Cross Border Trophy

Our end of season 'Road Trip' was to Adelaide to compete in a Tournament being held at Cumberland United FC. We had been invited to play against both of their U10 sides and an Academy team of 9 - 12 year olds called 'Football Focus'.

We all travelled to Adelaide on Fri / Sat and had a light training session at the ground on Saturday afternoon. It was quite warm (28c) and the boys benefited from the quick session to stretch their legs. We then congregated at the Seacliff Beach Hotel for a team dinner. It was a fantastic balmy evening and we had prime position facing the foreshore. A great time was had by all and if not for the early start on Sunday I am sure a few of us would have happily kicked on.

Sunday's event was fantastic and Cumberland did a magnificent job in looking after everyone. The canteen was open for drinks and snacks and the committee rallied to cook up a storm with BBQ Kebabs and Sausages and a very tasty Lamb on the spit. The sit down lunch with a wide variety of salads was complimented well with the option of a beer or glass of wine from the bar. Hopefully one day Box Hill can enjoy members facilities such as these.

Each team played 3 games and the winner was decided on overall points. We got off to a good start and the lads were playing some of the best football we have seen this year. Our first match was against Football Focus and we were unlucky to end with a nil all draw. We had great chances with shots going just wide or over the bar. Had we have played with full sized goals I am sure we would have comfortably won this match.

The 2nd game was against Cumberland's U10 Foxes. It was a well played match with Box Hill being denied in the first half by some fantastic goal keeping. Once again we we moved the ball around nicely, but 1 lapse in concentration saw Cumberland break through to go 1 on 1 with the Keeper and convert. The game ended with a 1 nil victory to Cumberland.

Our last game was against the other Cumberland U10 side and we went on the attack from the first whistle. Jesse managed to work his way through the Cumberland defence, but was brought down in the 18 yard box. A penalty was awarded and he converted with a well struck kick. Not long after we scored a second goal after Sam volleyed in a cross. Cumberland worked hard in the 2nd half but the game finished with a 2 nil victory to us.

Overall we finished 2nd to Football Focus, who won the day with 2 draws and a win. All up there were only 4 goals scored all day, which gives you an idea of how closely matched the teams were. It was great for the boys to get some quality opposition and Cumberland need to be congratulated on how they prepare their teams.

We finished with presentations and a few speeches and you could have not asked for a more enjoyable day of football. I think everyone will agree that the trip was well worth the effort and it was a great experience for the boys. Well done to Panos from Cumberland for putting it all together and hopefully we can do something in Melbourne next year.

Once again thanks to everyone for participating and making it so easy. Special mention to Dave Stack for coaching the boys in Clifton's absence. It was a great way to finish a very successful season and it has been a year where the boys have really developed and bonded as a strong team.

Have a great Summer break and lets hope to see everyone back next year at Box Hill for the U11's !

Cheers,

AW

Castlefield Shield Day 2

Cold and windy conditions today with a strong breeze favouring the Southern end of the ground. Our 1st match was a Quarter Final against Riversdale. We had the wind behind us but only managed to convert 1 goal in the first half.

The second half saw Riversdale get an equaliser after we allowed a player to run down the wing unchallenged. The boys rallied and took control of the game, scoring another 2 goals against the wind. 3/1 at the final whistle put us into the semi final against Hampton.

We lost the toss in the semi final and Hampton kicked off with the benefit of the wind. However we managed to go 1 nil up after a brilliant series of passes allowed Carlo to go 1 on 1 with the Hampton Keeper.

We kept Hampton scoreless until 3 minutes from half time, when a looping ball was sent into the goal mouth. The wind played havoc and Marcel misjudged the bounce, although a defender should have cleared the ball before it got to him.

1 all at halftime and we now had the wind, but we failed to use it to our advantage. We had our chances but nothing was working for us and we went to the final whistle with 1 goal each. Extra time and Golden Goal now applied. We won the toss and had the wind, but Hampton pressed our defenders with long balls.

Hampton managed to get past our defence, which allowed them to go 1 on 1 with Marcel. An unfortunate way to go out of the Cup, especially when you consider that we were technically a much better side than Hampton.

