The Word In The Wood

Borehamwood 2000 under 9’s were back on the road again this week with a trip to Chorleywood Common. It was another game against top opposition which seems to be the theme so far this season.

Straight from kick off, the Wood put their training into practice with free flowing football creating chances from either wing which saw Archie clip the post and Mehdi also coming close, but neither team were able to convert.

Into the 2nd quarter and the Wood went from strength to strength with some great link up play between Vinnie, Lennon and Aiden creating more and more chances and allowing them to take hold of the game. Midway through the quarter it was a corner from Vinnie that was cleared as far as Ronnie who steered it back towards goal only for Mehdi to pop up to slot home calmly from 6 yards. Chorleywood almost scored but for a great goal line clearance from Lennon just before the break

The start of the 2nd half saw Chorleywood come out of the blocks faster and if it wasn’t for Lake’s commanding presence and goalmouth heroics between the sticks they could have easily bagged a hat full of goals.

After soaking up the initial pressure the boys started to look dangerous again and it was some great play down the line which allowed Mehdi to get a shot off which the Chorleywood keeper could only push onto the post where Arthur was on hand to tap in for his first goal of the season.

The 4th quarter allowed 2000 to show it’s not all about attack when Ronnie and Kacper had all the answers in defence when the Chorleywood attack were asking questions. A few minutes from full time the ball fell nicely for Vinnie some way out and he let fly a trademark strike which 2 goalkeepers would not have saved and he got his goal which capped a great performance from him in the centre on midfield.

The top class effort & attitude from each and every boy this week made this the standout performance so far this season and we hope it will only get better. Parents' player of the match was Lake who did everything right when called upon and kept his first clean sheet of the season.

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U18 Boys faced Bushey & Oxhey Stags in the league knowing 3 points would lift them to the top of their division. However, inexplicably, the boys failed to deliver what should have been a standard win.

From the start, there was a lack of urgency and fight, the quality of play was poor and normally reliable players struggled to pass the ball simply. Good chances were made despite this but, spurned with too many shots fired straight at the keeper or with a lack of power. Fan in midfield did show the heart and desire required and put in an excellent shift to his credit but, there were not enough like him and the Wood conceded two miserable first half goals, with the defending for these leaving so much to be desired.

MoM Carlow stabilised the backline and turned defence into attack with an outstanding pass forward with the outside of his right foot that Collier whipped across well for Silva to fire home. Shortly after, Collier scored his first competitive goal for the club latching on to Fan’s quality corner to fire home and level the match. It seemed like an important intervention from him and one that could fire his team forward to a victory coming down the hill second half.

Not to be, however, and it was Bushey that scored after winning a free kick near the box, the Wood’s efforts to defend this seemingly non-existent as the away team simply passed a ball into the box that was popped into the home goal. There was no one switched on in the Wood defence, no one laying it on the line for their team.

Montgomery enjoyed a strong second half making several key interventions to stop Bushey breaking away again while Makamian was lively down the right wing and unfortunate with a left foot effort that flew over the bar. Elboukhari was solid and vocal in goal while Silva worked hard up front and was hacked down for a penalty but, his effort thereafter was saved.

To be frank, this would only have papered over the cracks as the Wood really didn’t deserve anything from the game, consistently outplayed and outfought by a basic opposition that gave everything they had for the win. We’ve seen such performances too often over the years and though we hoped that time was at an end, we now know that’s not the case. The boys can decide where the team goes from here but, for sure, if you give so little as a unit, you can hardly be surprised when you get so little back.

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U15 girls had a tough away draw vs St Albans Yellows in the Cup today. After a very narrow 3-2 defeat in the league a month ago when we were 2 up, the Wood hoped to get a deserved one over the Yellows today!

On a terribly small, sloped pitch which really didn’t suit our game, the girls came out flying with Elsinho opening the scoring with a sublime finish into the bottom corner after beating two players;  this was Elsie’s 4th of the season so far.

St Albans upped their game and had a good spell territorially without threatening our goal other than with an amazing long throw from one of their players. We were later to find out this girl does shot putt for England!

G9 & Maisaldiho were causing havoc with Elsinho but the 2nd goal just wouldn’t come. The equaliser was to come from a bouncing ball forced over the line, even with Theaya fighting to make the clearance: 1-1. Poppy N was having a stormer in midfield aided by skipper Annie and schemer Aanya.

Half time came and went and we didn’t feel at threat at all with Skippy & Ava locking up the middle with Yvie & TJ tying down the flanks assisted by Riss. Emily hardly had a save to make all day.

St Albans were to nick quite literally the win from a long throw, Riss threw herself at the throw to head away but it just skimmed off her head and looped in the goal, a terrible piece of ill fortune for the girls who had fought valiantly in the hot sun with only one sub today.

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U16 Girls had a home walkover in the cup while our U11 Girls enjoyed a super match against Potters Bar United Lionesses. There were great performances across the park not least from Tippy who bagged two fine goals, while the hard running Juniper bagged OPoM and Polly was checked for an extra set of legs as she sped through the gears to score and secure PoM!

Borehamwood 2000 Unlucky as Evergreen Edge Stormy Encounter

Borehamwood 2000 1 – Evergreen 2

The Under-16 Girls produced a strong and skilful performance but were narrowly beaten 2–1 by Evergreen in a hard-fought contest played amid Storm Amy’s fierce winds.

Playing with the wind at their backs in the first half, Borehamwood started brightly and quickly took control of the game. Their passing was crisp and composed despite the swirling gusts, whilst in defence they were looking strong and dealing brilliantly with a strong Evergreen attacking line-up, with goal keeper Nisa scarcely tested.

At the same time, Borehamwood were beginning to dominate the midfield areas with Missy winning every duel, and Hollie looking calm and composed on the ball as we probed and tried to find that final through ball. At the top end of the pitch it was Scarlett whose tireless work rate and intelligent hold up play helped keep The Wood on the front foot, pushing forward at every opportunity. Out wide, Amie Adams looked lively and dangerous whenever she got the ball.

Their pressure paid off midway through the first half with a superbly worked goal. Amie Adams drifted in from the wing, showing excellent close control as she cut inside passed two defenders before slipping a clever pass into the path of Lily who struck a crisp, low shot from the edge of the box into the bottom corner. It was a beautifully constructed goal that reflected Borehamwood’s confident, attacking football.

The Wood continued to look the better side for much of the half, foiling and frustrating the visitor’s attacks quite comfortable. However, just before half-time, Evergreen found an equaliser against the run of play. A speculative long-range strike caught the wind and dipped cruelly over the goalkeeper, leaving the home side unlucky and a tad frustrated to go in at 1–1 despite their dominance.

The second half saw both teams continue to play positive football despite the worsening conditions. With the wind now in their faces, The Wood battled bravely, staying compact and disciplined at the back. Amy Robertson remained calm and commanding in defence, while Missy and Lilly VT covered every blade of grass in midield to help keep Evergreen at bay.

Midway through the half, Borehamwood suffered a setback when their goalkeeper was forced off injured, leading to a defensive reshuffle. Evergreen took advantage ten minutes from time, grabbing the winner with a scrambled goal from a corner that slipped through the crowded area and spun in over stand in keeper Abi.

The Wood pushed forward in the closing stages, pushing hard for an equaliser, but the conditions and a determined Evergreen defence denied them. Despite the result, Borehamwood could take great pride in a performance full of quality, teamwork, and spirit against a really good team in Evergreen.

Joint players of the match were Amy and Missy who both put in near perfect performances in very testing conditions.

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U11 Girls - Borehamwood 2000 vs Chorleywood Common

What a match! What a team! Despite Storm Amy doing her best to test our focus and resilience, the Mighty Borehamwood 2000 rose above the wind, and pressure to deliver a stunning performance full of determination, teamwork, and sheer footballing brilliance.

