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Northend United U14s 3 Southside U14s 3 Saturday 30th April 2011

Northend started off this derby match the stronger and had a shot cleared off the Southside goal line in the opening minutes. They took the lead on ten minutes when from a well rehearsed corner, Jamie Speirs was on hand to volley the ball into the net to give United a 1-0 lead.

Controversy soon followed this when Northend again on the attack had claims for a stonewall penalty turned down by the referee and then from the breakaway, Southside went on to score an equaliser.

In a pulsating game for the spectators, Northend regained the lead when Stephen Hare scored, when he bundled the ball home inside the Southside penalty box, to give United a 2-1 lead.

Southside equalised just before half time when they broke down their left hand side and scored a good goal which rattled the back of the net with Niall Shannon well beaten in the Northend goals. The half time score remained 2-2.

The second half started where the first half left off, with both sets of teams taking the game to each other. Play began to get bogged down in midfield with the tackles going in hard and fast. Northend were awarded a free kick twenty five yards out and Jamie Speirs saw his shot come off the underside of the cross bar and somehow bounce out of harms way, with the keeper well beaten. Ryan Walsh was introduced to give a fresh pair of legs upfront for Northend.

Southside took the game to Northend and midway through the half were awarded a corner which Northend failed to clear and the Southside striker nipped in to score a goal to put them 3-2 up in the match.

Such is the spirit in this Northend team that the heads didn't go down, instead they came back at Southside and with Niall Swann moving into midfield, started to gain control in the midfield area.

From one of Swann's probing runs from midfield, he beat two defenders and just when he was about to shoot, he was upended in the Southside box and the referee awarded a penalty. Up stepped Jamie Speirs to score his twenty-sixth goal of the season when he coolly slot the ball past the Southside keeper to level the score at 3-3 with five minutes of the match remaining.

With no further scoring the derby match ended up 3-3 and what an excellent advert for the Belfast and East Antrim League.

This match concluded Northend's matches for this season and a big thank you to all the spectators who came to watch the match today and many thanks to the parents who gave a help with transport week in week out throughout the football season.

Man of the Match: Jamie Speirs

Panel: N Shannon, T Brady, A McAvoy, M Laverty, N Swann, J Speirs(c),M Mulholland, D Bradley, R Swan, S Hare, R Gault, R Walsh, C Tierney, J Donnelly, A O'Donnell

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Carrick Rangers U14s 3 Northend United U14s 0 Saturday 23rd April 2011

Northend travelled to the Grove pitches on Saturday to play Champions Elect Carrick Rangers, fresh from their Ayr Easter Cup success. This was always going to be a hard match with three regulars missing due to sickness.

Northend started the brightest with Stephen Hare causing the Carrick defence all sorts of problems and from his cross, Jordan Donnelly had a shot go narrowly wide. Next it was the turn of Captain Jamie Speirs to launch a long range shot after he had beaten two Carrick players just outside the box.

Northend didn't take their chances in this early encounter and allowed Carrick to come back into the match. They forces a series of corners and from one of these they took the lead when their big defender rose unchallenged to head the ball past Niall Shannon making his debut this year in goals.

This goal spurned Northend on and from a Hare cross, Jordan Donnelly found himself in a good position in front of goals and clear of the defence but he somehow pulled his shot wide of the post.

Niall Swann's header from a Brady corner sailed just over the crossbar before Ross Swan unleashed a thunderbolt of a shot which dipped in midair but the Carrick keeper somehow managed to get a finger to, to push it around the post.

Niall Swann who always looked dangerous at corners, had another header well saved by the Carrick keeper, who was keeping them in the game at this stage.

However Carrick looked dangerous on the break and when they won a corner just before half time, their striker's header came of the post and rebounded to him to score a cruel second goal, which left the half time score 2-0 to Carrick.

The second half didn't live up to the entertaining first half as the young players began to tire in the heat. Jamie Speirs was having a good game in midfield playing alongside Ross Swan but found the Carrick midfield a formidable task. Michael Laverty was having a good game in defence, shackling the big Carrick striker and Niall Shannon pulled off two very good saves from Carrick long range shots.

Carrick scored a third midway through the half, when their striker shot past Shannon from close range only for Laverty to almost clear the ball off the line.

This goal effectively killed the game but Northend had chances before the end when Ryan Walsh, who was having his best game of the season, outpaced the Carrick defence only to see his shot go narrowly past the post. Aidan O'Donnell replaced Gault before Ross Swan saw another chance go narrowly wide before the end of the game.

