U12 Boys had a very difficult assignment, facing high flying Hinton away in the League after being beaten by 11 goals when facing this team at home earlier in the season. However, the boys have improved immeasurably since then and went hunting out an earth-moving result to add to their excellent victory last week!
Straight from the off the boys were chasing & closing down, winning the ball and moving it superbly. Kingham-Patrick, Joyce and Kurti in defence were dealing with everything. With Patrick-Mason in midfield, Hartslief to the left and Ellams to his right, it was game on with the tackles flying in like a wild west brawl! Adom and Skinner up front were constantly fighting towards the home goal, with great threat about everything they did.
The game developed into a midfield melee and neither team could break the other down; deadlock ensued and saw the score 0-0 at half-time. Second half was much of the same but our boys were determined to drive on and produce a result to make major headlines. Around the 75th minute, Ciochina produced a stunning pass from defence straight to Skinner; he slipped a lovely ball over the top for Kurti to sweep into the box and dispatch home after beating the keeper!
Final score 0-1 to the Wood and the enormous Wood crowd erupted into a series of coordinated dances and songs that have only been seen at Notting Hill Carnival previously! What a performance and MoM went to young Ellams, who produced an incredible display in his role on right midfield. Very well done to him and very well done to the entire team and staff who show us that hard graft, determination and effort get you very far indeed! What a turn around!!!
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U12 girls were in fine form as they took on London Lions White away in the League.
Borehamwood 2000 starting line-up: Emily, Imani, Abi, Ella, Amy, Lucy, Lois, Elsie, Hazel.
Subs: Kara & Theaya.
The first half saw us battle hard and we were knocking on the door all half with efforts from Hazel and Elsie going close. Emily was not called into action but stayed alert and was vocal throughout.
Imani was in control of anything that came down the right and supported Elsie and later on Kara down the wing superbly. Ella guided the Lions away from our area on multiple occassions and was able to distribute excellently. Theaya was a rock in midfield collecting the loose balls and breaking up play. Lois went close after one of her trademark runs down the left to leave it 0-0 at half time.
The girls took on board what each other and Richard had said at half-time and after some good pressure Hazel delivered a beauty of a corner where Amy was waiting to volley the ball home! An unfortunate challenge lead to a Lions penalty; Emily waved her arms getting ready to try to stop the ball and before we knew it the ball had been hit wide and was still travelling down the A1 late last night! Emily made one other great save with her feet and was then able to enjoy the rest of the game.
The Lions' heads had dropped and our girls stepped up and capitalised with the aid of Hazel’s battling; she was able to thread the ball through to Elsie who guided past the goalie in style! Elsie’s second soon followed after battling from Lucy and Kara on the edge of the Lions' box, with the ball falling nicely for her to slam right into the corner like an arrow!
Our final goal came from an Abi through ball; it was a two girl race between Lois and Elsie to collect the ball and finish which Elsie did with great communication from Lois for her to finish her hat trick. This was against a very talented team who never had a hope with our girls in this kind of form. Girl of the match went to Elsie, but a special mention went to Imani and actually to all girls as they were all awesome!!
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U14 Boys faced form side AEK in a Spring Cup double header at Pursley today. AEK are in the semis of the Middlesex FA Trophy and the Challenge Cup quarters and enjoying a strong season; a tough assignment was in store.
However, this Wood side has progressed a huge amount since competing in the 4th division last season and with only 11 fit players for much of the time today after Silva was unable to shake off an ankle injury, rolled their sleeves up and stood up to be counted. After defending well to weather an early surge from their opponents, they started to expose the AEK defence, Ifeacho racing through and just lifting his shot too high over the bar after beating the AEK keeper to the ball. Montgomery continued his excellent recent form with many interceptions and intelligent passing while McGuinness was excelling down the right wing, both in attack and when tracking back.
MoM Ifeacho was in truly rampant form and was unlucky to see a fine strike cannon of the post, before, with the very last action in the match, an AEK corner was somehow allowed to squirm unchallenged into the net. After dominating so much of the match, the Wood were mugged at the finish and received nothing for their efforts.
Refusing to dwell on this misfortune, the boys, despite fatigue setting in, took to the pitch for the second match in the same vein, competing really hard and making many chances. Hobbs just lifted his shot wide after the AEK keeper was stranded while the outstanding Fan stung the keeper's hands with a rasping strike. MoM Marshall produced a first class save after coming out top of a one on one with the away striker before Reed slammed a lovely header off the woodwork after perfect delivery from Crucefix. However, slack play out wide gifted possession to AEK who made the most of it to take the lead.
Many saw this as the trigger for a Wood collapse, but, most importantly, our boys did not. They responded magnificently and a sublime delivery from Reed was dispatched expertly by Hones, climbing higher than Edmund Hilary to score a tremedous equalizer! Goals change games and momentum shifted to the Wood as they poured forward for a winner, tiredness banished and energy levels brim full! Fan was hacked down in the box and when the game seemed destined for the Wood, the resulting penalty bounced off the post with AEK finding a fluke winner soon after; a 20 yard deflection looping under the crossbar, Marshall helpless to stop it.
Small differences of quality in front of goal and focus when defending meant the Wood's huge efforts this morning went completely unrewarded. However, the delirious celebrations of the opposition at the final whistle were a very considerable compliment to our magnificent 11 and the boys have moved from a mid table 4th division team to one that can now compete equally with all the best sides in grassroots' football locally. As our injured and absent squad members return and with further training ground work to improve our finishing and defensive clearances, the future is very bright for this team and these players.
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U13 Boys fought out a 0-0 draw against Ally Pally West. The guys dominated the match but, couldn't find a goal. However, with opponents for the title slipping up, this could prove a very good point? On to the next one and let's bring that silverware home!