Our U16 Boys started very brightly to hold a 3-1 lead in their league match against Harpenden Cowboys and were perfectly placed to retain their spot at the summit of Division 3. However, a lapse in concentration allowed their opponents to steal a draw, the match ending 3-3. The damage is not great and the team remain handily placed, but, this lesson in keeping focus will be learnt by the boys and make them better for it next time.
Excellent goals came from Connor (curling home a stunner from distance with the outside of his boot), from Josh (powering home a totally committed bullet header) and from Wood behemoth Lennon, who slotted home cool as the proverbial cucumber, also securing MoM after a Hoddlesque display from midfield!
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Our U18 Boys faced unbeaten Berkhamsted away in the league having not played for over a month, the weather disrupting the plans and hard training they put in over the festive period. A six-pointer against a mainly older side, the boys would nevertheless have to be at it despite the enforced break if they were to secure the points.
Unfortunately, so many of the starting line-up were well below par, very quiet, on their heels, losing their duels and powerless to stop Berko storming into a 3-0 led within 10 minutes or so. In truth, things couldn’t have gone much worse and changes were made immediately. Hones, Montgomery, Fearon-Mcdonnell and McGuinness entered the fray and started competing to the levels expected, the Wood’s performance improving instantly. Thereafter, as further rotations were made, the replacements worked harder and improved their earlier performances massively. The conclusion could only be that hard work pays off, that responsibility for this is with the individual, and that passing the buck does no one any good, falls on deaf ears and should be avoided entirely.
Though the Wood would not score, the remainder of the first half was a much more even affair, with Makamian slipping in Collier to drill home cooly only to be denied by the tightest of flags, the outstanding Hones producing the ball of the match to allow the lively McGuinness to sting the home keepers’ hands and Fearon-Mcdonnell striking brilliantly from way out, only to see the keeper again produce a tremendous last gasp save.
Second half saw the Wood fully awake, with all the squad engaged and taking the match to Berkhamsted. Makamian, a player transformed, stood up his defender then danced past him in the box only to be fouled. His penalty kick slammed home for his 5th of the season and it was game on. Shortly afterwards, Crucefix, enjoying a very strong game, also reached 5 for the season, his precision delivery turned in by a home defender after Makamian had leapt to distract him.
Ifeacho and Fearon-Mcdonnell were now tearing at the home defence as was Green, all producing threats and opportunities, while Silva joined in later too, dazzling the home defence on one occasion before his cross slid excruciatingly across the face of the goal, with no Wood player on hand to turn it home this time. Montgomery kept marshalling the midfield efficiently while Carlow enjoyed another very solid display at centre back.
Time ran out in the end, the match ending 3-2 but, the Wood had reacted very well to a woeful start and showed considerable bottle and endeavour to do so. We take a lot from that and confidence was high as the boys left the pitch as it should be after the character that was ultimately shown.
After raising his performances in training considerably these last couple of weeks, Marshall produced a very good display between the sticks, making many excellent saves to keep a clean sheet second half. He deservedly took home the MoM award and his biggest supporter in this was our other keeper - El-Boukhari – who constantly encouraged him and his other team-mates whether on the pitch or not. Camaraderie and leadership of this nature is so good to see in a young man and without doubt will take this unit far as more and more of the boys follow his example.
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Our U16 girls marched into the semi-finals of the Junior League Cup with a 6–2 victory away at Division 2 side Bury Rangers, in a tie where we were expected to progress but knew that cup football can always spring surprises.
Any early nerves were quickly settled when Abi opened the scoring inside five minutes, setting the tone for a dominant first-half display. She doubled her tally soon after with what started as a cross but drifted all the way into the net, before completing her hat-trick on 20 minutes by tapping home from close range after excellent work from Amie.
The pressure continued and debutant Olivia marked her first appearance for the club with her first goal, showing great persistence and a real striker’s instinct to finish from a tight angle. It capped an excellent half in which the back four were imperious, looking composed and confident in possession and providing a solid platform to build from.
There was also a welcome boost with Nisa returning in goal after three months out injured, and her presence gave the whole team added confidence. Hollie was a standout performer on the right side of midfield, particularly in the first half, driving the team forward and linking play effectively.
At 4–0 up at half-time and with the game largely under control, we were able to ring the changes and make full use of the squad depth.
The second half proved to be a closer contest and Bury pulled a goal back on 50 minutes. Any thoughts of a comeback were quickly extinguished, however, as Scarlett burst into the box and rifled an excellent finish into the bottom corner to restore the four-goal cushion.
A rare lapse at the back allowed the hosts a fortunate second goal, a looping cross that drifted into the far corner, but Olivia responded almost immediately with her second of the afternoon, striking well from the edge of the box to make it 6–2.
There were many bright moments throughout the game, with some lovely link-up play and strong performances across the pitch. Player of the match goes to Abi for a devastating hat trick which set us on the path the victory.
Attention now turns to the league for the next few weeks but on the horizon a Cup semi-final to look forward to.
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U15 girls had another tough away trip to second placed St Albans Yellows. The squad is really suffering at the minute with a lack of numbers; we are now down to 12 players.
Skippy’s humerus bone fracture will possibly keep her out for 12 weeks which is a real blow to her and the team. Emily & Maisie have been off school all week with illness and haven’t trained, Elsie has Osgood’s in both knees causing her pain atm and Aanya is suffering with a lower back injury. So as a squad we are almost running on empty!
To go away to a top team like St Albans is difficult enough but with one hand tied behind your back a result is nigh on impossible to get. We would all try our best though and the girls did just that on the day.
The game started ok with early pressure from St Albans attacking our new look defence with Ava & Riss at CB with Yvie & TJ at full back. St Albans showed no mercy towards our defence and in a devastating 10 min spell were 3 up and cruising.
Aanya’s back eventually gave way and she couldn’t run and compete any more. Maisie had to then come on earlier than we’d hoped for. The girls really dug in for the rest of the first half and made the game a real contest out of true grit, stubbornness and a willingness to fight for each other. Somewhere along the way Poppy N tweaked her hamstring so we now had 10 fit players on the pitch with 2 of those recovering from illness all week!
At HT we tried to stay positive and talk about the things we did well, our aim was to try and stay closer together as a defensive unit and hit St Albans on the break with G9’s pace. Best laid plans didn’t work and St Albans scored another 2 goals to make it 5-0 to the home side.
Though the score doesn’t tell the story the defence played their hearts out and kept the score respectable and their needs to be a special mention for our warrior captain Annie whose stats would have been off the charts yesterday; Annie must have covered 15km in the game and was a shining star of commitment, quality and sheer bloody mindedness!
G9 got a fantastic consolation goal for the team after a cracking through ball from Yvie. Gabby picked the ball up on the half way line turned her marker and then beat the sweeper with pace and slotted the ball past the advancing keeper!
A tough day for all involved - players, coaches & parents - but not indicative of the team or our season, more so the moment we find ourselves in.