U11 A - 2008 Season Pictorial

After a long and tough season the U11 A's have finished runners up in the championship and qualified for U12 A League in 2009. Well done to all of the boys and a big thank you to Stackie for coaching the team this year.

Enjoy the video !

Round 18 - South Yarra

A mild but overcast morning awaited us at Fawkner Park for our final match of the season against South Yarra. After some confusion as to where to park the car, we all managed to converge in the right area. Initially many of us thought that we may actually be playing Gaelic Football today, given the rather strange appearance of the goal surrounds.

Today we had some pressure on us to ensure a solid scoreline as Bulleen were on the same points as us coming into this round. We had a 4 goal advantage over them but we knew that they would score easily against Doncaster. So it was important for us to score as many goals as possible so that we held on to 2nd place in the championship.

Stackie had the lads in a good mood before the start of the match and they began with good movement and enthusiasm. Certainly we were controlling the ball in the midfield and our wide players were giving us good penetration into South Yarra's defence. We created many good chances in the early stages of the match and it wasn't long before Jesse hit a well placed volley to get the scoreboard ticking over. This was followed by another 2 good goals before half time, courtesy of Matty and Aaron D who took the ball up the wing from the half way line before cutting into the 18 yard box and hitting a cracking left footed shot to beat the keeper.

Half time came along and my phone rang, it was a parent from Doncaster who updated me on the score in the game against Bulleen. They had managed to get 4 goals past Doncaster in the 1st half, so our buffer was now reduced to 3 goals. Stackie worded up the boys and made sure that they knew to keep the goals flowing in the 2nd half.

We continued to control most of the possession in the 2nd half, however South Yarra were starting to get more involved in the game and they did manage to press us on a couple of occasions. However solid defence from Ben, Aaron S, Jordan, Paul and Michael was enough to repel any threats. Billy was also doing a good job and he made sure that he cleared any balls that managed to sneak past our defence.

Meanwhile the midfield continued to work hard and challenge every 50/50 ball. Nick, Alex, Johnny and Jesse were working well together and feeding Sam and Charlie on the wings. Many chances were created in the wide corridors and Sam in particular was having a great game, continuously outmaneuvering the South Yarra defenders.

Another 2 goals were put past the South Yarra keeper, courtesy of Sam and Jesse. At about this point I got the call from Doncaster to let me know that the full time score was 6 / 0 to Bulleen. This was the news that we had been waiting for, so with no more risk to 2nd place, Stackie brought Billy out of goals for the last part of the 2nd half.

Although we didn't add to our tally of 5 goals, we had some great chances and a lot of good teamwork in the closing minutes. Kosi in particular had a great match, displaying his composure under pressure to maintain possession and create opportunities.

So the final whistle blew and our season had finished, the boys celebrated with a team song in the middle of the park...they were happy. We had played 18 matches, won 14, drawn 2 and lost 2. We had scored 74 goals and only conceded 6 all year ! We have finished 2nd on the ladder and we have qualified for U12 A league in 2009 !

There will be more time at the presentation luncheon to thank all involved, but from a personal note I would like to say thank you to Stackie for the fantastic job he has done this year with the boys and also to the parents who have made my job much easier than it should be.

Our focus now turns to preparation for the Cross Border Trophy at the end of September. I know everyone is looking forward to this event and it will be a fitting end to a very successful season !

Cheers,

The Gaffer

Round 17 - Monash

The highly anticipated re-match today against Monash, this time at Wembley Park. Last time the 2 sides met it was a 2 nil win to Monash in difficult circumstances (see Round 8 report). The weather was kind to us and conditions were perfect for a game of football, even the ref turned up and he was older than 12 !

Monash got off to an attacking start, you could tell that they were determined by the way that they were moving on their toes even before the whistle had blown. In contrast our lads looked flat footed and not as switched on. Monash pressed us hard and they had some very good early chances, we were lucky not to have been down by 2 or 3 goals after the first 10 minutes. Then mid way through the 1st half Monash won a corner and the ball ping ponged it's way around the 6 yard box. We were lazy in defence and Monash took advantage by toe poking the ball through a sea of players legs to capture a sneaky yet effective conversion.

