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Northend Colts 1 Newcastle 0 Saturday 16th December 2023

The U11 Colts team continued their good form, this time with a close fought 1-0 win over Co. Down side, Newcastle. The management team of Brian McDonald and Ian Smyth are pleased to see how the training ground practice shows up on match day with some top performances from their young team. Full time 1-0

Panel: Jacob Moore, Fraser O’Kane, Harrison Smyth, Jamie McCann (c), Max Zaporpwicz, Jason Archer, Ronan Ward, Cathal Doherty, James Mullan, Cian Mc Donald, Maxim Kostolny

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Northend Colts 2 Lisburn Rangers 1 Saturday 2nd December 2023

Another impressive performance by the U10s Colts to send our wee team right to the top of their new division. The Colts started the game with a fast pace and put the Lisburn team under pressure straight from the first whistle. Wave after wave of attack with Lisburn struggling to get out of their half, this really shows how far our team has come since the start of this season.

The only thing the boys struggled to do was score, which only for some great keeping by the Lisburn No1 and the smaller goal posts the game would have been done and dusted. Somehow at halftime the two teams came in 0-0 .Half time 0-0

A simple message to continue the good play and hard work and we will get the opportunity to get goals.

The team continued to play great passing and moving football and it wasn’t long until Dawid popped up to send the Ballymena team 1 up. Soon after that it looked like the floodgates would open as Harrison doubled the lead.

With more opportunities to add to the score line in order to give a true reflection of the game it was however Lisburn who hit back with a goal against the run of play. The nerves started to show a little come the end but the wee Blues saw the game out and managed the late comeback by Lisburn really well. Full time 2-1

Player of the Match: Frazer O’Kane

Panel: Cathal Doherty, Fraser O’Kane, Max Zaporpwicz, Maxim Kostolny, Oscar McGlone, James Mullan (c), Harrison Smyth, Cian Mc Donald, Dawid Radziwonka, Jacob Moore, Dara O’Broin

Northend Colts 2 Oxford Sunnyside Tornados 3 Saturday 18th November 2023

With Colts knowing this was a going to be a very competitive game, we would have to be at their best to compete. The Colts didn’t disappoint. With great grit and determination the Colts dug in and fought for every ball.

The hard work paid off as the Ballymena side took the lead with some good play up the right side by Cian McDonald playing in his wee mate Harrison Smyth, who took a good touch which sent him past the Oxford defender and then finished the move off with a low driven shot past the Oxford goalkeeper. With their heads up Northend continued to be the better team in the first half and could have been further in front but for some last ditch defending from the opposing team.

Sunnyside who also had their chances in the first half had some great attacking players. To keep them at bay speaks volumes to the way in which the Colt’s defence matched them in every department. Some outstanding defensive and goalkeeping by the 3 boys at the back and Cathal in goals could only keep them out for so long until the Oxford team finally equalised making the game 1-1 just before half time. Half time 1-1

A bit of a regroup and Northend started as the better team winning the midfield battle as James and Jamie didn’t give their opposite numbers any time on the ball. With chances missed by both teams it looked like neither side was going to break through. Until super sub, Max, latched on to a through ball played by Harrison to neatly tuck it in the bottom corner.

After giving everything to get the second and break the deadlock Northend just couldn’t hold on in the end and with next to no time left in the game Sunnyside fed a throw ball into their very impressive striker who finished with a well taken first time finish.

This took the game to penalties to decide the victor. This has to be the toughest thing a young footballer has to do. As we all know the better team on the day can sometimes come away with nothing to show for all the hard work, fight and spirit that they have just put in. 5 very brave young men put their hands up to take a penalty for the team and this should be applauded despite the end result. The game finished with Oxford going into the next round. Full time 2-3

Player of the Match: Jamie McCann - He played his first match in the middle of the park and was an absolute terrier all game,

Panel: Cathal Doherty, Jacob Moore, Fraser O’Kane (c), Max Zaporpwicz, Jamie McCann, Jason Archer, Oscar McGlone, Ronan Ward, James Mullan, Harrison Smyth, Cian Mc Donald, Dawid Radziwonka

Northend Colts 5 Colin Valley 3 Friday 3rd November 2023

Another good performance from the young Blues with them running out 5-3 winners in a tight match against Belfast based side, Colin Valley.

Panel: Jacob Moore, Cathal Doherty, Fraser O’Kane, Jamie McCann, Max Zaporpwicz, Maxim Kostolny, Jason Archer, Oscar McGlone, James Mullan, Harrison Smyth, Dawid Radziwonka, Cian Mc Donald (c), Dara O’Broin, Ronan Ward