Woodford Youth Football Club

No news at present.

It was now time to play first vs second in the league at Elmbridge.  Heller was between the sticks a back four of Mills, Huxley, Robb and Laycock.  In the engine room was Goulbourne, Senyah, West and Cannon with Johnson and Dee up top.  We soon got going, passing the ball well and creating two early chances for West.  We had purpose to our attacks and wing play from Cannon put the ball onto the filbert of West's to head home.  Cannon slotted home the second shortly after.  Goulbourne and Senyah were eating the ground like a cow which hadn't been fed for years.  We then didn't clear and Cobra nicked a goal back.  They now had the momentum in a game which ebbed and flowed.  The visitors earned a corner which was superbly headed in for 2-2.  This game was enthraling to watch as both teams attacked.  Half time came. I needed to rally the troops for the second half. Coulibaly. Hughes,  Kerrison and Henry all came into the fray.  The latter was getting the ball out to wing play wizard Cannon who tricked his way through to score.  3-2 up, could we hold the lead? No!  From a scramble, the ball was returned over Heller into the net.  What a game - tension and nerves were a-plenty, a credit to junior football when you see games like this.  Both teams hard and fair, going for the win.  Maybe Lady Luck was on our side, as skipper Robb pinged one in from 20 yds which took a deflection into the net.  My ticker was going into overtime.  There was still time for two late corners to flash across our goal.  We held out.  I learnt a lot about these boys today, who gave me everything and more.  It was hard to pick a Man of the Match but 'Don't Touch My Hair' Laycock got my vote, as he played against a big physical boy today and was brave.  The Parents Player was Cannon for his endeavour and goalscoring attributes.  Well done again.  Myself and Stewart, the Cobra Manager agreed it was the best game of junior football we have been involved in.  Credit to all!

Match report:  SH

Todays game was played in the monsoon season with Heller in goal, Mills, Huxley, Robb and Laycock in defence, with Goulbourne, Henry, Hughes and Coulibaly in midfield with Kerrison and Johnson up front.  We started positively with good interchange passing up front and carved out goals for Johnno Johnson and Dee to get back on the goal trails, with a brace each.  We were so superior I just asked them to put the Ferrari engines in for the second half and there would be a goal fest.  Sure as eggs are eggs, the boys didn't hold back and scored another ten goals using teamwork to do so.  It was pleasing too see on a heavy pitch.  Any manager will say you can only beat what's in front of you.  We didn't learn much except goal difference may count.  All the boys chipped in with good performances today.  My Man of the Match went to West for I think his best game for my team.  Henry got the Parents Player for his endeavour and non stop running to get into goal scoring positions.  Tougher games are ahead, but we are in good shape. Well done to all again.

Match report:  SH

Heller was in goal, the back four was Mills, Huxley, Robb and Laycock, in midfield were Goulbourne, Senyah, West and Cannon with Johnson and Coulibaly up top.  In blustery conditions we pushed the Flyers back, with lots of early chances but we failed to convert any.  Then the sucker punch came when we failed to clear and Flyers had an easy chance to score.  Straight from the kick off we found Coulibaly in the box to level.  Good play in midfield brought a wind assisted shot from 25 yds from Goulbourne that flew into the net.  Half time arrrived at 2-1.  After the width of the crossbar from a Cannon freekick didn't give us the cushion we needed.  The second half I thought would be a struggle as Flyers got on top and equalised.  It was back to the wall stuff, we lost skipper Robb to an ankle injury, and then after a punt forward we couldn't deal with their pace up front and the Flyers scored again.  We never really got going today.  My Man of the Match went to West and the Parents Player went to Goulbourne for their efforts.

Heller was as in goal, our back four were Mills, Robb, Laycock and Huxley.  In midfield were Hughes, Senyah, West and Cannon.  Up top were two of the three degeees;  Johnson and Kerrison.  We kicked off with a strong wind at our backs and soon pushed our hosts back.  We had several corners but couldnt find our way through their defence.  Our defence and midfield were air and water, tight like a nuclear submarine, and it was when would we would score?  Sure enough a swivel and shot from Johnson put us a goal up.  Kerrison plundered the second after West, Hughes and Cannon all combined well.  Three changes for the second half; Henry and Goulbourne with Coulibaly coming on for his Foxes debut.  We attacked at will as we lay seige to the home goal,  I now know what Davy Crockett felt like at the Alamo.  Chances came and went from Johnson, Coulibaly and Goulbourne.  Their keeper saved again from Coulibaly.  We even managed to miss a last minute penalty when Cannon hit the bar.  Never mind, we passed the ball well in difficult conditions and our defence stood firm.  Heller was again unemployed due to the boys in front of him.  The scoreline doesn't reflect our dominance.  The Parents Player today went to Cannon for his trickery and endeavour.  Our Man of the Match went to fullback Huxley who tackled, headed and passed well.  Well done to all the boys today, I thought you were all spot on your games.

