Larne U12 vs Ards
Our U12 girls’ side put on an excellent display in what was their final match before the winter break this weekend. Applying pressure from the outset, it wasn’t long before Orla squared a pass across the opposition defence and goalkeeper to set up Gracie who broke the deadlock.
Five minutes later, Poppy doubled the team’s lead with a brilliant strike from 20 yards out. Larne continued to play the ball forward with intent and added a third via an own goal following some confusion amongst the Ards defence before Sofia’s well-placed strike into the bottom corner ensured the girls went into half-time with a commanding lead.
At the start of the second half, Larne almost slipped into autopilot and allowed Ards to pull a goal back. Despite this setback, the team settled once again and got back to playing like they had done in the first half. Another excellent passing move allowed Avanah to add her name to the scoresheet and Sofia added a further two goals to her tally to bag a hat-trick overall.
Larne U13 1-1 Ballyclare
Despite this past weekend’s game being played in cold and blustery conditions, Larne started their mini-derby in strong fashion with excellent passing and pressing. The team’s fast start was rewarded when a handball from a Ballyclare player resulted in a penalty being awarded, which Ellie converted to give Larne the lead.
After taking the lead, the Inver Reds continued with lots of possession and pressing strongly when Ballyclare took the ball. The girls created chances, with Abbie having several good attempts on goal throughout the first half. Despite the strong performance, Ballyclare equalised before the break via a free kick which flew into the net.
Once again, Larne started the second half strongly with some excellent passing between Holly, Ellie McK and Ellie McC which led to more chances being created. Despite having a goal by Holly ruled as offside, the team couldn’t force another goal and claim the win.
Overall, the team can be pleased with a brilliant performance, with plenty of positives to take.
Larne U14 1-3 Cliftonville
Our U14 squad started their game against Cliftonville by moving the ball quickly and finding pockets of space behind the opposition backline. Despite having most of the possession, Larne struggled to take advantage in the final third and allowed Cliftonville to break on the counter-attack. It was during a counter-attack which the opposition took the lead when their midfielder released a stunning strike to beat Larne’s goalkeeper from 15 yards out.
The Inver Reds kept their composure after going a goal down and continued to play with patience, which was rewarded with an equalising goal when Sophie chipped the Cliftonville goalkeeper to make the score 1-1. As it looked like both teams would head into half-time level, Cliftonville regained their lead just before the break from a corner kick as Larne’s defence was left standing static.
Once again, Larne didn’t let being in a losing position affect their play and continued to cause the opposition problems for the Cliftonville backline. Erica and Lisa performed well in the midfield, playing some fantastic through balls to Anna Grace who used her physicality and pace to navigate chances.
Unable to take their chances, Larne remained a goal down and a lack of communication sealed victory for the opposition as Cliftonville made it 3-1 in the final 10 minutes of play. Larne continued in their attempts to get back into the game, showcasing a positive attitude until the very end. The coaches and players would like to wish Cliftonville the best of luck as they progress into the cup final.
Larne U16/17 vs Glentoran U17
Larne took on Glentoran in an end-of-year friendly at the weekend, as both teams head into a well-deserved winter break. Despite being depleted in numbers due to injuries and illness, those who played for the Inver Reds can be proud of their performance, with plenty of positives to take from the game.
As Glentoran ran out winners, the girls worked well out of possession against strong opposition and responded well despite being behind throughout the game. The team displayed good passing play in spells, which unfortunately couldn’t be sustained for 70 minutes against a good Glentoran side.
Overall, Larne can take positives from the game, which will stand the team in good stead going into the New Year and beyond.