1 nil down and things were not looking good. Our lads were being beaten to every ball, we were missing out tragets when passing and generally we just looked ordinary compared to the opposition. Half time could not come quickly enough and when it did Stackie took the boys into the rooms.

The message was loud and clear..."Fire Up". Monash were playing us off the park and we needed to lift our work rate and get serious. Stackie challenged some individuals to put in a bigger effort and get involved in the game. He wanted the boys to walk out of the change rooms with a different attitude and take the game up to Monash. We only had 20 minutes left this year to show Monash what we can do and we needed to take every chance we had.

The message seemed to have got through and our intensity in the 2nd half was much better. We put more pressure on Monash and we started to win more of the ball in midfield. In fact in the first 10 minutes of the 2nd half we had 3 good chances to score, one in particular that the Monash Keeper only managed to stop on the line.

Monash also had a couple of good counter attacks and they were unlucky when Billy came off his line and was temporarily unsighted when one of our defenders blocked his view of the Monash striker. The shot went just wide of the post and out for a goal kick. Time was against us and Monash managed to clear the ball efeectively enough to keep us from levelling the score.

So a 1 nil loss to the league champions, congratulations must go to Monash for winning the league...well done. We need to win next week against South Yarra to hold on to 2nd spot on the ladder and depending on how well Bulleen go against Manningham today, we may have a close finish on goal difference.

One thing is for certain, next year the competiton will be much stronger and we have a lot of work to do between now and then to ensure that we remain competitive.

Round 16 - Eastern Lions

Probably the coldest, most miserable day that I have ever had to watch a game of football. I can remember wetter days, but not any as cold as it was at Gardiner's Creek Reserve today. Our Round 16 clash with Eastern Lions was always going to be a challenging encounter, but the conditions just made it that much more difficult for both teams.

As it turned out Eastern Lions had come to play and salvage some pride for their season. They are a good side and have been competitive all season, only missing out to Monash, Bulleen and ourselves. Our mission was to walk away with 3 points and stay in touch with Monash....we would be happy with a 1 goal victory.

The match however turned out to be quite a tussle for possession with most of the play staying in the middle of the park. The Lions were able to defend very well in the early stages and even managed some nice counter attacks. Their athletic striker was always looking dangerous and if not for some clever defending on our part, he would have been through with the ball on a few occasions.

Once again our finishing let us down and we went to the half time break with both teams failing to impact the scoreboard. I have never seen 2 teams vacate a ground so quickly at half time, such was the bitter cold. In the change rooms you could hardly hear Stackie's voice over the clatter of shivering teeth !

The 2nd half was better for us and we managed to keep most of the play in our attacking half. Eastern Lions were defending well and their Keeper was getting a good workout at the same time. However the long ball out of defence was always a threat and at one stage it was just Billy vs their Striker....the ball going wide of the post....luckily.

Our chances kept presenting, but we either hit the ball wide, hit the woodwork or hit the Keeper....it just wasn't going to happen for us today. So we walked away with a point each from a very busy encounter with both teams working hard in challenging conditions. Needless to say that unless there is devine intervention we probably won't be able to catch Monash at the top of the ladder.

A bye next week with the catch up round taking place, but we have a couple of Wed night games planned with Knox City and Croydon City Arrows.

We also have the Cross Border Trophy taking place in late September which will be a fantastic finish to the season for all of the lads.

Round 15 - Doncaster

A late game today with the kick-off at 3.15pm. Doncaster only managed to rustle up 10 players, so we were not expecting too much from them. The boys got away to a good start with solid passing and early dominence across the park. Doncaster were flooding the 18 yard box and early chances were hard to thread past the sea of Doncaster defenders.

Eventually is was Matt who found the back of the net to open the scoring for Box Hill. Many chances either went straight to the keeper or found the woodwork, something that we have become used to this season. Matt also scored the 2nd goal after a Doncaster goal clearance was intercepted by Aaron D and neatly passed across the face of the 6 yard box.

So 2 nil at half time but a lot of missed opportunities. This was especially dissapoiting given that we needed to close the gap to Monash to have any chance of winning the Championship.