From the first whistle, our captain Polly led by example. She was calm, composed, and inspiring as always. Up front, our attacking trio of Elsie, Daisy, and Polly moved the ball with such confidence that the game immediately swung in our favour. Elsie’s quick turn created the first real chance, forcing an early save. Polly followed up with a powerful effort, and Daisy wasn’t to be left out with a thunderous shot that rattled the crossbar! It was all Borehamwood from the off.

At the back, Sienna and Amber were rock solid. Both were reading the game beautifully and covering for one another like true defensive partners. In midfield, Gracie was our engine, controlling possession and giving the team the breathing room to build our attacks. Chorleywood had their moments, but Olivia’s sharp goalkeeping kept them at bay, closing down space and forcing errors. Then came our breakthrough. Elsie’s shot struck a defender’s arm, earning a free kick. Elsie's freekick was palmed away, but our captain Polly was first to react, slotting home her first goal of the season! The crowd erupted, and the momentum was all ours.

Soon after, a delightful piece of link-up play between Daisy and Elsie ended with Elsie firing home our second. And she wasn’t done there. Moments later, she embarked on a dazzling solo run to make it three to the Wood Army. Sienna continued to marshal the back line, ensuring nothing slipped through, while Daisy turned provider again, crossing perfectly for Elsie to complete yet another fantastic finish.

When Juniper came on, the energy level spiked. She attacked defenders with confidence, while Xyla threw herself into every challenge with fierce determination. Maisie stepped into central midfield and showed great strength and pace. Maisie not only pushed forwards but tracked back brilliantly when needed.

Juniper’s persistence paid off, her cross found Elsie who scored another brilliant goal from a tight-angle taking her tally to a remarkable 4 (Erling Haaland eat your heart out). Without time to catch our their breath, Juniper unleashed a stunning strike in the bottom right corner that would have beaten any Premier League keeper!

In the second half, the girls continued to play with purpose. Daisy remained a constant threat down the wing, firing in dangerous crosses and nearly scoring from a curling free kick. Polly went close too, while Amber, returning from injury, played fearlessly in defence alongside Maisie. Together, they were impenetrable.

Maisie then launched a superb long pass that split the defence, finding Juniper, who finished with composure. Gracie dazzled with a solo run that deserved a goal, while Juniper, now playing through the middle, completed her hat-trick with quick feet and fantastic close control. 

Emily in goal read the game superbly, clearing danger with confidence and showing no hesitation in leaving her line when needed. And just when we thought the fireworks were over, Daisy capped off a magnificent display with a sensational solo run down the right, finishing with a long-range goal that left the crowd in awe.

When the final whistle blew, the scoreboard reflected not just a dominant performance, but the spirit of true teamwork. Every player played their part. Every player lifted each other up. This was Borehamwood football at its very best.

Player of the Match went to Daisy for her unselfish play, pinpoint crosses, and that absolute stunner of a goal. Proud doesn’t even begin to cover it. The Mighty Borehamwood 2000 U11 Girls is a team that plays together, fights together and celebrates together!

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Our U15 girls were at home today in the Senior League Cup against Bedwell, our opponents from last week’s 4-4 draw. After coming away from that gutted to have been fighting to get a point in a game we should have run away with, the girls had a bee in their bonnet and a point to prove this morning. With a forward line packed full of pace, power, trickery and goals we are going to cause all teams a problem this year and today Bedwell were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The scoring was opened by the frightening pace and clinical finishing of Maisaldinho after 14 mins beating the keeper after cutting in from the right and firing home. 1-0. Bedwell started to fight back and had some pressure and a few chances on goal with one notable finger-tip save from Emily pushing the ball over the bar. The second goal was to come on 23 mins with the wonderful G9 making and finishing it for herself with a great run and clinical finishing which she has been working hard on.

The game was still on a knife edge as we knew Bedwell were capable of hauling themselves back into the game if a mistake was made. However, Skippy at the back was having possibly her best game in a white shirt while Ava, her CB partner, wasn’t far behind her. As such, Bedwell were finding clear chances hard to come by, with Yvie at LB looking very assured also and Elsinho with her dancing feet always looking in control. Our midfield 3 of skipper Annie, No 10 Aanya and Poppy N - growing in confidence and influence week on week - were superb with Annie as always covering every blade on the pitch. The girls were feeding our front three early and regularly with Maisie running her FB into the ground and Lola on the other wing tying hers in knots!

We had to wait till the 32md min for the third and G9 was again to be the finisher: 3-0. The 4th was to come from Lonaldo in the 39th minute from her wand of a left foot. 4-0 and H/T.

Theaya & Riss came on to replace the FB’s and both where imperious in their work, the fifth goal was coming and on 53 mins it came with Maisaldinho getting her brace: 5-0. The girls were now pushing forward at every opportunity looking to score and be ruthless in victory. This could leave the door ajar a fraction and to Bedwell’s credit they saw an opening and stepped through to get a goal and make it 5-1, frustratingly so given the Wood domination.

On 60 mins G9 completed her hat trick with a devastating turn, switch on of the after-burners then another stone cold finish from this special young lady: 6-1! Elsinho was moved forward to play left wing and encouraged to cut in onto her right foot, and she did just that to open her account on 68 mins. 7-1. Gabriella our G9 was to get her 4th of the day on 70 mins with another quality finish: 8-1.

With Bedwell struggling to clear their lines with the strong wind today and the scoreline against them, their heads’ started to drop a little. Lonaldo and G9 pounced on some loose play and Lo found herself in the box jinking past players before placing the ball in the net to get her own brace: 9-1 on 72 mins. Attack after attack came and Elsinho was to score a fantastic goal next cutting in onto her strong right side dropping her shoulder past a defender to make space, she gained half a yard and unleashed a low drive into the bottom corner to beat the away GK at her near post! 10-1.

The game was coming to an end but not quick enough for Bedwell, and not before Lonaldo completed her hat trick, earning £10 off coach Dave on 78 mins. 11-1 final score and the team and management felt vindicated after today’s result as we didn’t get what we should have last time out.

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U15 girls travelled away today to Bedwell Dragons, last season’s D2 winners and cup finalists. Bedwell are a decent side with a shocking pitch that becomes a bit of an equaliser and is a definite home advantage.

The girls got off to a great start with our magnificent midfield magician Aanya lobbing the home GK from 30yds on 13 mins. The game was one way traffic from minute 1 and  for a good 25 mins of the first half, It was looking like only one team was going to go on and win the game, and by a wide margin too! Chance after chance came and went with Lonaldo marauding down the left flank, creating chance after chance for her teammates. Lo’s also hit the bar with an unlucky but audacious lob over the GK from 5yds out after dancing past tackles to get into the box.

Bedwell were to hit back massively against the run of play with a freak goal. Skippy drove forward with the ball to join the attack and Bedwell managed to steal it back, they hoofed it forward over Ava who try as she might couldn’t make the ball and the Bedwell striker was in on goal for 1-1.

Then shock horror, Bedwell took the lead from a terrible penalty decision given against Skippy who had come across the defence to meet an attacker and win the ball fair and square with a powerful textbook shoulder charge. The ref blew up for this dubious decision and Emily couldn’t keep the resulting shot out, 2-1 Bedwell. We were all scratching our heads now - players, coaches and supporters - at how we found ourselves behind after such a dominant start.

Half time came and went and things would get worse with Bedwell scoring their 3rd with another breakaway goal from their fast left-sided forward. 3-1 Bedwell. The girls were physically in shock and  didn’t know what to do and some finger pointing ensued. Then our world almost ended when a soft Bedwell corner looped into the net from a header that we didn’t compete for: 4-1 to the home side.

This by far isn’t a vintage Bedwell side after losing some of their better players to Stevenage and injury over the summer. At 4-1 the girls could almost be forgiven for thinking there was no way back as they had played Bedwell off the park early doors, and nothing seemed to run for us today hitting the bar twice and the home GK making some decent saves from Maialdinho in particular.

We needed a spark and it was to come from G9 who was having a quiet day for such an outstanding young footballer, but she dragged us back and the girls belief and confidence visibly grew: 4-2! Up next weaving her magic with powerful darting runs was Maisaldinho who almost broke the net again with her powerful shot to get us back into the fight at 4-3.

