Jack Patmore reporting from New Lodge.
England U18 Schoolboys were 1-0 victors over Northern Ireland in front of a bumper crowd of 2,059 at New Lodge yesterday.
Laiith Fairnie’s celerbates his winner – Credit: @NickyHayesPhoto/@BTFCPress
Northern Ireland nearly look an early lead through Luca Doherty but he hit over from point-blank range. They were dominating the early proceedings and causing the England defence several problems.
In one of the Three Lions’ first attacks of the game, they opened the scoring when captain Laiith Fairnie’s header flew over Ryan Kerr in the Northern Ireland goal. The visitors should have equalised just after the half-hour mark when Sean Brown was sent through on goal but he dragged his effort wide.
A few minutes after the interval and England should have had their second. Fairnie again with the header but the ball narrowly went over from Oscar Fletcher’s delivery. On a very wet and rainy surface, both teams were struggling to produce free-flowing football. However, Michael Morgan had a chance for Northern Ireland when he poked over from a cross on the left.
Kyle McCloskey kept his side in the game on the 75-minute mark when his sliding challenge prevented Rio Joisce getting his shot on target.
Both teams put on an excellent show but England ran out as narrow winners.
England U18 Schoolboys: Sheik, Smith, Towns, Wilkinson, Fairnie, Johnson, Fletcher, Fraser (Wodskou 63′), Bostock, Salter, Joisce
Northern Ireland U18 Schoolboys: Kerr, Farley (Martin 78′), Walker, Wallace (McKenna 78′), McCart, Devlin (Towe 67′), Donnelly, Morgan, Doherty (McGonigle 56′), Brown, Chapman