Once again Box Hill dominated posession in the 2nd half, however credit must be given to the undermanned Doncaster outfit for their determination and hunger for the ball. It wasn't long before Darcy managed to run onto a long pass out of the midfield, draw the keeper and then neatly slot it past him. 3 nil and the result was now very evident, it was just a question of how many goals we could capitalise with.

As it turned out it would only be 1 more goal to add to our tally, courtesy of Matt who found himself in the right spot after a ball richochet off a defender just near the 6 yard box to give him his Hat Trick !

So 4 nil against an undermanned Doncaster in a fairly lack lustre affair. We will need to improve next week when we meet the very athletic Eastern Lions in our Round 16 clash.

Round 14 - Stonnington

A comfortable win today for the boys against an outclassed Stonnington outfit. The score was 6 nil at half time, once again with many chances going begging. The boys managed another 6 goals in the 2nd half, but we really missed a big opportunity today to close the goal difference on Monash.

No disrespect to Stonnington, but they really should be competing in a Joeys league. These poor kids have now had 67 goals pushed past them, with only 1 goal to their name. It can't be much fun for these 11 year olds to get up early every Saturday morning, knowing that they are going to get another drubbing at the hands of the opposition.

These types of matches also offer no value to the teams that dominate so easily. Hopefully the people in charge at Stonnington learn from this years experience and place their children in a better situation before they loose their love for Football.

Special mention to Billy this week, who came out of goals for the 2nd half and scored a cracking goal !

Round 13 - Boroondara

A cool and overcast morning at Wembley Park for today's round 13 encounter with Boroondara. Last time these 2 teams met it was a convincing 7-1 victory to the boys from Canterbury Road. However as we know teams improve as the season progresses, so we began this match as we would any other with the score nil all.

Boroondara have indeed improved since our last match against them and they began the game with vigor and determination, forcing us to defend early. Eventually Box Hill cranked into gear and you could see the boys were warming up like a reliable old heater on a cold Winter's day.

Stackie made a few positional changes today, most noticeably with Alex starting in defence and Aaron D up front with Johnny. As it turned out it was Aaron D who made the first impression on the score sheet, with a well time volley after a ball came in across the box. All the boys were rapped with the result and it was seen as a good omen for Aaron's Dad who is recovering in Hospital from a sudden illness. Get well soon Dom, we all miss you and want you back with us ASAP !

Box Hill had now chugged into about 4th gear and we had control of the match. We kept Boroondara pinned down in their defensive half and apart from the occasional long ball out of defence, they really didn't muster much forward momentum. After a number of well constructed passages of play went begging for a result, we managed to find the back of the net after Johnny laid off a well weighted pass to Jesse, who drew the keeper off his line before neatly chipping the ball over his head.

So 2 nil at the break and we were looking dangerous, but still our finishing is letting us down. Super Coach Dave Stack rallied his young chargers in the change room at half time and asked them to show Boroondara no mercy in the 2nd half. We would need a good Goal Difference by the end of the season to help our chances of securing the championship.

Box Hill came out firing and it wasn't long before we were creating chances again. One passage of play saw Nick take a sensational corner, which Aaron S should have converted....the ball popping out of the box to be hit on the volley by Sam, only to find a defender in the way. Then another shot from Alex, which hit the bar, then another shot by Matt which somehow got deflected and then finally a ball across the face of goal that found no one waiting at the far post. Stackie just laughed and said..."I think that sums up our season....put that video on the Blog"

More goals did eventually come however, courtesy of Alex, Jordan and Jesse....but 5 would be the final total, probably half of what we should have converted. Having said that the boys did knock the ball around nicely today and it was good to see the ball being played back to our defenders when the opportunity arose. Paul and Charlie did some nice work on the wing together as did Kosi and Michael in defence. Nick had a blinder today and he really made a big effort to win the ball in the 50 / 50 tackles. Billy was not bothered too much by Boroondara today, but you can see his confidence growing every week, those goal keeping sessions are really paying dividends.