The time was running out fast and Annie was covering every blade of grass trying to drive us forward and drag her team back from the brink. Poppy N had a few snapshots from distance but either the keeper or last ditch defending kept the ball out. That was until Aanya picked up a loose ball on the edge of the Bedwell area. She beat 2 players and was into the box; another defender came across and tried to tackle her but Anya was too strong, then another with the ball locked between them; Aanya would not be denied and powered through to the keeper. Aanya shot and the keeper saved but she couldn’t hold so Anya again went for the ball and was the first to it and she managed to knock it over the line to salvage a point for her team: 4-4!

In a game we dominated so completely for a time we got drawn into a dogfight and lost our way, we nearly lost all the points to a team we feel we should have beaten much easier. But one thing that can’t be thrown at these girls is a lack of heart as they didn’t give up and got their reward in the end. Well done girls.

Having already taken to the battlefield with Harvesters North in a thrilling pre season friendly the Wood's U9 Boys knew what they would be up against.

Again another week of high energy and enthusiasm saw Borehamwood out play their opponents on every part of the pitch. With a solid defensive unit of Lake, Ronnie and Lennon and a terrier like performance from Vinnie, the Wood did everything apart from score in the first 2 quarters.

Into the 3rd quarter and it was still all Borehamwood with some great wing play from Mehdi and Kacper almost breaking the deadlock. With the game still level and Borehamwood seeking that well deserved goal, their opponents countered twice and managed to convert to goals against the run of play.

Into the final quarter and with it still all to play for, the boys kept their heads up and kept on playing their football. Efforts from Arthur, Archie and Aiden kept the Harvesters' defence busy but again failed to make them pay. With time running out Borehamwood kept pushing only to be punished once more by a wicked deflection.

Special mention to this week’s Parents player of the match - Mehdi - whose twisting runs and energy made him their choice as the star performer. All in all another great game with Harvesters North and good luck for the rest of the season. Finishing practice Wednesday, boys!

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Our U18 Boys looked to build on a good start to the season with an away league fixture against Bushey & Oxhey Bulldogs. Competition for places has never been greater than now, with demonstrably excellent performances and discipline in both matches and training the conduit to squad inclusion and the starting line-up.

A junior 11aside pitch hardly helped the flow of the game but, the boys are improving together in their ability to start matches fast and again flew out the blocks to place Bushey on the back foot early. Silva was raiding down the left flank and supplying one quality cross after another, while Ifeacho and Fearon-Mcdonnell were a literal and metaphorically huge challenge for the home defence to contain.

After his hatrick last week, Fearon-McDonnell took just 20 minutes to score another, firing smartly home for his first, picking out the top corner with his second and making a lob over the keeper from distance look much easier than it actually was, this after an outstanding long pass from Hones at the back picked him out with precision. With a team leading 7 goals in 3 games, Fearon-Mcdonnell’s early season finishing is very encouraging as is his willingness to provide chances for his team-mates in equal measure.

Meanwhile, Ifeacho was in rampant form himself, firing home low and hard from distance before capping off a wonderfully technical dribble with a fine finish. Fan was beginning to influence things and picked out Makamian for a goal that would be disallowed for offside despite the ball appearing to be played backwards, while Green threatened several times with surging runs that were a portent for what would follow second half.

That kicked off with the centre back trio of Crucefix, Manning and Hones continuing to exude class on the ball and grit in the header and tackle, while Fan went through the gears to crash home a left foot stunner that flew into one top corner before converting a free kick won by Silva from miles out, that resembled Halley’s Comet as it flew into the opposite top corner!

Makamian’s big header and tackle, allowed Fearon McDonnell to slip in Ifeacho to classily complete his hatrick with a low drive, before the busy Green got the goals his excellent play deserved, blasting home efficiently twice in quick succession for a brace. Elboukhari enjoyed another solid and vocal game between the sticks and pulled off an incredible point blank save which seemed like it would preserve a Wood clean sheet. However, Bushey would score a late consolation goal after pressure built up due to the Wood over-playing in the wrong areas and failing to close down quickly enough. Not ideal but, the performance was strong and the focus good for so much of the match and with 3 points bagged, the boys headed to the top of the table with the final score 1-10.

MoM was shared with the impressive and energetic Fan heavily involved throughout the match whilst scoring two goals from the very top drawer. While Zefi in the holding role was like a maestro conducting an orchestra, oozing class throughout the game, switching play effortlessly while snuffing out so many of Bushey’s attempted attacks; a performance of great maturity and quality.

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Hot on the heels of an opening day fixture with reigning league and county cup champions Bengeo Tigers, the fixtures' fairy handed the U16s another challenging game away to the all conquering Ruislip Rangers Clarets.

Ruislip have rejoined the division, having played up an age group for two whole seasons (and still winning trophies) so we knew this would be a tough test of our credentials. We went into the game in good shape, with a clear game plan, and with confidence having recently beaten Ruislip in the final to win a summer tournament.

The first half went exactly as planned. The Wood defended superbly as a team and limited the hosts to very few clear chances. We showed bravery and composure under pressure to keep playing our football from back to front and going in level at half time was no more than we deserved. Stand out player of the first half Amie with some strong and incisive wing play and great composure on the ball. It was also particularly pleasing to see the girls implement things that we have been working on in training in recent weeks.

With the game still firmly in our grasp The Wood kicked off the second half on the front foot with the intention of pressing and pushing further up the pitch and creating more opportunities. Unfortunately, this was to our detriment as we quickly found ourselves trailing and caught out by a quick long throw on the half way line followed by a well taken finish. We didn’t see this coming.

The goal knocked our confidence and momentum and Ruislip were in no mood to go easy once they had their noses in front. Another rare lapse in defence handed Ruislip a penalty and chance to extend the lead, but this produced a fantastic save from player of the match Nisa.

A second goal still arrived moments later, via a short corner that we didn’t deal with well enough and at 2-0 down that gave us a mountain to climb. We scarcely need reminding about the willingness and determination of this Bwood team to stand up and fight until the end of every game, every week, no matter the score. This was exemplified again this weekend as the girls picked their heads up, rolled up their sleeves, and dug in for the remaining 20 minutes of the game.

With the final kick of the game, and a very good strike it was, Ruislip made it 3-0. This was harsh on our girls but overall we cannot complain about the result as Ruislip were much the better team in the second half.

The Wood’s girls continue to make us all proud every single week and with two very tough games under their belts, and lessons learned, we are still in great shape for an enjoyable season ahead.

Player of the match was Nisa who made some great saves, including a penalty, and also for excellent distribution throughout.

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This was not a game for the faint-hearted! On home soil, the mighty Borehamwood 2000 U11 Girls came out fired up and ready to get back to winning ways, led by their captain, Elsie. From the first whistle, Borehamwood set the tone with a blistering start, playing at 100mph and pressing Harpenden back into their own half.

Within the opening minutes, the trio of strikers linked up beautifully. Daisy almost opened the scoring, her thunderous shot rattling off the post. Moments later, she turned provider with a perfect cross to Elsie, whose shot whistled just wide.

At the back, Sienna was rock solid, throwing herself into crunching tackles and organising the defence like a seasoned pro. Harpenden threatened on the break, but Tippi, with her strength and speed, snuffed out danger and launched powerful clearances to give Borehamwood breathing space.

The pressure kept coming. Elsie went close again, before Juniper lit up the game with a dazzling solo run, skipping past two defenders and smashing the ball home. She wheeled away to celebrate in trademark Chloe Kelly style.

The whole team played with fire. Anisia came on in defence and immediately stamped her authority with fearless tackles. In midfield, Xyla dictated the tempo with passing beyond her years, while Gracie threaded a superb ball through to Elsie, who was unlucky to see her effort fly just over.

The breakthrough came again when Elsie’s shot was handled in the box. Up stepped Daisy. With tension thick in the air, she calmly slotted home from the spot with ease. The roar from the sidelines could be heard across Shenley!