The boys were gracious in defeat and we can be proud of their efforts during the 2 days. They certainly played some nice football and next year they will only continue to grow and develop their game.

Now it's off to Adelaide for some fun and celebration after a long and challenging season !

Castlefield Shield Day 1

A good start to our 2007 Castlefield Shield campaign at Sandringham today.

Match #1 vs East Bentleigh

The boys started well and had 2 goals disallowed in the 1st half, one of them was called off-side but it clearly was not. Once again this left a sour taste in our mouth, especially after the debacle at East Bentleigh's Memorial Day due to poor refereeing. A nil all draw gave us 1 point from this game, but we deserved 3 points without question.

Match #2 vs North Caulfield

Sandringham managed to whip this team 8/0 in the first match. By halftime we had only put 1 goal past their keeper. The 2nd half saw us convert another 3 well constructed goals. Caulfield were outclassed in this group, but kept fighting until the final whistle.

Match #3 vs Sandringham

We owed this team a lesson in Football after they beat us cheaply in the Memorial Day Tournament. The 1st half saw us dominate play and we went 2 nil up into the halftime break. Sandy came out blazing in the 2nd half and we allowed them to do this due to some very ordinary midfield efforts. Good goal keeping saved us from a few quality attacks. Finally we managed to push forward and we spent the last 5 minutes of the match attacking Sandy's goal.

2/0 was the final score and we had achieved our objective.

We now progress to the Quarter Finals against the 2nd place team in Group C. We have the ability to win this event, but the players need to work hard and really want it. Given that this is the last time that the boys can play in this annual Tournament, it would be nice to go out with a victory !

Undefeated !

Congratulations to the boys for going through the season undefeated. They had some tough matches during the season, but they never gave up and we can all be very proud of the style of football that they have played this year.

The lads kicked 63 goals and only conceded 7 goals, an average of 1 goal for every 9 goals kicked. We also consumed 360 litres of water and ate 240 Oranges during our 16 games !

But it's not over just yet, with the Castlefield Shield and the Adelaide trip still to come. Lets really finish the year strongly by doing our best in these upcoming events.

Round 16 - Bulleen

Our last game for the year was against Bulleen at Wembley Park. The ground was really in a bad condition after a full season of soccer, clumps of grass made the ball bounce all over the place. However it was a warm day and the lads were ready to finish off their season strongly.

It didn't take long before Box Hill opened the scoring, a neat cross from Aaron finding Jesse in the 18 yard box. The 2nd goal followed fairly quickly with a nice series of passes finding Jesse just outside the box, who played a well placed ball to send Charlie through. Bulleen managed to sneak a goal past Marcel after some scrappy play in the box.

2/1 at half time and Bulleen were not really challenging us. Clifton made some changes at half time and Hamish was put upfront, being the only boy not to have scored this season, everyone was keen to play him into the game.

Our 3rd goal was the result of a Bulleen clearance that Kosi managed to get a foot to, the ball spilling in front of Jordan who was on the edge of the box. A nice firm strike saw the Bulleen Keeper beaten and we were 3/1 up.

Bulleen had a couple of good chances in the 2nd half from long balls, but our defence managed to chase down any threats. Meanwhile at the other end Charlie converted his second for the day after it deflected off of a Bulleen defender.

So the lads finished with a 4/1 victory for their final game of the season. They have gone through undefeated, which is a great achievement for all of them. Now it's time to have a serious go at the Castlefield Shield and then finish the year with the trip to Adelaide.

Thanks to Andrew for taking this weeks photos.

Round 15 - Monash

What a great Spring Day for our Round 15 match against Monash. Today we played the team that is actually entered in our league, Monash's best U9 side who are playing up a year. Last time we played their #1 U10 side, who also play in the U11 comp.

The game was underway after some confusion about which ground we were on. The young Monash team were pushing hard and not afraid to go into battle for the ball. However it was evident from early on that Box Hill were controlling the game tempo. Good control through the midfield and the usual solid defence were combining well to create some nice passages of play.

