County Londonderry took on OC Blues from California in the opening match of the Milk Cup at Roe Mill in Limavady. It was County Londonderry who started the game with the higher intensity as they wouldn’t let the Americans settle in possession.
County Londonderry had the first chance of the game on eleven minutes when good link up play by Zak Tosh found Stephen McColgan his shot was well saved by the sprawling Gareth White.
Jack Malone was a whisker away from giving the Northern Irish side the lead when he met Jordan McEneffs cross to a tee but he volleyed wide, in all truth this game was all one way with County Londonderry in cruise control and on twenty three minutes White had to be sharp to make a fantastic save from Callum Dougherty’s powerful drive.
OC Blues registered their first chance when Sebastian Cruz skipped a challenge to cross into the box this found Zach Lubin but he could only direct his header over the bar.
On the stroke of halftime it was OC Blues who nearly broke the deadlock through John Kim as his shot looked set for the net only to be denied by a superb block from Ian Maxwell.
OC Blues took the lead immediately in the second half through Will Richmond as he met Jack McDermotts cross to smash into the net.
County Londonderry, however, equalised two minutes later when McEneff played a delightful cross into the back post for Oisin McDaid to loop his header over White and into the net.
County Londonderry started to crank up the pressure and could have gone ahead through the ever involved McEneff as his shot was deflected out for a corner, from the resulting corner they took the lead when McEneffs corner was met by Maxwell who rose like a salmon to head past white into the net for his second of the game.
It was the Americans who nearly pulled the game level twelve minutes into the second half after a goalmouth scramble resulted in Kim getting a shot away but he fired wide of the target.
However, it was County Londonderry who made the game safe by going three -one ahead when quick feet from Jack McLaughlin saw him advance into the box he squared for Jack Malone whose shot was well saved by White the ball however rebounding out to Ian Maxwell who hit a super effort from range off the underside of the crossbar.
With three minutes remaining OC Blues pulled a goal back for a frantic finish when Matthew Nocita whipped in a free kick on to the head off John Kim to flick the ball past Rory Brown .
This wasn’t enough for OC to come back as County Londonderry held on for the first win of the tournament.
Joshua Bunting