Larne 2015 v Ballyclare
In a competitive game against Ballyclare, the Larne girls produced a good performance overall. Creating a number of chances with good combination passing play, Megan scored the team’s first goal of the day.
Chloe and Sophia added to the goals with a brace each, all of which were a result of great individual skill. In another outstanding performance, Sienna McClure produced an all-action display both defensively and in attack.
Larne 2014 vs St. Mary’s 2014
Our 2014 side enjoyed a competitive clash with St. Mary’s at the weekend, with nine goals in the game which hung in the balance until the very end. The encounter was end to end, which resulted in Larne finding the net four times, all of which were scored by Yasmin.
Larne U14 1-3 Larne (Boys academy)
Our U14 girls’ team enjoyed an inter-club friendly at the weekend. With some of the squad coming back from illness, and others ruled out through injury, the fixture proved to be a positive run out with valuable game time for the other members of the squad.
Anna gave the girls the lead early in the first half, but the 2009s couldn’t add to their opening goal and with ten minutes to go began to lose their shape slightly. This allowed the boys to take control of the match, running away 3-1 winners in the end following two late goals.
Larne 2013 vs Carniny 2013
This past weekend’s game started at a fast pace for both sides, with Carniny’s winger picking up the ball deep in her own half and taking on the whole left side of the Larne team before going close with the first chance of the game.
Despite this early Carniny chance, Larne soon got a hold of the game and never looked back, moving the ball around confidently and using the space well to create opportunities from both wide positions and through the middle at will.
Whenever they didn’t have the ball, Larne were obsessed with winning it back, hunting in packs and backing each other up across the pitch, continually dispossessing their opponents and creating chances from resulting counter-attacks.
In the end, Larne ran out comfortable winners with goals by Roxy (4), Chloe, Ava, Poppy, Charley and Emma. Every single player was magnificent throughout the game and the team’s performance overall was the best to date with progression clear to see.
Larne U12 vs Linfield U12
The Inver Reds enjoyed a brilliant game of football against Linfield at the weekend, with both sides playing fast, attacking football throughout the encounter.
In the opening half, both sides battled well with both sets of defenders working hard to keep the score level, while the attackers tried their utmost to get forward and break the deadlock. Despite some great football being displayed, the first period ended with both teams’ clean sheets intact.
In the second half, both sides started as they ended the first. It was Larne who broke the deadlock, passing down the lines and Sofia, who had previously had a number of half chances, was able to capitalise and open the scoring.
Linfield’s equaliser came as a result of confusion inside the Larne box following a set-piece, and the opposition then took the lead five minutes later. A clipped tackle just inside the Larne box resulted in a penalty being awarded, which was tucked away expertly despite Mia getting a hand on the strike.
Larne didn’t let their heads drop and continued to create good chances throughout the remainder of the half. A well-worked ball forward from Paisleigh reached Gracie out wide, who turned and passed to Avannah to neatly split the defenders. Avannah was strong enough to stay up and got her shot away hitting the back of the net to equalise.
The final five minutes were end to end and Linfield thought they had pinched it at the end, with a great strike headed for the top corner before Mia made the save of the match to stretch out and tip it over the bar. A competitive clash ended honours even at the final whistle and a draw was the fair result.
Larne U13 SBYL 2-2 Berlin Swifts
In a tough first half for Larne, the girls couldn’t get going and Berlin took an early control of the game. Both of the opposition’s first half goals came via corner kicks, which the Inver Reds had the chance to clear but didn’t take the opportunity to do so.
In a similar scenario at the opposite end of the pitch, Larne pulled a goal back with a corner set-piece of their own, which Berlin didn’t deal with an allowed Abbie to tap it in from close range.
The second half saw a resurgent Larne performance, who started with much more energy and began to play some good football across the pitch. The team took control of possession and pushed for an equaliser throughout the half but couldn’t find the answer to Berlin’s defence.
As the Inver Reds pushed for another goal, smart defending from Faith and Ellie McLean resulted in two Berlin chances cleared off the line as the game hung in the balance. A minute from time, Larne grabbed a deserve equaliser via an Ellie wonder strike from 15 yards to make it 2-2. Overall, a much better second half from Larne saw the game end in a deserved draw.
Larne U16/17 vs Crusaders
With no league game to play this week, the Inver Reds took on a Crusaders side full of international players in a friendly match. Despite facing a better side, the team put in 100% effort right until the end and this attitude was a major positive to take away from the game.
Larne U19 1-3 Sion Swifts
Sion Swifts provided our U19 side with another challenging game at the weekend, with the opposition currently sitting top of the SBYL U19 league. The game was very competitive throughout, with Larne setting the tone from the start and showing a commitment to playing some excellent possession-based football.
The first 20 minutes saw the Inver Reds control the game, keeping the ball well and finding options in the final third which led to chances being created. Despite the strong performance, the team were unable to convert chances into goals and in the second half, a much older Sion Swifts side upped their physicality.
To Larne’s credit, this increased tempo was matched all of the way. However, similarly to previous weeks, a 5-10 minute spell in the second half saw the girls momentarily switch off. Sion took full advantage of this lapse and went two nil up, before the team managed to reset themselves and go again.
Larne finished the game on the front foot and put attacks together well, one of which was a corner which was converted to pull a goal back. As attacking the ball in the box is something which the team had been working on, it was great to see this progress in action.
While the game ended with a 3-1 defeat, both the ref and opposition complemented Larne’s style of play, with more positives to take away and build on as the team develops.
