the half. The mid-Ulster team did pull a goal back, completely against the run of play, to make it 2-1 at the short whistle.

Conor McDonald with a trademark, long range effort made it 3-1. To their credit Moyola Park did muster a fightback towards the end and pulled another goal back but Josh Coates was on hand to make it a deserved 4-2.

UNDER 13s

Northend United 1 Oxford Sunnyside 5: They took the lead on thirteen minutes when a long through ball, passed through the Northend defence with ease, then an Oxford forward bore down on goal unchallenged to easily score 1 - 0. Northend slowly worked hard to get back into the match and deservedly equalised through Robert Iovu on 24 minutes. Oxford took the lead on the stroke of half-time. After a superb sliding tackle from Josh Mitchell knocked the ball out for an Oxford throw-in. Oxford scored from the free-kick.

Northend never showed up for the second half and Oxford deservedly scored four goals after the break.

UNDER 14s

Northend United 0 Donegal Celtic 5: Missing a few regulars, Northend U15s travelled to Lisburn on Saturday to play Donegal Celtic in a Cup match. Donegal Celtic started the strongest team with Northend defending against a strong wind.

Donegal Celtic opened the scoring on ten minutes when the Northend defence failed to clear a high ball into their box and the DC striker pounced on it. It wasn’t long before the score was 2-0 when again the Northend defence failed to clear the ball in the swirling wind and the DC striker poked the loose ball past Josh Mark in the Northend nets.

Northend began to settle down after this with Declan Dobbin and Tony Shaw dealing with the DC strikers. Daniel Bell was having a good game in the middle of the park for Northend, linking up well with Alex O’Boyle. Just as it was looking like ending 2-0 at half time, Northend conceded a third goal right on the stroke of half time. Half time score 3-0

Into the second half and Northend started on the front foot with Aaron Campbell and Lorcan McLean causing all sorts of problems for the DC defence. For the next twenty minutes, Northend were the team on top without creating any clear-cut goalscoring opportunities.

A reorganised Northend defence featuring Daniel Bell as sweeper, were dealing with anything DC could throw at them and Josh Mark looked comfortable with the DC through-balls.

However towards the end of the match, DC scored two late goals as the Northend legs began to tire, in what was some terrible conditions. Final score 5-0

UNDER 17s

Foyle Harps v Wakehurst - Match Abandoned: Wakehurst U17s made the long trip to Greysteel on Friday night to play Foyle Harps in a National league match. However heavy rain and gales started shortly after the start of the match and it was only a matter of time before the match would be abandoned in such appalling conditions.

The Ballymena Boys started strongly, playing with the strong wind, with Jamie Speirs and James Cameron dominating the midfield play. New signing, Andy Neill, was causing the Foyle Harps defence all sorts of problems with his aerial play.

However it was Foyle Harps who took the lead after five minutes as Wakehurst conceded a soft goal. Foyle Harps found themselves with an extra man on their right wing and as his shot came into the box it looked like Aodhan Tolan had the ball smothered only for it to creep into the corner of the net.

Conditions were continuing to deteriorate and after fifteen minutes of the second half, the match was abandoned with the full agreement of both teams.