The second half saw no let-up. Borehamwood’s stamina was incredible, and the tempo remained relentless. Tippi moved into midfield and began orchestrating play, almost creating another goal for Daisy, who was denied once more by the outstanding Harpenden goalkeeper.

At the other end, Olivia stood tall between the posts. She read the game brilliantly, rushing off her line to gather loose balls and pulling off a world-class one-on-one save that wouldn’t look out of place in the professional game.

Still, Borehamwood pressed. Daisy, determined to score again, struck the post again, before finally pouncing on a rebound to fire home her second of the game. Harpenden’s goalkeeper was kept busy, denying long-range efforts from Juniper and Elsie, but she couldn’t stop everything.

When the final whistle blew, the crowd rose to applaud not just a brilliant performance, but the spirit of a team that never gives up and always plays with joy. The girls left everything on the pitch. 

A superb team performance and a performance that sets Borehamwood right back on track!

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U15 girls were at home again this morning and we welcomed close rivals Berkhampstead Raiders. Berko have been a D1 side forever in HGFPL and today would be a tough test for this new look Bwood sides metal.

The team today was shot stopper extraordinaire Emily, Back four of Elsinho, Ava , Poppy S & Theaya in midfield we had skipper Annie, Poppy N, Aanya , Lonaldo & Maisaldinho with G9 up top.

Yvie & Riss coming into the fray early doors to add there qualities to the team. The game started well and G9 looked in the mood , running at the Berko defence at every opportunity.

It wasn’t long before she would open her account for the day after being released by schemer Aanya, G9 raced clear and slotted the ball past the Berko GK. 1-0 wood (3 mins).

The girls smelt blood in the water and jumped on a shocked Berko side and we were soon celebrating and 2 up thanks to Maisaldinho! This girl only scores worldies it seems

after she unleashed yet another rocket shot into the roof of the net for her 4th in Bwood colours! 2-0 (6 mins).

The girls where on fire and it wasn’t long before our 3rd goal from midfield General Poppy N, Pops is blossoming into a fine midfielder tough in the tackle, she can pick a pass, break the lines with dribbles and has a shot like a mule’s kick! Her goal came from a shot outside the box that two keepers couldn’t save!! 3-0 (9 mins).

Berkhampstead didn’t know where to look or who to tackle in this devastating spell, and it wasn’t over with our midfield magician Aanya next to get her name on the sheet. Aanya’s goal was about skill and determination today after riding two tackles she broke into the box and toe poked the ball past the onrushing keeper! 4-0 (15mins). Not in our wildest dreams did anyone see this scoreline and the girls took their foot off the pedal at 4 nil.

Berko have some very good players and they started to get on the ball more and tried there hardest to get a toe-hold in the game. Try as they might though they where banging their heads against the brick wall that was Poppy, Ava, Else, Yvie, Theaya and Riss, with Emily sweeping up anything that got beyond her defence.

Poppy S was imperious cleaning up behind the back four using her excellent turn of pace to slam the door shut time and again. Theaya is turning into a fine fullback and has had an excellent start to the season; she put in 3 crunching tackles that Lucy Bronze would have been proud of! The first half would come to and end with the home team 4 up.

The half time talk centred around not thinking our job was done and going out to win the second half. The girls responded and piled pressure and attack after attack on the Berko goal, it really should have been 9 or 10 today with the chances the girls created. The fifth was to come from our fifth scorer of the day, flying winger Elsiho! Elsie’s darting probing runs were causing havoc in the home defence and her eye for a pass beat the defence time and time again, releasing G9 & Maisaldinho.

Lonaldo was coming more and more into the game and offering cute angles for passes and quick releases into space behind and beside the Berko defence. Elsinho cut inside from the right wing beating tackles and broke into the area before smashing the ball into the net for our fifth of the day. 5-0 (60mins).

Berko lost a player to injury and went down to 10 players, the rest of the game played out in the Berko half and it must be said their girls never gave up and fought to the 80th minute today. Final score 5-0. Scorers: Gabby, Maisie, Poppy N, Aanya, Elsie.

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Our U16 Girls fought well against Ruislip but, ultimately went down valiantly 3-0.

U9 boys vs Bushey Rangers

After a long summer of assembling a squad we finally got to see what the boys could do

in the white shirt of Borehamwood and they didn’t disappoint.

From the start the energy levels were through the roof against a good Bushey side who competed well in all areas of the pitch. Having just transitioned from 5v5 to 7v7 there was always a chance that the size of the pitch might get the better of their little legs but it never did.

After an even first quarter Borehamwood began to take control and did all but find the net with some great attacking play from the 3 prongs of Mehdi, Lennon and Archie and if it wasn’t for the outstanding performance from the Bushey number 1 they could have all got a goal.

With the game still even going into the 3rd quarter Lake was called into action to make a string of impressive saves to keep Bushey at bay and from then on Borehamwood started to press. it was a great 25yard pass from the ever solid Ronnie that found the feet of Archie who showed the rest of them how to finish.

Into the final quarter and the boys never looked back with some amazing footwork from Kacper in the middle and efforts from Arthur and Mehdi both hitting the woodwork the boys were on fire.

With the game still on a knife edge, some great play from Aiden and Arthur on the wing gave Arthur the space to swing in a cross only for Mehdi to be lurking at the back post for a tap in.

Special mention to Ronnie at the back who was outstanding from start to finish showing football intelligence beyond his years and receiving the coveted parents' player of the match.

Well played to both teams and best of luck to Bushey Rangers for the rest of the season

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Having secured their first win last week in West Herts Div 1, our U18 boys turned their attentions to the Herts FA County Cup and a 1st round match against Baldock Town. With all 18 squad players permitted to attend this blue riband competition, competition for places was razor tight as it should be in every side seeking success; the boys sought an assured performance to reach the next round.

An early goal always helps to settle things down and Fan showed quality to release Makamian down the right wing, who jinked inside the box and fired home, the Baldock defence unable to keep his effort out. Captain Ifeacho was a constant issue for the away defenders and his marauding run and shot forced a corner that Makamian delivered perfectly on to the onrushing Fearon-Mcdonnell; his header was superbly bulleted into the top corner for 2-0.

Thereafter, the Wood backed off and took a long breather despite the game being only 15 minutes old. Baldock naturally enough created their own chances during this period and were unlucky not to score with keeper Elboukhari enjoying a solid game to keep them out, on his toes and commanding to smartly save a corner that was headed goal-bound. Despite losing concentration a couple of times during the match, Hones and Manning continued their outstanding form at centre back, joined by the equally impressive Carlow whose aerial prowess, tackling and ball quality add greatly to the team’s defensive capabilities.

It was only after the excellent Collier and Zefi grew into the game that the Wood were able to exert control in the midfield and the performances of these players in winning the ball and using it calmly and effectively were very encouraging and a refence for the team. Pop brought energy and running up front and his surge led to Crucefix opening his account at the back post. These two combined again shortly afterwards with Pop slipping a lovely ball to Crucefix, who buried home with his customary poise for his brace.

There was one more goal first half and it was a good one after nearly 10 passes from one side of the pitch to the other. At the end of this move, Carlow’s long pass picked out Crucefix wide, who slipped in Collier to direct a pinpoint cross to Fearon-Mcdonnell. For such a unit, this guy has a super touch and his control with right peg before dispatching into the top bag with his left was of great quality. The half ended 5-0 but, improvements were required and delivered second half as the boys upped their game. Fan re-joined the fray and linked up really well with Collier and Zefi to exert total control on the midfield, leading to the Wood’s best period.

Hones picked out a stunning cross field ball that was slipped into Fearon-Mcdonnell to curl home beautifully, while Makamian forced a penalty and then handed the ball to Collier to open his account for the Wood. Though his well struck effort was saved, that goal will come soon with more performances like today.

The ever dangerous Silva picked the ball up 25 yards out and ran at the Baldock defence, his balance outstanding as he evaded challenges and slotted home with his right foot; such a calm player in front of goal these days and already with 3 to his name in two games. After another excellent early pass from Fan, Silva warmed the keeper’s hands once more and when everyone else turned off, Makamian switched on and was both quick and brave to bundle home the rebound despite the keeper’s despairing lunge.

