U15 Boys produced a stunning display in the league to bag all the points away at Hemel Aces after a 2-5 victory. Now up to third in their table and pushing to go higher!
Most importantly though, is that centre half Lucas is beginning his recovery from a really bad injury today. This boy is tough as teak and brave as a lion and will be back soon, better than ever; everyone at our club wishes him a very speedy return.
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After their match against Berkhamsted last weekend was rained off, the U16 Boys trained extremely well mid-week and confidence was high heading into today’s league match against Whetstone Wanderers Tigers. Last season, the Wood faced this side three times and despite dominating for long periods, came out second best on all occasions.
It was, therefore, important to set a quick tempo and start the game fast; the boys did just that and were out the gates like whippets, first to the ball, pressing in packs and forcing Whetstone back to their goal. Makamian & Silva got off decent early shots that signalled the team’s intent and then combined to snatch the lead: Silva’s cross being handled in the box and Makamian efficiently dispatching the resultant penalty.
Whetstone had barely mounted an attack in the half but, drew level with a shot from outside the box that bounced several times and should have been closed down or stopped. Nevertheless, the boys fought back and after Manning’s free kick and Boshjaku’s shot were parried, the lively Green had the sharp anticipation to follow up and ram the ball home for 1-2. Shortly after, Ifeacho thought quickly too, taking a prodigious long throw when Whetstone were off guard; the hard-working Song predicted the bounce and flashed an excellent effort just wide.
The Wood were really purring now and came back out for the second half in top form. The team weathered an early storm of long balls which in the past would have seen them launch high balls back in return. Instead, they got it down and played some sublime football, particularly down the left flank with Manning, Zefi and Makamian linking up and wriggling out of tight areas to retain possession or win free kicks. Crucefix was enjoying another excellent match in midfield while Hones and Boshjaku were like titans in central defence.
Da Silva cleverly followed up a Silva shot but, saw his effort well parried by the home keeper. However, he then closed down the home defence fast, the ball deflecting to Silva who beautifully controlled his shot to score. The Wood were now 1-3 up, playing down a considerable slope with the wind and rain to their backs and you really couldn’t get a more favourable set of circumstances to drive on to a famous win.
Unfortunately, just when they should have been mercilessly tearing apart their opponents, the boys dropped off noticeably and Whetstone fought back with more long balls. These should have been simply cleared or caught but, were missed or spilt, Whetstone grabbing two back from scrambles and finishing the match on the front foot, the Wood perhaps fortunate to get anything out of the game by time the whistle blew?
Never mind, the performance of the squad was very good at times today and the boys worked so well to reach a point where the match was nearly theirs. However, to use a boxing analogy, instead of knocking their opponent into the stands when he was on the ropes, they backed off, let him recover, stuck their chins out to be punched hard and were almost totally knocked out by the end. We’ll try and remember that going forward and next time we have an opportunity to put a team to the sword, we’ll give that a go instead.
MoM went to Zefi who produced the best performance from any of the squad this season so far, showing such composure on the ball whilst making countless interceptions and covering challenges.
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After enjoying two strong performances against this opponent earlier in the season, our U15 Girls were all ready to storm into league action away against Hitchin Belles today. However, the Belles were sadly unable to field a side thus the Wood received the points and now sit proudly atop of their division! There's a long way to go but, this is already a considerable achievement for the girls and staff and they'll all be working doubly hard to maintain their position going forward in what promises to be a ding dong battle with Harefield, Brook House and Aylesbury!
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U14 Girls are also vying for the top of their league and played a blinder at home in the league against Bury. The girls bombarded the away team goal but, luck was against them as the ball refused to find the net. Bury remained a threat and scored late in the game to secure the points. No matter; the Wood remain very close to the top and will go again soon.
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Led onto the pitch by Captain Ruby, Borehamwood were ready for battle. The match began at a blistering pace, with Hitchin pressing hard and calling Anisia into action early with a crucial clearance. Hitchin eventually broke the deadlock with a superb strike that was unstoppable after rebounding off the crossbar. However, Borehamwood were not deterred. Polly made a spectacular goal-line clearance, and goalie Gracie delivered an incredible performance, saving shot after shot with cat-like reflexes in a busy first quarter.
Borehamwood showed immense character and began to dominate possession. Olivia stepped into goal for Quarter 2 and her fearless dives and sharp saves kept the team in contention. Ruby dazzled with her quick feet and powerful solo runs, while Tippi showcased her vision in midfield, threading precise passes to her teammates. Juniper and Daisy were relentless in attack, with Daisy delivering fierce shots that tested Hitchin’s standout goalkeeper time and again.
In Quarter 3, Borehamwood’s momentum continued. Tippi transitioned into an attacking midfield role, unleashing long shots with confidence. Anisia found her rhythm in defense, making crucial clearances and Amber shone with her tenacity in 50/50 battles, protecting the goal with composure and grit. Gracie, now playing as a striker, showed her adaptability with speedy runs and came tantalizingly close to scoring.
The final quarter saw Borehamwood in full flow, brimming with energy. Juniper and Daisy combined brilliantly, peppering the Hitchin goal with shots, and their persistence finally paid off. Juniper scored with a stunning run down the left wing ending with a rocket of a shot into the bottom right corner, earning Borehamwood a well deserved goal. Polly, as always, was versatile and tireless, proving her value all over the pitch.
As the final whistle blew, the Wood left the field with their heads held high. Each player gave their all, demonstrating the true spirit of teamwork and resilience. Player of the Match deservedly went to Tippi, whose intelligent play and superb first touches were key throughout the game. Today was about the journey, the effort and the pride of playing as a united team. Well done, Borehamwood 2000 – a performance to be proud of!