Our U14s, after an impressive summer, finally got their league campaign under way today at home vs AFC Southgate. 4 debutants started for the Wood today, looking to add to the already impressive squad.
The game started with 2000 looking to play the ball on the deck to create their chances. The first of which came after Parratt threaded a great through ball to Chen who was denied by the onrushing keeper. Both teams looked to play the passing game which led to a very good standard game.
The visitors took the lead when the Southgate forward found himself in the box with some space; one touch to get the ball out of his feet and a good finish giving AFC a 0-1 lead. This Borehamwood side is made of stern stuff though and didn’t change the way they had been playing. They kept playing the passing game that was making in-roads into the AFC defence.
The equaliser came when a ball was played into Sheppard whose brilliant headed pass found the rapid Chen who finished to make it 1-1; his first goal for the club. The Wood took over the game and started to play even more free flowing football. Chen wasn’t finished for the day and after chasing a through ball down he calmly finished to give the Wood a 2-1 lead just before the break.
The game was on a knife edge going into the second half and the lads knew that at this level they had to start well as Southgate would pounce on any lapses in concentration. Southgate to their credit came out fighting for every ball and had the better of the second half but the Wood matched them all over the park with grit and flair when needed. MoM Abiso in the middle of the park was winning every ball and kept the team ticking over, releasing the midfield in front of him: Parratt, Murphy, Staszewski and Gardner. It was after some impressive play in the midfield that saw a half chance, half cleared by the Southgate defence only into the path of the impressive debutant Sheppard who scored the goal his hard work hard deserved to make it 3-1.
AFC Southgate had one last hurrah left in them and threw forward another striker but the impressive centre half pairing of Adom and Stevens with the help of Joyce mopped everything up. Any balls through or crossed in to the box were dealt with impressively by the quality keeper Singleton, while full backs Hebblethwaite/Sutherland on the right and Mill on the left defending stoutly and did not switch off at all.#
Rocha and Smith came on for Chen and Sheppard and hit the ground running, they worked hard to close down the Southgate defence and could of had a couple of goals between them but were denied by the AFC keeper. The whistle followed and the Wood sealed an impressive 3-1 win where they had to show all aspects of the beautiful game. This performance sets a very high standard that the lads must keep up in the next game.
If they can, then an impressive and successful season lays ahead.”
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Meanwhile, U15 Boys kicked off their first Red division match at home to AEK. With the league unable to register Green in time, Crucefix poorly and Song injured, the team had just two subs in attendance but, the boys, led by Captain Ifeacho were just absolutely outstanding from the off, pummelling the reigning Middlesex Trophy holders.
Reed was a tower at the back and enjoyed a colossal match, while Fan and Silva were excellent in the centre midfield, showing steel in the challenge and quality on the ball. Hobbs was enjoying another excellent game on the right wing and it was he who reacted quickest to bury home an excellent corner delivery from Fan, sending the Wood army into raptures and a fully deserved lead. The boys kept the foot down and piled the pressure on AEK with their second goal seemingly being just a matter of time. However, just prior to half time, a hopeful AEK pot shot ended up at the feet of their striker, whose scrambled effort limped into the Wood's net.
The second half started 1-1 and the boys needed to raise their game again but, started slowly and did something you can't do at this level: switching off at key moments as the AEK attack swept in goals totally unmarked, giving them a 1-3 lead they never relinquished. However, the Wood's final stanza was again commendable as they drove their opponents back: Ifeacho narrowly missing the target with a superb headed effort and Silva striking a fine shot that the away keeper somehow kept out.
AEK sit atop the Red division tonight and know they dodged a bullet, not by their own play but, by our errors. However, the boys learn hugely from these and will improve as a result. We carry on, welcome back our other squad members and with the reigning Red Division champions next week, look forward to a vintage day at Pursley then.
MoM was secured by Montgomery, who showed tremendous fortitude and mental strength to perform very credibly indeed, in the process bringing great pride to his most cherished loved ones.
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Just like that and the new season is upon us! Today, after some months of fun filled training, the Wood's latest junior team rolled of the production line, with our incredible U9 Girls taking to the pitch for their very first game ever!
A carnival like atmosphere was in evidence at Pursley with fire eaters and jugglers welcoming our fab parents to what was a quite momentous occasion for one and all! Nerves were jangling a little as our little heroines took to the pitch against a tasty Berko side, but, after the first whistle sounded for kick off, the girls, led by Captain Juniper, donned their game faces and flew into action.