With the last play of the match, Makamian was felled 25 yards out. Montgomery took the resultant free kick and produced a mega bomb that power curled into the net. The competition’s mercy rule kicked in at 9-0 and the ref brought the match to an early conclusion.

Baldock’s players, staff and attitude were tremendous today, they worked their socks off and played to their best potential which is all anyone can ask. However, against less storied sides, it’s very important to play your football simply and this is even more relevant when the match is won to allow momentum to build, confidence to grow and avoid dragging your team back with selfish behaviour and decisions. It was excellent to see so many of the squad recognise this and execute the game plan with a growing maturity, with many using today’s performance to make a persuasive argument to make next week’s squad and start that game.

MoM was shared and went to Fearon-Mcdonnell and Makamian. The former for a perfect hatrick of header, left and then right foot finishes which sees him take an early lead in the goal-scoring charts while the latter was on the front foot from the off, scoring a brace, assisting others, winning a pen and tracking back; exemplifying what's required from a winger in this team.

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Our U16 Boys finally succumbed to a strong Sun Sports side after holding out for 60 minutes, the game ending 5-1.

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Bury Rangers 2-4 Borehamwood2000

The U16 girls were in cup action today, away to Division 2 Bury Rangers.   This was a good opportunity for us to bounce back from the opening day defeat, try a new formation and get valuable minutes on the clock for all of the squad.

The pitch was hard and bumpy and not the easiest to play on, and it took us a while to settle down and string the passes together. To their credit the girls stuck to the plan and the opening goal arrived on 25mins courtesy of well taken finish by our effervescent summer signing Martha, assisted by Milly.

In contrast to last week we had plenty of depth on the bench to call on today, so we were able to rotate and keep the team fresh. Twins Annie and Hollie and vice captain Amie came on looked after the ball well with great footwork.  Meanwhile captain Leni was marshalling the back four and getting on the ball regular so we were able to establish a bit more quality in possession.

The second half sprung into life with a goal self made goal from Abi on 45mins.   The hosts soon pulled one back directly from a corner but this only served to spur us into a response with 2 more goals in 2 minutes from Abi to put us 4-1 up which effectively ended the game as a contest.

The host were determined not to make life easy for us and a moment of hesitation at the back allowed Bury to pull a goal back but it was to no avail as the rest of the chances in the match fell to us, and were it not for a very bobbly pitch we would have scored several more.

This was not a vintage performance but it was a good win, and we march into the next round.  We learned a lot from the change in system and rotation of personnel and this will only benefit us as the season the progresses. 

We celebrated the win and two birthdays today with some well earned donuts.   We have a great week of training planned ahead of another very tough game in the league against Ruislip Rangers.   But we go into with confidence on the back of this win. 

Player of the Match goes to Leni for an excellent all round performance and for keeping us organised and focused throughout.  Abi with 3 well taken goals was a very close second.  Up the Wood!

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U15 girls were at home again today in the 1st round of the League Cup vs Goffs oak. We played Goffs 3 times last season and came out on top but learnt what a tough outfit they are. We expected a tough morning’s work and we got it. The game started well with lots of possession and the girls creating chance after chance without getting the goal we deserved. Thoughts on the touchline were that could come back to haunt us?

The front 3 of Lonaldo, G9 & Maisaldinho thought differently and were beginning to look even more dangerous, G9 was in devastating form today and got her first with a sublime finish past the helpless Goffs GK.

The game was to continue in this vein with Goffs only threat a long ball over the top or a breakaway from their excellent No10 Ria. It was at times a frustrating 1st half where our dominance felt unrewarded.

An Injury to our defensive colossus Skippy affected her day, in clearing one attack she was taken out whilst off balance and landed awkwardly on her shoulder which caused her neck and shoulder pain all day. Yvie came into the game and was faultless in her work with Ava. Pops is made of the right stuff and after a short rest was back to her dominate self with partner Ava, who again was having a sterling game! The first half finished 1-0.

Manager Dave and coach Pete rallied the troops at half time, and asked for a more ruthless display. The midfield 3 of Poppy, Aanya and skipper Annie where running the show but we wanted more from each player to take the game away from Goffs.

Poppy N had her best half in a white shirt as she completely dominated midfield picking the ball up and feeding Aanya, G9 and Maisaldinho! Maisie was frightening today causing problems whenever she got on the ball, her electric pace is remarkable and an issue for defenders, she also possesses a very keen eye for goal scoring her first after great work from Poppy & Aanya: 2-0.

A defensive mistake with both CBs going for the same ball let Goffs back into the game for 2-1, and a nervy 10 mins before G9 extended the lead with her 2nd of the day: 3-1.

The girls could relax a little now and express themselves, Aanya was dancing round flailing tacklers leaving them in a heap as they tried to shackle her Gazzaesque runs! Our 4th goal today was a net breaker from Maisaldinho that gave the Goffs GK no chance.

FBs TJ and Elsinho were both now getting more involved offensively with Theaya producing one thunderous challenge on the Goffs No10 and then playing forward to her teammate. Elsinho was moved forward in a shuffle that saw Yvie drop into her more familiar RB position. Elsinho’s darting runs where soon giving the Goffs LB nightmare’s as was Aanya on the opposite flank, one such run saw Aanya cut back in on her magic right foot and unleash the Kraaken as the ball flew into the night past the keeper ! 5-1

The game was now all but over but Goffs didn’t give in and got another consolation goal again from mistakes from ourselves which we need to cut out in D1. A very threadbare squad atm with only 12 players today, with Riss ill and Isabella injured but the 12 stood up to be counted.

FT 5-2, Scorers: Gabby 2, Maisie 2, Aanya 1.

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Hitchin Belles vs Borehamwood 2000 U11's

The sun shone brightly over Hitchin on Saturday morning, though a crisp chill reminded everyone that autumn football was well underway. The mighty Borehamwood 2000 travelled to face an in-form Hitchin Belles side, and under the leadership of captain Tippi, the visitors marched out with belief and determination.

The game began at lightning speed, with Hitchin using their downhill advantage to notch up a handful of early goals. Borehamwood were momentarily rattled, but like true professionals, they dusted themselves off, gritted their teeth, and prepared for battle.

In attack, Elsie quickly found her rhythm as centre forward, making darting runs and narrowly missing the target, while Daisy tirelessly delivered crosses from the right. On the opposite wing, Juniper showed her versatility, sprinting back to clear a certain goal off the line - a moment that epitomised Borehamwood’s fighting spirit.

Defensively, Sienna and Polly stood strong. Sienna’s decisive tackles broke down Hitchin’s pressure, while Polly’s crunching challenges and no-nonsense clearances gave the team fresh energy. Olivia was outstanding in goal, pulling off a magnificent save before setting Maisie free in midfield, who battled her way through to feed Elsie. A clever pass found Juniper, who finished with style nutmegging the Hitchin keeper for Borehamwood’s first goal.

That strike injected confidence throughout the side. Gracie dazzled fans with her quick feet and flair, Tippi bossed the midfield with crunching tackles, and new signing Xyla impressed on debut with her tireless tracking back and intelligent positioning.

The second half saw Borehamwood take full advantage of the slope. Daisy’s trademark right-footed cross picked out Elsie, who calmly slotted home their second goal of the match, showing the composure of a seasoned pro. From there, Borehamwood dominated possession. Anisia shone with fearless defensive challenges, while Emily, now between the posts, produced a string of sensational saves, her sharp reading of the game forcing Hitchin to shoot wide time and again.

Late in the match, Borehamwood pushed for an equaliser. Juniper caused problems on the wing, earning a dangerous free-kick, and as time ticked away, captain Tippi’s corner skimmed past the goalmouth, agonisingly close to securing a dramatic finish.

The final whistle blew with Borehamwood narrowly missing out, but this was no defeat in spirit. Their teamwork, grit, and relentless fight made the Wood Army proud, proving that the team is growing stronger with every game.