The Northend boys will have to learn to defend corners more effectively if they are to win points from the bigger teams.

Men of the Match: Ross Swan, Jamie Speirs

Panel: N Shannon, T Brady, D Hamill, M Laverty, N Swann, J Speirs(c), R Swan, R Gault, J Donnelly, S Hare, R Walsh, A O'Donnell, D Bradley

Grosvenor Youth U14s 1 Northend United U14s 0 Saturday 16th April 2011

Northend started off this match on the back foot and found themselves a goal down after ten minutes when a Grosvenor cross was only partially cleared and their striker hit the resultant shot against the post but it trickled into the net.

Such is the spirit in this team, the heads didn't drop and they came right back at Grosvenor. Niall Swann saw a free kick sail narrowly over the Grosvenor crossbar when Stephen Hare was palled down outside the box.

The Blues kept attacking Grosvenor with Thomas Brady and Dylan Hamill overlapping down the wings and from a throughball, David Bradley was unfortunate when his shot hit the crossbar with the keeper beaten. With Jamie Speirs and Matthew Mulholland winning the midfield battle, the Blues were dominating play at this stage.

However from a Grosvenor breakaway, Ross Swan was called upon to make a good save, when the Grosvenor striker's header looked like it was heading for goal.

Again Northend attacked Grosvenor and right on the stroke of half time, Ryan Gault should have equalised when from a Speirs throughball, his shot was saved by the keeper. The half-time score remained 1-0 to Grosvenor.

Northend came out the stronger team in the second half and Stephen Hare started causing the Grosvenor defence all sorts of problems. Northend continued to play their fluent passing game, which stretched the ball from side to side but they couldn't find a way past the Grosvenor defence. David Bradley was creating chances for Northend with his wing play and from a good pass, he put Matthew Mulholland clear inside the Grosvenor box but their defender clipped him but the referee didn't award the penalty kick.

As the half wore on, Northend introduced Aidan O'Donnell and Caolan Tierney but to no avail as the match finished 1-0 to Grosvenor the Blues unable to find a way past the resolute Grosvenor defence.

Men of the Match: Jamie Speirs, Ross Swan

Panel: R Swan, D Hamill, M Laverty, T Brady, N Swann, J Speirs(c), M Mulholland, R Gault, D Bradley, S Hare, R Walsh, N Shannon, C Tierney, J Donnelly, A O'Donnell

Glendowan U14s 2 Northend United U14s 1 Saturday 9th April 2011

Northend travelled for the second time in a week to the Grove playing fields to play Glendowan in a League fixture. Northend started off the sharper team and took the lead on ten minutes when a corner was only partially cleared and Jamie Speirs was on hand to drive the ball home to give the Blues a 1-0 lead.

Stephen Hare was again causing all sorts of problems for the Glendowan defence and he created chances for Matthew Mulholland and Thomas Brady whose shots went narrowly wide.

Glendowan won a free kick on the edge of the Northend box and from the resultant kick, hit the Northend post. However as play became bogged down in midfield, there was no further scoring in the first half although Northend had the better of the possession play.

The second half started off much the same as the first with Northend again on top. After fifteen minutes, a long throughball from the Glendowan defender found his centre forward went on to score a good goal, beating three Northend defenders along the way.

Glendowan were the team on top at this point in the game and from another high pass up field, their striker found himself clear of the Northend defence and he went on to score the eventual winner, leaving the score 2-1 to Glendowan.

Northend came more into the game in the last ten minutes, with constant pressure on the Glendowan goal but could not find a way past their goalkeeper.

Indeed when the Blues were awarded a penalty with five minutes of the match remaining, the keeper made an excellent save from a Jamie Speirs penalty, to keep Glendowan in front. Glendowan held on until the end of the game to win 2-1.

Man of the Match: Team Performance

Panel: R Swan, D Hamill, C Tierney, M Laverty, N Swann, J Speirs(c), M Mulholland, R Gault, D Bradley, S Hare, T Brady, R Walsh, N Shannon, J Donnelly, A O'Donnell

Upper Ardoyne U14s 1 Northend United U14s 2 Wednesday 6th April 2011

Northend travelled to Mallusk for this midweek fixture against Upper Ardoyne. The Blues started off the strongest with the midfield of Jamie Speirs, Matthew Mulholland, Ryan Gault and David Bradley dictating the play.

