Larne U14 4 – 2 Carniny
The first half the Larne girls took command of the game and went into half time 3-0 with a hat trick from Sophie Aiston. Larne were able to keep Carniny under control and didn’t allow them to create any chances.
The second half Larne took their foot off the gas and stopped playing the football they had played in the first half. Taking too many touches and trying the harder pass rather than playing the simple pass they had done in the first. Larne would unfortunately gift Carniny two goals, one from not clearing their box and allowing Carniny’s striker to much time on the ball and getting a shot unchallenged and the second was a shot from the edge of the box unchallenged after messing around with the ball at the back.
Larne was able to get a fourth from another well worked corner with Sophie able to slot it into the bottom corner with her left foot. The Larne girls came away from their first league match at 11 aside with a Victory.
Larne U16/17s 3 – 1 Carryduff Colts U17s
Playing uphill and into the wind in the first half, Larne had the bulk of territory and possession but their defense was solid, and Carryduff’s long ball forward from the keeper caused Larne problems. Once the Larne girls settled they started playing some really good football and creating openings. When Larne started to commit extra players forward, they broke the deadlock, a scrappy clearance from Carryduff saw the ball land for Leah at the edge of the box who put a well-struck shot across goal to beat the keeper. With a hard fought first half from both. Larne was ahead at half time with 1-0.
The second half Larne went on the attack. A series of good passes were opening Carryduff’s defense up. Dee had forced a great couple of saves from Carryduff’s keeper before a long ball from Clare at left back fed Dee to beat their last defender, turning her inside out before striking low and hard across the goal to beat the keeper for our second.
Carryduff were still fighting, and almost pulled one back with a long-range effort that went over Larne’s defense but the wind held the high ball up long enough for Melissa to recover and make a good save. Five minutes later, Carryduff managed to get back into the game with a corner Larne just couldn’t clear, and leave it 2-1 going into the last 10 minutes. Larne pressed forward forcing Carryduff into scrappy clearances and weak tackles, and won a free kick 25 yards out on the left. With Carryduff’s entire defense on the 6-yard line, Anna whipped the ball across the 18-yard box to Leah who put another great strike through a crowded box, across the goal and into the far bottom corner.
A close game and a good battle for Larne putting in some crunching tackles and playing through phases.