Special mentions went to debutant Xyla, who showed fantastic promise, while Juniper’s dazzling display earned her opposition Player of the Match. From the coaches, tireless midfield warrior Polly was named Borehamwood’s Player of the Match.

Borehamwood 2000 may not have secured the result, but if determination, unity, and heart decided football matches, they would have left Hitchin triumphant.

Onwards and upwards, Borehamwood!

The 25/26 season finally kicked off and the Wood's juniors were playing the beautiful game once again!

Bwood2000 1-3 Bengeo Tigers

Football is back, and no tougher way for the U16 girls to kick off the new campaign than an opening day fixture against reigning league and county cup champions Bengeo Tigers.

The visitors were the quicker team to settle, getting to grips with the hard pitch, and with pace on both flanks testing our defence early on.

Decent chances game and went at both ends before Bengeo took the lead on 11mins. A smart through ball and close range finish doing the damage.

The rest of the first half was fairly even, with Bengeo enjoying better possession, but few clear chances. One very clear chance fell to a Bengeo player 8 yards out which was met with an incredible save up onto the bar by Nisa.

The first half ended 1-0 to the visitors which was deserved, but the Wood were certainly not out of the contest. We needed an early goal in the second half and sadly for us it went the other way, with another clinical strike from Bengeo making it 2-0. As we were still recovering from that Bengeo made it 3-0 with a superb long distance strike finding the top corner.

With a lack of options on the bench, and minimal pre-season training in some of our legs, it would have been easy for the Wood to write this game off but that is not our way. We fought back to gain a foothold in the game, and pulled a goal back on 75mins with a great strike of our own from Scarlett. At the other end, Abi made two incredible recovery challenges to prevent two certain goals. A few more half chances came and went, but no further goals and the match ended 1-3 to the visitors.

Despite the loss there were many positives to take from this performance. Minutes in the legs for all of the girls, brilliant attitude and work rate throughout and some glimpses of the football we know we are capable of playing. New signing Martha was a constant threat in attack, and Jess and Gabriela both stepped up superbly in midfield.

With some players back next week, and more training and matches together this group will be back up to speed and winning games in no time at all.

Player of the Match was Jess. She ran her socks off and showed calmness and class on the ball when we needed it most.

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Our U15 girls were tasked with a very tough start to life back in D1. We faced St Albans City who have been the standout team in the county for the last 5 years. On a beautiful day at Pursley with the sun beating down the Wood girls were ready to rock & roll!

The match started at a frenetic pace with both teams trying to gain dominance, St Albans pegged us back a little territorially but we looked the most dangerous going forward.

Star striker G9 supported by flying wingers Lonaldo & new signing Maisie. Together these three caused panic and chaos in the oppo defensive line whenever we attacked.

Lightning fast Maisie was making her competitive 11 aside debut for the Wood, she has electric pace, a very keen eye for goal and an ability to see what’s best for the team; add a high energy work rate that’s infectious and you can see why big things are predicted for this girl. The back four of Elsinho, Ava, Poppy S and Theaya kept St Albans at bay with Ave in particularly feisty form, fighting the St Albans No9 for every blade of grass and winning every battle. The back four were ably helped by Yvie, Isabella & Riss.

The first goal was to come quite early, the dominant Poppy S won the ball on the edge of our area, she played a ball out to Lonaldo who controlled looked up saw G9 and then released a ball over the defence for G9 to chase. Gabby beat 3 defenders to the ball drove into the box and tried to slide one to the keeper's left. The St Albans keeper made an excellent diving save but as good players do Maisie was backing up G9 and was in the right place to tap home and open her account proper for the Wood: 1-0.

The rest of the 1st half was an arm wrestle with our midfield of Skipper Annie, Poppy N and schemer Aanya having a ding dong battle with their opponents trying to wrest control of the game, with chances for both sides coming and going and both keepers - Emily for us - making great saves.

St Albans equalised fortuitously just before half time with the girls struggling to clear our lines; when we eventually did with some very tidy midfield play the ball came straight back at us with interest. A long hoofed clearance from St Albans looped over everyone and was misjudged by Emily as it just went over her head. HT 1-1.

The second half was much of the same, Skipper Annie covering every blade of grass.

Sophie came on to try and add her excellent eye for goal, as did Yvie to try and tighten up our defence and to use her excellent passing range with Isabella & Riss adding their speed and tenacity.

St Albans were to score next with a cute ball played inside our FB and a calmly slotted finish by the winger. They then got a quick fire third which was almost a carbon copy of the first, aided by the defensive maelstrom of 3-4 players being out of position; a simple cross back across our goal and a tap in for an unmarked St Albans player.

The girls then forgot what they are made of and dropped off for a few mins, but we were not done. A change of system to 4-4-2 to try and put more pressure on the oppo’s defence seemed to work. Maisie and Aanya combined and got the ball to G9 and she beat her marker for fun, out paced the defence and slotted past the excellent St Albans keeper 2-3 and game on!! 

20 mins to go, more changes from the Wood bench to bring more attacking threat as we may as well have lost 4-2 going for it at that point. The girls tried and ran their hearts out but the St Albans GK was to pull off another goal bound save and keep her team the 3 points; 2-3 the final score.

A disappointing result as we didn’t feel outplayed or out fought but that is D1 football and you have to take your chances; on the bright side we created plenty of those and now on to next week and Goffs in the cup. 💪💪

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Meanwhile, our U11 Girls moved from quarters to halves and the larger size 4 ball as they took on a handy and physically advanced Welwyn United side. For them, the new season kicked off bright and early on a sunny Saturday morning, and the girls were buzzing with excitement. The girls knew their stamina and persistence would be tested by the longer periods and reduced rest periods —but from the very first whistle, they showed no fear.

Led out by captain Juniper, Borehamwood hit the ground running. Their organisation was a joy to watch, with the ball confidently played out from the back. Juniper was quick to test the Welwyn keeper with a long-range effort, before Daisy delivered one of her trademark right-foot crosses that almost found the net.

Gracie stamped her authority in midfield with blistering runs and precise passes, while Maisie and Amber held firm in defence. Amber, tasked with marking a tough opponent, was fearless in the tackle and rock-solid at the back.

The breakthrough came when Daisy’s fierce strike was spilled by the keeper, leaving our number 9, Elsie, perfectly placed to slot home the opener. Soon after, Juniper saw another shot saved, and Gracie took a knock that gave Tippi the chance to enter the fray. Tippi instantly made her presence felt, linking play beautifully.

Elsie almost doubled her tally before Juniper, showing dazzling footwork down the left, hammered in a shot that was palmed away only for her to calmly tuck away the rebound. Maisie’s strength and determination in defence drew huge cheers, while Olivia in goal showed nerves of steel with some fearless stops to deny Welwyn’s attacks.

Borehamwood’s third goal was a moment of magic. Elsie produced a clever flick, spun her marker, and fired home from a tight angle - pure brilliance. Gracie, dusting herself off, returned to the pitch with renewed energy and pace down the wing.

The second half began with the same intensity. Gracie’s quick feet set up Elsie, who coolly slotted home for her hat-trick and Borehamwood’s fourth. Juniper then dropped into central midfield, orchestrating play with maturity beyond her years.

Emily took over in goal and immediately showed her class, pulling off back-to-back saves that wouldn’t have looked out of place in the WSL. Daisy’s dangerous crosses continued to cause havoc, one of which almost gave Elsie another goal with a volley that whistled just over.

As the game wore on, Borehamwood somehow found another gear. Amber stepped forward into an attacking role with confidence, driving down the wing and linking brilliantly with teammates. Elsie was unstoppable, adding two more goals in quick succession. The first was all about being in the right place at the right time, while the second was one for the highlight reels: a sharp turn, a driving run, and a sensational finish from the tightest of angles. Daisy wasn’t about to be left out of the scoring. After rattling the post earlier, she coolly finished off a flowing move sparked by Tippi’s run through midfield, taking our tally to 7.