Northend took the lead on fifteen minutes when Stephen Hare was pulled down inside the penalty box by a Ardoyne defender. Jamie Speirs made no mistake from the resultant penalty kick to give the Blues a 1-0 lead.

As play flowed from end to end, there was no further scoring in the first half but Ross Swan was called upon to make a good save from an Ardoyne striker's shot, to prevent them from scoring.

Northend started off the second half, much the same as the first, again dictating play but found the going tough against a well drilled Ardoyne defence. They increased their lead midway through the second half when a throughball from the Northend midfield found Stephen Hare clear of the Ardoyne defence and he ran up to score to put Northend 2-0 up at this stage.

Northend sat back after this goal and allowed Upper Ardoyne to come more into the game and they went on to score a goal with five minutes of the game remaining. The Blues played out the remaining minutes of the game and took full points in this fixture with a 2-1 victory.

Man of the Match: Michael Laverty

Panel: R Swan, D Hamill, C Tierney, M Laverty, N Swann, J Speirs(c), M Mulholland, R Gault, D Bradley, S Hare, R Walsh, T Brady, N Shannon, J Donnelly, A O'Donnell, A McAvoy

Glendowan U14s 2 Northend United U14s 5 Saturday 2nd April 2011

Northend travelled to North Belfast to play Glendowan in an East Antrim Shield match in their own backyard. Determined to get back to winning ways, they dominated play right from the kick-off. The Northend midfield of Jamie Speirs, Matthew Mulholland, David Bradley and Ryan Gault started to pull the strings with some excellent passing moves. The Blues strike force of Ryan Walsh and Stephen Hare were winning plenty of possession and stretching Glendowan's defence to the limit.

Jamie Speirs unleashed a twenty-five yard shot which the keeper parried out and Walshie missed a glorious scoring opportunity from six yards. As Northend pilled on the pressure, they won a corner and from the cross, Niall Swann was unlucky when a Glendowan player cleared the ball off the goal line.

Glendowan took the game more to Northend and from a cross into the Northend box, the ball was only partially cleared and the Glendowan striker's weak shot somehow found its ay into the back of the Northend net to give them a 1-0 lead, much against the run of play.

This goal had the affect of spurring Northend on and Stephen Hare's penetrating runs were causing all sorts of problems for the Glendowan defence. From one of these runs, a Stephen Hare cross found its way to Walshie who made no mistake this time to give the Blues a deserved equaliser.

Northend were now running the show and Jamie Speirs forced the keeper to pull off a great save from another twenty-five yard pile-driver. The Ballymena Blues took the lead when from a Mulholland corner; the ball was cleared only as far as Niall Swann, who curled the ball into the top corner to give Northend a 2-1 advantage.

Glendowan had a good break down the Northend right and from the cross, their striker volleyed the ball over the bar but with no further scoring, the half time score was 2-1 to Northend.

Northend stated off the second half where they left off the first taking the game to Glendowan. Again Speirs and Mulholland were dictating play in midfield and Hare and Walsh were creating problems for the Glendowan defence.

However when a Northend attack broke down, a long ball out of Glendowan's defence caught Northend napping and their striker ran on and scored a second for them to leave the score finely balanced at 2-2.

As the game flowed from end to end, Jamie Speirs again forced the keeper to make another finger tip save from a pile-driver of a shot. The same player was causing Glendowan problems and when he found himself on the edge of the Glendowan box again; his shot rocketed into the top corner of the net to give the Blues a 3-2 advantage.

Glendowan started to claw their way back into the game as some Northend players who had given everything, started to run out off steam. Northend brought on substitutes Aidan O'Donnell and Jordan Donnelly, and both players went on to play their hearts out.

With ten minutes of the match remaining, Matthew Mulholland broke out of midfield and from his weighted throughball; Stephen Hare raced clear of Glendowan's defence to score an all important fourth goal.

Donnelly and O'Donnell were involved in a move five minutes from the end of the match, which again sent Stephen Hare clear of the Glendowan defence and no scored a fifth for Northend to leave the final score 5-2 to Northend.

This was an excellent team performance from the boys today with the defence of Hamill, Swann, Laverty and Tierney playing out of their skin and was especially pleasing when they clawed their way back from going a goal down in the first half.

Men of the Match: Jamie Speirs, Matthew Mulholland

Panel: R Swan, D Hamill, C Tierney, M Laverty, N Swann, J Speirs(c), M Mulholland, R Gault, D Bradley, S Hare, R Walsh, J Donnelly, A O'Donnell