The 22/23 season has drawn to a close for all our 4 teams. We've had highs and lows, excitement and suspense and all our juniors have played their hearts out and made us all so proud! Planning for next season is afoot already.
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U14 Boys finished off a league campaign that has yielded just two wins and six points facing an AC Finchley team at Pursley that made the County Cup semis, and who play in the League Cup final next week knowing a win today would secure them the WFL White division title too.
On this basis, we stood no chance but, in reality this Wood side are getting better every week and are a match for any grassroots football team at their age. Finchley started fast and pressured the Wood goal, some of the Wood players perhaps overawed by the occasion and unable to compete as we know they can. Others, however, were right at it with the defence of Marshall in goal and a back four of Captain Reed, Makamian, MoM Manning and Hones all enjoying outstanding games from start to finish and the bed-rock of a superb Wood performance.
Weathering the early storm, the Wood then created a series of incredible chances but, were simply unable to find the net, composure deserting us at the crucial moments. This continued throughout the match before, inevitably, Finchley raided down the right wing, their player showing quality to dispatch the resultant cross into the bottom corner, though far too much time was allowed for him to do this.
Fan continued to pull the strings in midfield, completing a season of the highest quality and finishing top scorer too, while Crucefix re-entered the fray to show what he was really about, bringing much energy and determination. Ifeacho kept battling up front on his own against equally strong defenders and gained much credit for doing so.
The game finished 0-1 but, the performance from our boys was excellent and one they could be rightly proud of. The runs and moves creating the wealth of chances missed today continue to improve and increase in frequency and those chances will get buried regularly soon, it's just part of the process.
That process saw the boys plucked from mid 4th division to compete against many of the most technically and physically advanced teams in the locality and wider afield. They've faced this challenge head on, not one of them backing out and are now armed with invaluable experience and both mental and physical endurance to progress their football on to the next level in 23/24. Huge thanks go to coaches Manning and Montgomery for their efforts over the season and to our parents who are our great friends and as supportive as anyone could wish for.
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U12 girls hosted their great friends & rivals Garston Tigers in what was the last game of a very long and sometimes arduous first season of competitive football. The game started with Tigers on the front foot, pinning the Wood back into their own half. Emily was in goal with Imani at right back, Abi at centre back and Ella at left back, all working overtime trying to keep the Tigers at bay.
The midfield 4 of right-mid Elsie, left-mid Lois and centre-mids Amie & Lucy, supported by starting striker Kara were all also having to run hard to try and stifle Tigers' fast start.
Our girls were fighting for the ball but the Tigers' power would eventually tell and they went 0-1 up. Our girls' heads could have dropped as it was the last game of the season with little to play for but pride, but no, they kept fighting and trying to play the fantastic style of football they are becoming known for.
Tigers kept probing & pushing and were to get their second goal and looking a real force at 0-2 up. However, this spurred star winger Lois on to great things and with some fine dribbling she managed to engineer space and drive at the Tigers' goal. Lois then let fly a shot that had the keeper scrambling to save, but it looped over her head and into the net for 2-1!
Hazel, Annie and Theaya came into the fray and tried to stiffen the Wood’s resolve and get us playing front foot football again; the girls were tasked with trying to get the ball down and playing in what was a frantic pinball like game of football thus far. At half time the score was 1-2 Tigers but the game was now looking more even as the Wood girls had wrestled back some control. The second half was a real gunfight with both teams looking to score the important next goal; Wood had chance after chance through Kara, Lois, Elsie, Hazel and Imani stinging the keeper’s palms with a long range free kick, but we just couldn’t get the ball over the line today.
With time running out and the Wood looking tired, the Tigers' power would again tell and they got that important next goal to make it a convincing 1-3 win to them, and a win they deserved on the day. A special mention to the dazzling Imani who won POM in a fantastic display of grit with an abundance of skill thrown in; a more wonderful teammate and young lady you will struggle to find!
Today as a group this was maybe a bridge to far for our amazing team of young women; they were carrying knocks and pulls and recovering from illness and injury across the board. They have stood up to every test and to all comers with huge dignity, pride and a great deal of sportsmanship all season. We as a club and management team couldn’t be prouder of any group of athletes more. This season has been at times a tough transitional year to firstly secondary school, and then add competitive football into the mix.
Our young women have handled this with aplomb and the class passed down to them from the great set of parents we are lucky to get to work with weekly. We are a team of 36 with 12 players backed by 24 parents, then add all the siblings and our little football family grows! Together we have seen our kids perform miracles this year, some amazing goals scored, some amazing saves made, some amazing and crunching tackles to make you wince! The dribbles, defence splitting passes the 1-2s and passing moves completed!
We were top of the league for most of the season and have now finished 3rd in our first competitive season which is very good and probably where we should be, second place was in our grasp but we just couldn’t get it this time. The girls and team will be back better and stronger for next season.
Very well said and huge thanks from the club to Dave, Richard and Sarah for completing a first class job managing and coaching what is a wonderful group of players, and a really supportive set of parents; the future is very bright indeed!
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U12 Boys finished off their season last week and learnt much through what proved a challenging season but, one that was sprinkled with many excellent performances. The club would like to thank Manager Jamie and coach Greg for their support throughout the season despite much changed work commitments and this level of volunteering selflessness is at the heart of our club. Very well done to them and, of course, the boys who gave us many moments to cherish and improved hugely!