U12 Boys wrapped up the season against APB and though the lads couldn't secure the points, they did try their hardest, which is all anyone can ask. MoM went to Song who enjoyed an excellent game, with Ellams and Lehouimel, to their great credit, also producing displays of grit and resolve.
U13 & U14 Boys finish up the season next week but, U13 Boys did play mid-week and produced a fine 2-4 away win against our neighbours and friends at Borehamwood Youth. Rocha, Smith, Staszewski & Adoma found the net in style with Gardiner doing the business down the other end and securing a richly deserved MoM award in the process. Well done, guys!
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Our U12 girls had a very long away trip to their good friends at Bishops Stortford this morning. The M25 played havoc with our pre match routine with some players only getting to the match 10 mins before the scheduled KO! Having had such little football recently due to the weather today was an absolute pleasure, playing in the sunshine on a dry pitch with no rain in sight; it just didn’t seem right!
The girls were soon into their rhythm though in a changed formation of 1-3-3-2. Emily was a rock in goal as usual and was off her line like an Olympic sprinter to sweep up behind the defence. Returning defensive lynchpin Annie was brought into the fray quicker than we’d have liked and she expected today. Imani arrived to the game feeling unwell but was determined not to let her teammates down and came to the game even when poorly. So Annie stepped up and slotted straight back into the defence like she hadn’t been away for 2 months with a meniscus tear.
The rock at our heart, Abi was her imperious self as always with Ella on the left having one of her better games and nearly scoring on two occasions with scorching drives from outside the box. Ella is our youngest player by far but is developing into a fine LB and is slowly adding the attacking side to her game as she’s gains more confidence and trusts her own ability.
The game started with the Wood shooting up the hill with wing wizards Elsinho & Lolo playing as a skilful & speedy front 2; these girls were getting the ball down and running at the Stortford defence at every opportunity. The midfield 3 was made up of Captain Amie with the unstoppable Lucy, and Wood's own Luca Modric, our Theaya who is always in the right place, a skill that is natural to her.
After some fine work Elsinho managed to beat 2 defenders before slotting home calmly for 0-1 the wood. Lolo & Elsinho were setting up camp in the Stortford half and only fine home defending and goalkeeping kept them out. But even such stout defence couldn’t keep the Wood attack out for long, and prompted by the midfield trio Elsinho again found herself free and wriggled into space before another fine effort was sent to the back of the net for 0-2 Wood.
Stortford pushed and tried to get themselves a goal and themselves back into the game, but they couldn’t break the wall that is Wood's defence! Abi started to feel she had more time and space on the ball as the game wore on; Abi is given licence to attack when she feels the time is correct. Today she picked the ball up in the center circle and drove towards the Stortford keeper; she played a neat 1-2 with Amie and let fly with a powerful low drive into the corner to make it 0-3 the Wood, after just 28mims! Stortford were rocked but not out of this game and they managed to pull one back before half time, which came with the score at 1-3.
Wood decided to change system again to keep these wonderful young players working and thinking, we swapped back to our more familiar 1-3-4-1. Hazel was now playing as a lone 9 and she was looking to get on the scoresheet herself. She managed to do so after great wing play from Elsinho who added an assist to her 2 goals in a POM display! Elsinho dropped her shoulder and cut inside the Stortford fullback, she then got an early cross in which befuddled the defence but not the killer instincts of our No9 who let the ball roll across her body onto her weaker left side and then she unleashed a game winning left foot volley into the back of the net to thunderous applause! 1-4 Wood.
Wood's dominance continued and some more fine finishing came from our Captain Marvel Amie whose eye for goal is becoming a real weapon for the team. She beat her marker and placed a deft drive low across the keeper and the net bulged to make it 1-5 the Wood!
Our hosts to their credit never ever gave up but came up against a goal machine today that was firing on all cylinders and with all the goals being very special in their own right.
Wood were not finished with 5 though and our own Theaya (Modric) was to get on the scoresheet and make the final score 1-6 to the Wood. Theaya was lurking on the edge of the Stortford area waiting for any mistakes and a half chance like all good center mids should do, she picked up a misplaced clearance on the bounce and let fly with a volley that smashed into the underside of the bar and over the net for our 6th! The goalposts are still shaking from the venom of that rocket!
Final score 6-1 to the wood and an excellent result after another week off last week. The girls are having to cope with playing with no fluency as we keep getting weeks off, but they are still thriving and challenging for promotion and, dare we say, the title if other results go out way.