Match report:  SH

Heller was between the sticks, Mills and Huxley were our fullbacks with Captain Robb in the middle with Laycock.  Henry and Hughes played out wide and the two midfield dynamo powerhouses Senyah and Goulbourne in the middle with Batman and Robin up top; Dee and Johnson.  In a first half of not much action, Johnson carved out the best two chances one good save by the Bardag keeper.  Dee was working hard for the team and was fouled in midfield, and up stepped Monsieur Henry to deliver the ball like Postman Pat in Greendale delivers letters. A bouncing ball fell to Johnson who stabbed home.  Half time arrived at 1-0 to the Foxes.  West and Cannon came into the fray for Hughes and Henry respectively.  The latter showing wing play wizardry to set up Dee for the second.  Then goal of the match arrived; down the right went Cannon who sat the ball up for Johnson to leap like a salmon to head in.  Johnson then got his hatrick when clean through.  We were motoring - from a Ford Focus in the first half to a Bugatti Veyron in the second.  Kerrison replaced Dee and hooked in a superb shot.  Johnson hit the sixth.  Then after a surging run like a runaway train Goulbourne scored his first goal for Woodford, richly deserved.  Kerrison bagged his brace then Captain Marvel Robb up for a corner lashed in the ninth.  A good afternoon's work for the boys.  I was a proud manager today.  The Parents Player went to Kerrison who came on and took his chances well, my Man of the Match was unsung hero Laycock, who did everything that was asked of him: he headed ,tackled and defensively was sound, he never put a foot wrong the whole game. Well done to all again.

Match report:  SH

Heller was in goal today, we had a back three of Mills, Robb and Huxley, supported by Kerrison and Hughes with Goulbourne, Henry and Senyah in midfield, with speedy Johnson and Dee up top.  We found it tough going against a rugged home side, who were up for the scrap.  In a very patchy first half Johnson had our best two chances and their keeper made two good stops.  Looking back, in hindsight this system was too complicated for ten year olds to grasp!  Heller was redundant in goal. Half time arrived at 0- 0.  We had words at half time and asked for more effort from the boys and they didnt disappoint.  Cannon came on for hard working Kerrison. We had more potency and Dee opened the scoring with a good shot.  We upped the tempo more and Henry finished off a good move.  Our feet came off the pedal and Utd got a goal back.  Then  Aaron Johnno Speedy Johnson reacted to out pace the static home rearguard to fire home the third.  Then after a fine first touch lashed in his second.  Commeth the hour, commeth the man; Laycock replaced Hughes to form a good partnership with captain robb.mills then did a graet flick up and volley to clear the threat.  We battled back well after our talk at halftime and the boys finished strongly in the heat.  The Parents Player today was Senyah who covered every blade of grass their wasn't, on a reseeded pitch!  My Man of the Match was Johnno Johnson, because goalscoring is an art and it cannot be coached. Well done again boys, we go again next week.

Match report:  SH

We made the trip to Noak Hill, Heller was back in goal, Hughes, Huxley, Robb and Mills started in defence.  Our midfield was Henry and West on the flanks with Senyah and Cannon in the central roles.  Speedy Jonno Johnson and Dee up top.  We started positively putting Colts on the back foot when Johnson was thwarted by a good save fron the home keeper.  Good work on the left between Johnson, Henry and West allowed Dee to open his Foxes goal account.  We were defensively sound with new skipper Robb leading by example, a ball playing centre half from the 80s era.  Senyah and Cannon worked well in midfield.  Henry then crossed from the left and Dee helped himself to a brace.  2-0 to the Foxes at the interval.  Kerrison replaced West and Laycock came on for hard working Mills. We put more pressure on the home goal then Cannon slipped in Henry who cross lobbed the keeper from 20 yds, a fantastic goal at any level.  Goulbourne came on for injured Henry.  We sat back and from a scramble Colts pulled one back from a corner.  Then Heller didn't hold a shot and the scoreline now flattered the home team.  Our boys dug deep to close out the game as worthy winners.  Skipper Robb picked up the Parents Player of the Match and my Man of the Match was tough tackling tenacious Huxley.  Well done again.

Match report:  SH

We started our first 11 a side match in the league campaign with able understudy West between the sticks, Hughes, Laycock, Mills, Huxley in defence.  Debutants Robb and Goulbourne filled central mid with Henry and Kerrison on the flanks, complemented by (speedy) Johnson and Dee up top.  I thought we acquitted ourselves well, passing the ball with Kerrison linking well with Johnson, and it was this combination that gave us the opener, when Kerrison slipped Johnson through who lobbed the ball into the onion bag.  Our back line and midfield were resolute and soaked up the Rangers threats.  We were awarded a free kick inside their penalty area.  Huxley tapped the ball to Henry who smashed the ball into the top corner for the second.  Then a throw wrongly awarded caught us out and the ball bounced up passed West for a goal.  Half time arrived at 2-1.  Senyah came into the action for the second half to give us bite and tenacity in midfield, Dee was trying hard, most of the play was in midfield which was more congested than the M25 on a Friday evening.  We forced several corners but couldn't add to our tally.  West was redundant in the second half which is testimony to the ten boys in front of him.  Well done to all the boys today it was a good start. The Parents Player of the Match was Hughes and the Managers Choice was Goulbourne, who ran his socks off.

Match report:  SH