The final whistle blew, and these magnificent girls had left everything on the pitch. Every single player contributed to a superb team performance full of energy, skill, and spirit. Their stamina and togetherness were the difference, and their never-say-die attitude was truly inspirational. A perfect start to the season—well done, girls!

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Our U9 Boys are chomping at the bit but, have to wait a little longer with their season starting next weekend, while our U16 Boys put an early marker down with a super 5-2 home win against Wheathampstead Sharks sending them to the top of their division.

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Our U18 Boys also faced Wheathampstead, this time away, playing 90 minutes for the first time competitively against a team a year older than them. No easy task and Wheathampstead started strongly launching long balls into the Wood's box which were attacked well by the centre back trio of Captain Ifeacho, Manning and Hones. In return, the Wood looked lively up front and it was Fearon-McDonnell who slalomed into the home box before curling a sumptuous effort past the despairing keeper's hand and into the far right corner.

Last season's top scorer Silva was looking lively and raced through to beat the keeper to the ball and slide home his first, before a period of Wood indecision and fatigue saw the concession of a cheap goal from a failed attempt to clear a corner. Unbowed, the boys responded brilliantly with Fan surging forward before picking out Silva, burying home unerringly for a 1-3 half time lead. The half closed out with Carlow making an unbelievable tackle to regain possession before sending a cruise missile whistling narrowly past the right hand stanchion. 

The action recommenced and Carlow showed an admirable team ethic to drop back into defence as the team required. However, the lack of a proper pre-season was showing in many of the performances now and it was a sluggish Wood period that saw another horrible goal conceded, with countless attempted challenges and clearances missed. It seemed Wheathampstead were building up a head of steam to draw level but, the Wood players rolled up their sleeves and got down to work.

Makamian detonated a tackle bomb, which seemed to free him to play a superb closing period with perceptive passing, turnovers and what appeared a stone wall penalty appeal that the ref chose to turn down. Green and McGuinness were equally energetic, ratting around the opposition players to force errors and regain control, while Montgomery enjoyed an excellent closing spell in the holding role, winning multiple challenges and headers as well as looking after his passing. Marshall enjoyed another steady game in goal but, was helpless as the opposition striker licked his chops just two yards out with the goal at his mercy. Collier, enjoying a solid match, thought otherwise and moved like the Flash to somehow block his shot and send it away from harm; a contribution every bit as valuable as scoring one.

All this served to motivate the entire team and everyone finished strongly with the Wood close to extending its lead many times through Ifeacho, Green, Makamian and Fearon-McDonnell. The final whistle blew and a valuable three points were secured by a Wood team that will play better but, were prepared to graft and scrap to get what we hope will be a title run up and running. MoM went to Manning, who in common with his defensive partners, put himself on the line countless times to keep the ball out, whilst also demonstrating genuine top quality on the ball.

Sunday was cup final day for the mighty Borehamwood 2000 U15 Boys vs Evergreen Tigers, the Champions from the league above. 

The Borehamwood management knew it would be a great test but also had every confidence in the squad to deliver the trophy having already beaten the teams in 2nd and 4th from the league above in previous rounds.

The talk before the game was to take it as just another game and to make sure the boys left everything on the pitch and had no regrets come Sunday evening. The talk of becoming Bwood 2000 legends hung high in the air. The heroic way they had fought back the week before to gain promotion filled the squad with a hunger and inner belief that it was in their own hands.

The Wood started slowly and it was Evergreen who pushed for the opening goal with 2000 looking slightly nervous. And it was these nerves that cost the Wood, when inside 10 minutes a stray pass found the Evergreen striker who was fantastically denied by Torshakani only for the ball to fall to the winger of Evergreen who slotted home from a tight angle. Advantage Evergreen. Evergreen then seemed to kick on and had a few half chances. The Wood needed to get a hold of the midfield and play their own game. Joyce, Gilsenan and McGregor did just this. Playing great angled passes to the ever impressive Staszewski and Sheppard. Full backs Hebblethwaite and Sutherland had started to come to terms of man marking the Evergreem danger-men on either wing and this gave the whole team a confidence to push on. 

Lennard up top started to put the centre backs under pressure and put his body on the line. It was after some courageous work down the left where he took a whack, the ball fell to Sheppard who twisted his man inside out and found the ever present Gilsenan in the middle of the park. Gilsenan after some great quick feet had a dig from 20 yards and it was too hot to handle for the Evergreen keeper to make it 1 1 and give the Wood a huge boost just when they needed it. 

The solid partnership of Adom and Fernando seemed to be becoming more and more confident as the game went on. And the Wood were purring, following a well worked goal kick, Hebblethwaite found McGregor who hit a pass that wouldn’t have looked out of place in the upper echelons of the footballing world. The threaded ball found Staszewski who dipped inside and crossed a great ball into the box, Lennard let the ball run and everyone seemed to switch off. All except one, Sheppard made a great run to the back post and tapped home to give the mighty Wood a now deserved 2 1.

Half time came and the Wood had a 2 1 lead and knew they were just 40 minutes away from legendary status and into the Bwood 2000 record books. The talk at half time bred more confidence that this game was there for the taking and another good half would see them crowned Champions. 

The 2nd half started in the same fashion. Fernando and Adom with Torshakani behind them were as solid as ever and with Hebblethwaite and Sutherland giving the Evergreen danger men nothing but aggro. The next goal would be crucial. Lennard took a few more knocks from the big centre half’s but this only seemed to rile him up, Staszewski found Lennard just inside the Evergreen half and off he went, running at pace, the defender carried on backing up, Lennard cut inside onto his right foot and drilled the ball low and hard back across the keeper to make it 3 1 and score his 30th goal of the season. The Wood team, management and fans went mad.

Smith replaced Lennard who had run himself into the ground for the team. Smith came on and was straight into the mix causing problems for both centre halfs. 

The talk from the Evergreen management was that another goal would make it squeaky bum time for the Wood. Evergreen had a chance from a corner where the centre back hit the bar. Minutes later the Wood clearly hadn’t learned their lesson and the centre half scored from a great corner into the box. This rallied the Evergreen team and management to believe that Borehamwood would now be in panic mode. 

The Wood had other ideas, Just 18 seconds from kick off the Wood went back to 2 goals up. The kick off was laid back to McGregor who played the ball deep into the Evergreen half, after some great work from Staszewski to win the ball back he pulled the ball to the edge of the box to the on rushing McGregor, the ball bounced up but McGregor wasn’t to be denied, hitting the volley across the keeper in off the post. If it was squeaky bum time that goal was the wd40 equivalent! 

Parratt came on to bring some Samba flair to the occasion for the impressive Sheppard on the right. His calm and laid back approach was just what was needed.

Somethings happen in games and it just tells you that today is your day and it can also put the final nail in another teams chances. This wasn’t from a goal or even a red card. A corner was put in from The Wood and it went deep, Parratt did well to keep the ball in. The big Evergreen centre half who was starting to get confident running the ball up the pitch latched onto the ball, Adom who had been forward for a corner sensed the danger and came across with nothing but sheer determination and power and put in a challenge that was as good as anything seen all season, drawing whoops amd cheers from all the squad, no malice, with both boys going for the ball. But my friend you have been Adomed 💣 And from this moment the game was over. 

There was still more to come from the Wood though. A deep free kick was whipped into the box and from just inside the box Gilsenan guided a header into the top corner to make it 5 2. Job done.

Mill, Chen and Murphy replaced Sutherland Staszewski and Gilsenan with 10 minutes to go to tie the game up. All 3 carried on where the other players left off with determination and quality in their performances. 

The Wood saw the game out with a solid performance that in the end was as good as it can get. The final whistle went and they had done it. League Cup champions. 

The whole squad had contributed to the cup win, four games against top opposition in every round. A special shout out to Evans who didn’t get on the pitch but is as much a part of the squad as any member.

The Wood had completed the mission, from heroes the week before gaining promotion in the last minute to becoming Wood legends winning their first Cup. What a day, what a team, what great parents and what a club.

