Youth Reports 2015-16

3 April 2016

Northwood Reds U12s 6  AC Finchley 3 

With only nine boys available due to sickness and holidays this was again a hard fought victory against an AC Finchley side that likes to play a passing style of football.

Northwood, however, did start the brighter, and with barely two minutes gone Frankie put a great pass through to Joshua who finished really well by beating the last defender and then finishing well 1 on 1 with the AC goalkeeper: 1-0 Woods. Four minutes later the boys doubled their lead with a fine run from Lewis Reid down the left and a pass that again found Joshua who again finished brilliantly: 2-0 Woods. The boys were really on top now and chances for Ashley Joshua Frankie and Lewis Reid all going close.

At the other end the Northwood defence and Rayyan were called into action on a couple of occasions, stopping goal bound efforts well. As ever, AC were playing well with their tall centre midfielder making some good runs at the heart of the Northwood defence, one of which saw him play a ball off for a teammate who finished well to bring AC back into the game. 2-1. This one goal did seem to affect the boys mentally and you could see their confidence drain and all their heads seem to drop. AC sensed this, and within two minutes had got the scores level after some pressure on the Northwood goal that saw them score from a good header from a corner. The boys came in at 2-2 at half time.

We told the boys at half time that more self-belief and confidence was needed and that the game was very much theirs for the taking. Northwood did seem to start the second half the better and the boys did start to play with more purpose than the end of the first period. AC were still getting some shots in on Rayyan but he was in fine form and stopped most that came his way. The back three were playing well again and a good pass from Lewis Ryan found Lewis Reid on the left side, Lewis Reid then ran past 2 players got to the by-line and fired in a cross for the advancing Joshua and Declan for the ball to be turned in by an unfortunate AC defender: 3-2. This lifted the boys and you could sense that there were more goals to come. Unfortunately, the next goal came for AC by breaking quickly with the Northwood midfield pushed up, which left the defence outnumbered and the AC striker finished well: 3-3.

With 15 minutes to go our player of the match Ashley got the first of his hat-trick. AC were playing the ball out of defence when Ashley stole the ball from the left back ran the through from the halfway line and finished well: 4-3. Two minutes later Frankie broke up the play in the centre of the pitch and found Ashley with a great pass, again Ashley finished with another really well struck shot Woods back in winning: 5-3. AC were not finished yet and the Northwood back three were called into action on a few occasions and they dealt well with all the AC were throwing at them. Rayyan was also stopping all that was coming his way. The game was coming to the end when again Northwood pushed forward again and an over-hit pass saw Ashley run through to nick the ball from just in front of the goalkeeper to complete his hat-trick and wrap the game up at 6-3.

Line-up: Rayyan, George, Daniel, Lewis Ryan, Frankie, Ashley Lewis Reid, Declan, Joshua.

Dave Blincko