United Academy mini soccer school set for winter break

A number of age groups will continue to have friendlies with local sides, the 2005 and 2006 boys continue to show their skills at the Ballymoney league and Ballymena tea time league on a weekly basis.

A number of the United under 11’s enjoyed a friendly themselves on Saturday against Kells Cougars at the Sports Hut, while the 12’s had another good win in Lisburn while the 14’s and 15’s both fell to narrow defeats in the National League.

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Oxford Sunnyside 1, BUYA 2: United under 12s prepared for the defence of their NIBFA cup with another good victory here over the Armagh side.

The United boys face another Armagh outfit, Glenavon in the first round of the National cup after this week’s draw.

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Derry City Colts 3, BUYA 1: United were the better team for long periods of this game.

Derry opened the scoring after United felt the ball had gone out of play earlier in the move.

Another poor defensive mistake left the Skies two down but they continued to work hard.

Eamon McLaughlin in the midfield was the stand out player on the pitch,Harry Robinson was lively on the left but only late on did the Braid boys look likely to have an end product for their endeavours.

Jack McMurray had been excellent at the back but even he could not stop a superb Derry goal to send them three clear.

McLauglhin burst through shortly after,picked up a quick return pass from Jack Millarand fired home for a consolation goal.

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Coleraine 3, BUYA 2: United started best and scored with a good shot from McCabe.

The Bannsiders equalised but the Skies kept up the pressure and went ahead once more a great cross from Mucka was volleyed home by McCabe once more for his double.

United tried to consolidate but Coleraine fought back again for an equaliser.

Walshe and McClelland both went close as both sides pushed for the derby win but it was to be despair for the Braid boys as their rivals scored late on to steal the three points.

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Glenavon 2, Ballymena United 1: Ballymena got off to the perfect start when they took the lead early on through an excellent strike from Nico Dunlop, a half volley from an acute angle.

Ballymena looked to build on this early pressure and the Glenavon produced a good save after Camryn Millar burst through one-on-one. The same player almost got onto to a dangerous Jack Preston just minutes later.

Glenavon were coming more into the game and their equaliser had more than a bit of luck about it when an attempted clearance ricocheted to their striker. Before half time both teams created chances and Ballymena went close through Camryn Millar and Nico Dunlop.

Glenavon started the second half the better and they hit the Ballymena crossbar early on. They took the lead with a shot form the edge of the box. Glenavon took confidence in this and put the Ballymena defence under pressure but they held firm. Ballymena lost goal keeper Shane Gibson through injury and stand in goal keeper Robbie Perkins coped well with everything he had to do.

Unfortunately Ballymena couldn’t find that equaliser and the game finished 2-1.