Kenny Swain’s England U16s were defeated 1-0 by Northern Ireland in the Victory Shield on Friday night.
A late goal from Shea Conaty was enough to ensure victory for the visitors in an entertaining battle at Bournemouth’s Goldsands Stadium.
After threatening down both flanks during the early exchanges, England created the first real opening on 15 minutes - and they should have taken the lead.
Match Details
England U16s 0-1 Northern Ireland
The Victory Shield
Friday 8 November 2013
Goldsands Stadium, AFC Bournemouth
Just seconds after seeing an appeal for a penalty turned down after a tussle with Irish defender Matthew Smyth, West Ham United’s Jahmal Hector-Ingram slid in to meet a low cross from Jacob Maddox but the striker’s effort went over the bar from around seven yards out.
Next it was the visitors turn to attack and they were agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock, but the woodwork was to come to the hosts' rescue.
Smyth then surged forward through the English midfield and played in Conaty and he fired low towards the bottom corner past Cameron McCulloch but the effort struck the inside of the post before bouncing across the area where it was eventually cleared.
Keen to get in on the action, England’s Andre Green was soon to be denied by the frame of the goal himself, curling a 20-yard free-kick onto the upright after 22 minutes.
The action was back and forth for the remainder of the half, with Young Lion Marcus Edwards proving to be dangerous as he dropped deep to pick up possession, and he almost got himself on the scoresheet seconds before the break after tricking his way past three defenders before firing into the side-netting.
The second half failed to create as many chances as the first, but this was largely due to a number of stoppages for substitions and two unfortunate injuries which were to hit both sides.
Joshua Murray was the first casualty, and only minutes after coming on as sub, the Manchester City man had to be stretchered off with a suspected broken leg and then late on in the game Irish captain Nathan Kerr was also forced off in similar circumstances.
Sandwiched between the two injuries came the only goal of the night, and it was to come from the head of Northern Ireland’s No.9 Conaty.
His strike partner Shea Gordon had possession down the right and he floated in a cross towards the backpost and Conaty was on hand to nod the ball into the ground and over the line on 71 minutes.
Swain’s youngsters tried to hit back, and almost immediately Hector-Ingram knocked it through for Admiral Muskwe who looked to have grabbed an equaliser, but he was denied by a fantastic one-handed save from Tom McDermott who knocked it over the bar to secure his side a famous victory.
The Young Lions will meet Scotland in their final Victory Shield match on Friday 29 November at Raith Rovers.
England
1 Cameron McCulloch, 2 Trent Arnold, 3 Hayden Coulson, 4 Sadou Diallo (12 Joshua Murray, 40) (17 Admiral Muskwe, 63), 5 Elan Assiana (14 Herbie Kane, 40), 6 Darnell Johnson (C), 7 Jacob Maddox (16 Kyle Edwards, 63), 8 Callum Gribbin, 9 Jahmal Hector-Ingram, 10 Marcus Edwards, 11 Andre Green (15 Lukas Nmecha, 63).
Substitutes not used 13 Taye Ashby-Hammond, 18 Jack Vann
Head Coach Kenny Swain
Northern Ireland
1 Tom McDermott, 2 Nathan Kerr (C), 3 Caoimhghin Mulligan, 4 Matthew Smyth, 5 Dylan King, 6 Matthew Henry (14 Martin Olali, 68), 7 Kyle McClean (13 Michael Kerr, 79), 8 Joe Crowe (15 Jake Francis, 62), 9 Shea Conaty, 10 Shea Gordon, 11 Kyle Walker (18 Ryan Caulfield, 40)
Substitutes not used 12 Conor Hazard, 16 Conor McKendry, 17 Emmett McNabb, 19 Mark McKee.
Head Coach Dave Woolford
Referee Tim Robinson
Attendance 2,810