Heroes are remembered but Legends never die 🏆⚽️😉

Borehamwood 2000 U15 Boys hosted Evergreen Hawks in the last league game of the season knowing a win or draw would be enough for them to gain promotion. A loss though would hand promotion to their opponents. The Wood were in fine form and looking forward to the game. Both teams had beaten each other 2-0 before in games this season so this was going to be a good test.

The game started at a frantic pace with the Wood going close on a couple of occasions. Evergreen looked to hit Bwood with the long ball, something they did well in the first encounter of the season.

The Wood couldn’t get into their groove and Evergreen all over the pitch just seemed to want it a bit more. Evergreen scored the first goal when a shot was charged down but deflected to the Evergreen forward who finished well to give them the lead. 0-1.

This should have woken up 2000 but they started feeling sorry for themselves and in a game like this, this wouldn’t work. Adom and Fernando defended the long ball well with the help from Hebblethwaite and Mill sweeping round well. Torshakani was called into action a couple of times and did the job. Going forward the threat of Lennard, Staszewski and Parratt weren’t having much luck and when they did get through the Evergreen keeper was equal to them.

Staszewski struck the bar from a free kick, this should have pushed the Wood forward but they were dealt a bitter blow when a cross was only half cleared and Evergreen made it 0-2. Half time followed and the Wood were shell shocked.

In the half time team talk a few home truths had to be told. Borehamwood player for player are a better footballing team but sometimes that isn’t how games are won. The Wood had to show their grit and determination and let Evergreen know that they could match them man for man with determination. With the character in the team and previous performances the Wood management and supporters knew that they were still very much in this game.

Sheppard, Sutherland and Chen came on to try to get the ball down and put the Evergreen back line under some pressure. Borehamwood started to play their passing game and started to get on top of Evergreen.

With the long ball, Evergreen were always a threat with their pace in behind. The midfield of McGregor, Joyce and Gilsenan started to play and surely it was only a matter of time till the Wood were back in the game. With 20 minutes to go in the heat, a water break was needed, the message was to give it one big push to get back in the game; a goal for Borehamwood and it would be squeaky bum time! A rousing speech from the usually quiet McGregor had the team ready to go out and give it their all. Murphy and Evans came on to push the team forward.

After some great skill in the middle of the pitch by McGregor, he released a super 30 yard ball for Lennard who went through 1 on 1 with the defender; after turning him inside out the defender lunged in and gave away a penalty. Up stepped the ever reliable Staszewski who dispatched the penalty to make it 2 1 and his 28th goal of the season. Game on.

This had the exact effect the Wood knew it would have. Evergreen, who in the first half seemed so composed were now panicking to clear everything. All over the pitch the Wood were matching Evergreen and the pressure was starting to show. With minutes to go the ball fell for Sheppard in the area who whipped the ball across the far post, this was surely the last chance for Borehamwood.

But… following a great ball into Lennard’s feet the defender was too keen to get the ball and committed a foul. 30 yards out and Staszewski stood over the ball. When most were expecting a shot, Staszewski floated a ball to the back post for Lennard to shoot across the goal from a cute angle to make it 2 2 and send the players, management and parents into delirium. 29th of the season for Lennard.

A minute later after some nervy moments, the final whistle went and the Wood had done it. Promotion secured!

These boys can play the beautiful game but also get stuck in and dig deep, they are never beaten and will give everything for each other to get a result. These strengths will hold them in good stead for their Cup final next week. Wood army ⚽️👍🏼

U16 boys went into their penultimate league game full of confidence after their win last week and were hoping to start the game against Colney Heath - the league leaders and double cup finalists - with great intent and desire.

The Wood started very well playing the ball nicely in the opposition’s half, with Crucifix, Manning and Green feeding balls to the front pair of Silva and Da Silva; unfortunately, the ball just wouldn’t go in the net.

15 mins had passed and you wouldn’t have thought we were playing the top team in the division, but, like all good teams they came back. With overwhelming power and size, Colney started to gain possession and play.

The boys struggled with the physicality of the away midfield who earned the lead after a free run of 30 yards was not closed down. With this sucker punch, the boys lost momentum and conceded two more before half time, with a lack of man-marking allowing easy shots that really should have been prevented. We spoke at half time about players having a responsibility to mark and close down shots.

With the start of the second half underway we conceded a free kick in which positioning at the back had to be questioned, disappointing after everything that had been said at half time. Therefore, we found ourselves 4 down which was then followed by a 5th goal.

Defending as a team is crucial in the modern game and centre backs Pop, Ifeacho and Hones had solid matches, not to blame for any of the goals. Hones in particular had a solid game, secured MOM and will gain much confidence from his performance but, across the board, the boys have to learn their defensive responsibilities before we can move forward as a team.

The Wood grabbed a late goal after a great bit of play from Carlow, who threaded a pass for Da Silva to slot home for his 19^th goal of what has been an excellent season personally.

On a glorious sunny day, Borehamwood 2000 Under 10 Girls travelled to face Berkhamsted Raiders for the final game of an incredible season, and what a performance they gave us!

With a small but mighty squad of just eight players, every girl knew they had to dig deep. Led out proudly by Captain and goalkeeper Gracie, the team were raring to go the moment the referee blew his whistle, and in true Borehamwood fashion, they were off like rockets!

Centre forward Elsie immediately took control, spraying clever passes out to the wings where Daisy proved to be a real danger down the left, whipping in crosses with ease. One early cross found Elsie who came agonisingly close to opening the scoring. In midfield, Maisie and Tippi were absolute warriors, winning tackle after tackle and showing incredible heart.

Borehamwood were playing some stunning football, stringing together silky passes and dominating possession, but Berkhamsted were never far from danger. Gracie kept her cool, pulling off an important series of saves, including a brilliant goalmouth clearance that kept the scores level.

It wasn’t long before Borehamwood struck. Daisy, full of pace and skill, pulled off a dazzling turn and found Elsie in the box with a pin-point pass. Elsie made no mistake, firing Borehamwood into the lead! Fuelled by confidence, Elsie almost doubled the score with a clever backwards overhead kick nearly lobbing the keeper that had everyone holding their breath.

As the second quarter began, the introduction of Polly gave Borehamwood fresh energy. Polly went on a ferocious run through the centre before being brought down, winning a free kick. Daisy, with her mighty right foot, smashed a goal bound kick, only to be denied by a Berkhamsted handball resulting in Borehamwood being awarded a penalty.

With nerves of steel, Daisy stepped up. The crowd held its breath, some unable to watch as they peered through their fingers. Calm as you like, Daisy fired it low into the bottom right corner. The Wood Army erupted in celebration!

Borehamwood weren’t finished there. Daisy turned provider again, this time finding Juniper on the right. Juniper, full of confidence, smashed home Borehamwood’s third goal with a superb strike. Juniper and Elsie linked up brilliantly, testing the Berkhamsted defence time and again.

At the back, Sienna and Maisie were rock solid. Sienna’s well-timed tackles frustrated the Berkhamsted strikers, while Maisie used her strength to shield the ball and dominate the defensive line.

In the third quarter, Sienna bravely stepped into goalkeeping duties and looked like a natural! She pulled off vital saves, none bigger than a sprawling stop to deny Berkhamsted a certain goal.

Meanwhile, Maisie moved up front and wasn’t shy to have a pop at goal, showing her versatility. Borehamwood kept pushing, with Daisy unleashing a rocket just over the bar and Elsie rattling the crossbar with a thunderous shot.

Gracie switched to defence and showed off her blistering speed to track back and protect the lead.

Entering the final quarter, the girls showed unbelievable heart. Tippi continued to dominate midfield with clever passing and tireless running, Daisy worked back selflessly to help defend, Polly dazzled with her fast-footed runs, and Gracie back in goal stayed sharp under pressure.

As the clock ticked down, Berkhamsted launched one final attack. It was striker versus goalkeeper. The shot came in hard and fast, destined for the back of the net, but Gracie stretched out a leg to pull off a sensational save! Moments later, the final whistle blew, and Borehamwood celebrated a well-deserved and hard-fought performance.