First to impress was the indomitable Polly, running end to end like a girl possessed and leaving Berko players trailing in her wake; a constant threat, expect to see this young lady on the scoresheet soon! Maisie followed suit and, coming from a long family line of tremendous Wood players, showed her pedigree with some wonderful wing play. Emily enjoyed a great shift between the sticks before playing outfield and making some first class tackles, joined in this by Gracie and Emilia who were putting in gritty shifts off their own for the team.
Not to be outdone, Leah produced a tremendous series of saves, rushing out of her goal to unsettle the Berko attack and forcing them to shoot wide on several occasions as a result. Meanwhile Juniper showed tremendous technique as she flew around the pitch, driving the team forward as a Captain should. However, the team's first PoM award went to Amber who excelled in a defensive position, showing natural timing and both bravery and desire to get in the way of the big Berko strikers and our goal, pulling off one outstanding defensive tackle after another!
After the game, Coach Lia, took time out of her busy schedule to give an exclusive interview to Sky Sports News saying, "Today was a totally new experience for our girls and they all displayed the tenets our club is built on: having a real go, trying hard and never giving up. They all had fun despite the searing heat and we couldn't be more proud of them. We'll be back on the training field next week and things will make so much more sense now we've been able to play a game. Roll on next week's match too as the Wood's newest super team is up, running and raring to go!"
You got to say, she's called it just right there!
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Meantime, today was also the long awaited debut of our magnificent U13 girls side in D1 of the county! The girls had a long road trip this morning to play an excellent Berkhampstead Raiders Pinks side on a scorching hot day. With an early start and oppressive heat, the girls would have been forgiven for a slow start to life at the top table. But no, not this team; it wasn’t in their script and this wonderful collection of young women footballers showed any doubters they belong firmly in Division 1!
The tried and tested defensive unit of Keeper Emily, Annie, Abi & Ella were at their most formidable and destructive today. These girls are the Maldini, Baresi and Cafu of girls’ football and defend with every scrap of energy, launching attacks again and again. They hold the keys to the gate and keep it locked firmly shut! They have returned for the new season with more power, a renewed vigour and dare we say, it even more defensive nous than they ended last season with.
The Wood wall was ably aided today by the midfield 4 in front of them made up of RW Elsinho, LW Karadonna and then the team’s engine room of skipper Amie and joint POM Lucy, our 2 centre mids. Together they held a very skilful and determined Berko at arm’s length for nearly the whole game. Lucy in particular was tackling like a Dervish and eating up the ground at a pace we scarcely knew was possible! Lucy covered every blade of grass today and nullified Berko’s excellent and very dangerous No10 who scored 49 goals last season alone.
The girls have been working tirelessly at training on playing out from the back and it showed today. Some of the football on display was excellent starting from our keeper, through the lines via the midfield then up to our devastating forwards! Our new signing at CF Gabi made her competitive debut and bagged a hat trick in a fine display of forward play; Gabi shared POM today and her very important first goal settled the team after a lot of early chances went to waste as they were hit straight at the Berko keeper. Gabi has now scored 8 goals in three games for the team and is settling in and making friends well.
Theaya played her part in locking up the Berko left flank when she came on as did another debutant Ava who gave a fine display at fullback today. Marissa our other GK came on for Emily at half time and the quality didn’t drop; we are blessed as a team to have two such fantastic stoppers.
Our other POM and wood stalwart was the god of thunder Hazel and her hammer! Hazel had a tough time in front of goal last term but has come back this season looking like a new player and back to the old Hazel who notched 24 goals during the 21/22 season. Today she also grabbed a well deserved hat trick: a rocket free kick cannoning off the bar and over the line the pick of her bunch.
Wide players Elsinho and Karadonna stretched the pitch and probed the Berko flanks all day and on another occasion would have both made the score sheet. The terrible pitch with grass almost to their knees particularly didn’t help our maestros’ dancing feet, the girls still working their socks off for the team though.
Amie did a sterling job locking up the midfield after partner in crime Lucy was tasked with a man marking job on the Berko No10. One particular moment of the game stands out when she burst from midfield to pick up a ball fizzed across the field; a lesser player would have needed a touch but she took it first time and let a rocket of a shot off that stung the keeper’s hands! It was good to see Emily get a half under her belt as she has struggled with injury since the end of last season and still isn’t fully fit; she did some great work while she was on the field though. The final score was a 1-6 away win for our girls with Berko sneaking a late consolation goal which annoyed the D line! POM was shared between Lucy, Hazel & Gabi.
The much anticipated new look coaching triumvirate of Dave, Rich & new edition Joe are working tirelessly in the background to help make the girls into the best footballers they can.