Some early chances in front of goal went begging, composure on the ball would have seen those chances converted. A few corner kicks also whistled past the goal mouth, hoping for an outstretched leg or head. Eventually Aaron S made a long run (from the bench) to receive a pass from Jesse who was taking the corner kick. Aaron hit the ball sweetly and it curled into the back of the net.

Halftime and we had controlled most of the play so far. However our finishing was poor and we really squandered quite a few good scoring opportunities. Dave asked the boys to settle down and play the passing game. We had time on the ball but were rushing our decisions a bit. We just needed to calm down and make the most of our chances.

The 2nd half saw us play a lot better and we started to get numbers behind the ball. Monash to their credit continued to snap at out heels and they really deserved a goal, only to be denied by the post. It was great to see their young players having a real go and they look likely to be a very good team for the future.

Box Hill notched up another 3 goals in the 2nd half, courtesy of Kosi (2) and Nick (1). Nick's strike from inside the 18 yard box was especially hit with venom, leaving the keeper no chance. Once again we had plenty of chances that we missed, especially from corners. Our delivery into the box is very good, we just need to finish stronger and make the most of our chances.

So it's off to Springvale White Eagles on Wednesday night for a practice match. Hopefully it will be a good contest for the boys as they prepare for the Castlefield Shield and the Trip to Adelaide later in the month.

Round 14 - Knox United

A nice late Winter's day today with slightly warmer conditions than we have been used to. The lads were undermanned with Carlo, Dylan and Jesse all missing from the line up. However this meant more game time for everyone but less rest on the bench.

Both teams got off to a fast start with the ball pinging it's way through the midfield. Players with time on their hands unnecessarily rushed their passes, wasting many good opportunities. Box Hill's first touch was decidedly lacking and our usual passing game was almost non existent.

Knox had some good early chances but failed to convert their opportunities. Meanwhile Box Hill drew first blood with some scrappy play in the 6 yard box resulting in our first goal. However it took about 30 seconds for Knox to equalise with a long ball from the kick-off finding their key forward who danced past 3 Box Hill defenders.

1 all at half time and Stackie sent a clear message to the boys. Stop playing selfish football and start to play the team game. Too many times we had pot shots from long range when we should have passed the ball to someone in a better position. Just because we beat Knox in the 1st round, it didn't mean that we would walk all over them today.

The lads must have listened because they played a totally different style of football in the 2nd half. We were winning the 50/50 balls and our composure under pressure was much better. Our wide players started to get involved and we passed the ball before we got closed down (on most occasions).

Our intensity resulted in 4 goals during the half, some of which were very well constructed in congested areas. Knox really didn't have an answer to how we were playing and they mainly resorted to trying long passes. However our defence was solid and we managed to clear the ball well. Marcel was called on to provide a last line of defence late in the half and his recent Goal Keeper training was very effective.

So 5/1 was the final score and our 2nd half was definitely a very good effort from the lads. We will need to play with this level of determination from the first kick next week if we are to challenge Monash.

Round 13 - Doncaster

An interesting match today with Doncaster deciding to pick the best players from all of their U10 sides to play against us. There were rumblings of discontent on the sidelines before the game, Doncaster parents not happy that the teams had been pulled apart without much warning. On the other hand Box Hill was looking forward to a strong challenge from the "Uber" team from Doncaster.

The match got underway with Doncaster attacking in numbers and putting real pressure on the Box Hill defence. A few early defensive errors allowed the Doncaster forwards to close in on goal unchecked, however poor touches allowed Marcel to mop up any threats. The Box Hill boys looked very lack lustre and almost disinterested during the 1st half.

Doncaster scored the opening goal with a dubious decision, the ball hitting the crossbar and bouncing straight down. Marcel got control of the ball but it was deemed to have crossed the line, "Hawkeye" would have been handy in this situation. This seemed to wake Box Hill up from it's extended slumber and we managed to make some decent pushes forward. A couple of chances in the 6 yard box went begging and Doncaster survived until the half time break with it's 1 goal lead.

The 2nd half saw Box Hill start with a more determined effort, pressing through the midfield and creating chances. A series of corner kicks eventually resulted in an equaliser, Jesse popping his foot out at just the right moment to deflect the ball into the net.

Doncaster responded with continued vigour, but our defense held out well and they never really looked under threat. At the other end we had a few good chances but the Doncaster Keeper denied us with some very good saves.

1 all was the final score and everyone seemed happy with the result. Except maybe for the group of Doncaster parents who were still arguing with the coaches 40 minutes after the game had ended...

Round 12 - Bulleen

A great match today against Bulleen at the Veneto Club. Both sides looked good in their warm up's but it was Box Hill who drew first blood after Carlo headed in a cross from Jesse. The young Kangaroos had their tails up and we managed to control the majority of play with good positioning through the midfield.

Our 2nd goal was the result of a clever lofted ball from just outside the 18 yard box, Nick catching the Bulleen Keeper off his line. Bulleen responded with some strong attacks in the dying stages of the 1st half and Marcel did well to deflect an almost certain goal onto the cross bar.

2 nil at half time and Clifton was happy with the boys performance. A few positional changes were made with 4 starting players having a rest on the bench. Clifton told the boys to consider the score to be nil all and fight hard to win the ball at every challenge. We were playing a nice brand of football and we needed to keep our rhythm and continue to make Bulleen chase the ball.

The 2nd half saw a much more determined Bulleen take to the field. They were fighting harder for the ball and their game had become a lot more physical. As always Box Hill rose to the challenge and it wasn't long until Carlo managed to score his second goal for the day with a powerful strike from just inside the 18 yard box. 3 nil and it was not looking favourable for Bulleen.

However to their credit, Bulleen continued to challenge for every ball and some sloppy defence by Box Hill allowed them to move unchecked into the 6 yard box and score an easy goal. A breakdown in communication leaving a gap in our defence, which is normally water tight.

The game continued to be played physically and fast, with a few free kicks being awarded each way late in the game. Box Hill managed to sneak in a 4th goal courtesy of congestion in the 6 yard box, Jesse making no mistake with his left foot.

The score remained at 4 / 1 until the final whistle and both sides had enjoyed a very hard fought match. The mood in the change rooms after the match was very positive as we lead into the East Bentleigh Tournament on August 19th. The team luncheon in the Veneto Club Bistro was enjoyed by everyone and a fitting way to complete the afternoon.

Video Highlights - Round 10

Round 11 - Ashburton

Our 2nd meeting with Ashburton this season and this time on home ground. Cool and overcast conditions were the order for the day, some light rain falling in the 2nd half. Last time these 2 sides met it was a convincing 10 nil victory for Box Hill. As such the boys seemed very casual in their approach to the game, as was evident in their lack of urgency. Although the majority of play was taking place in Box Hill's forward half, it took until about the 20 minute mark before we managed to convert a goal.

We were passing the ball quite nicely, but we just didn't seem to have any fire in our bellies. A complete opposite to how we played last week against Whitehorse. As such we were lack lustre in finishing and Ashburton were able to defend our many forays into the box. Half time arrived and we had 2 goals to show for our efforts, another 3 or 4 should have found the back of the net if we were switched on.

The 2nd half continued much the same way as the first half, with Ashburton relying on the long ball through midfield as their main plan of attack. Once again we were stuck in 2nd gear and our defense was not showing any real urgency to clear the ball. This resulted in a series of unnecessary corners for Ashburton and courtesy of some sloppy defending we allowed them an easy goal, possibly an own goal....but no one has owned up to it yet.

Ashburton lifted and started to mount more attacks, but their midfield failed to support their forwards and allowed us to defend in numbers. Slowly we started to become more interested and some good passages of play followed. Another 2 goals went past the Ashburton Keeper and Kosi was very unlucky not to convert from an exceptional header.

So a 4/1 victory for Box Hill in what can best be described as token effort. We have the Bentleigh Greens tournament in a few weeks and the lads will need to sharpen their focus and intensity to match teams like Sandringham and Monash.