In other news Monash defeated Bulleen convincingly with a 4 / nil victory. Although it gives us a 5 point break over Bulleen, it also means that we need to get our kicking boots on in the remaining matches to close down our goal difference with Monash.

You can bet that Wembley Park will be a very tense place on August 24th....

Round 12 - Bulleen

A crucial match today against 2nd placed Bulleen. We have been sitting 1 point behind them since we lost to Monash back in Round 8. Today we were determined to prove a point and come away with a win, especially after our Round 3 draw with them in a game that we squandered many chances.

Training this week focussed on finishing in and around the box. Our plan was to press Bulleen early and force them to make mistakes. We had to start the game as the agressor and close them down quickly when they had the ball.

As such we began the match with great vigor and determination. Sam went on an early run down the wing and crossed the ball into the 6 yard box. We were a split second late but the early signs were looking good. The key today would be how to beat Bulleen's talented Keeper (Lucas). He is very good with high balls and knows how to position himself well. So our accuracy with low balls into the corners would come into play.

Bulleen managed to defend one of our early attacks with a long clearance that caught our defenders too far up the ground. We managed to regain our shape but Bulleen had the ball in our 18 yard box and were trying to get a shot away. One of their players went down amongst the congestion, but play momentarily continued. Then after some very vocal calls for a penalty, the Ref blew his whistle and pointed to the spot. As unfortunate as this decision was, our boys got on with it and the Bulleen forward marked out his run up. Billy was very busy on the Goal Line making himself look big and menacing. The Bulleen forward hit his shot and Billy picked it, moving the right way to deflect the very dubious penalty away from danger.

Box Hill then went on a frenzy of attacking movements, always keeping the Bulleen defenders guessing. Sam was working hard with Charlie on the right wing, while Alex and Johnny were doing the same on the opposite side of the park. We had Bulleen on the back foot and if it was not for Bulleen's Keeper we should have put 2 or 3 good chances into the back of the net. Nick with a long range crack from outside the 18 yard box, Jesse with a couple of clever chances inside the box, Matty with a shot from close range....the list goes on.

As it turned out we went to the break at nil all, but the signs were good and we had controlled the majority of the play. The 2nd half would be hard and fast with both teams wanting to draw first blood. Stackie told the boys to keep up the intensity and win every 50/50 ball. We needed to keep the pressure on Bulleen and keep creating chances....the goal would come and we needed to be patient.

Once again we took control of the match and made Bulleen work hard for the ball. Our defenders were doing extremely well and Aaron S, Paul, Michael and Kosi were working well as a team. Our midfield continued to work hard and feed our running players, who were proving to be a real headach for Bulleen's defenders. Aaron D was now sitting up front with Big Aaron and Matty had dropped back into Central Defence.

Once again it was Bulleen's Keeper who was proving to be the main obstacle for us. We had a number of good corners flying into the box, but Lucas was too good with the high ball and he dealt with them easily. Shots from Aaron S and Jesse just went wide of the posts, from where we were standing they looked like they were going in....not to be.

Time was running out and we needed more than just another draw. Bulleen caught us on a break and were running into towards the box with numbers, but Matty used his body well and defended brilliantly as the last man, his efforts winning him a free kick on the edge of our 18 yard box. His clearance was perfectly placed and found Aaron S middle of the park. Aaron turned and passed the ball to Nick, who pushed forward into space before sending Jesse through with a well measure pass. Jesse composed himself, ran into the box and drew the Keeper off his line before neatly slotting the ball into the right hand bottom corner.

Finally our efforts had paid off and we had the lead with only minutes left in the match. As such the final whistle blew not long afterwards on what was the most enjoyable game of football I have seen this year. It is fair to say that there are only 4 competitive teams in this league, ourselves, Bulleen, Esstern Lions and Monash. Therefore games against these teams are the ones that we look forward to the most as we know that we will be challenged.

Bulleen are a good team and they should be congratulated on their efforts. They work hard and when they have posession they move the ball around nicely. Today we just wanted the win more than they did and for once we had just a little bit of luck go our way.

We now sit in 2nd position on the ladder, 2 points clear of Bulleen and 3 points below Monash. Next week sees Monash and Bulleen clash in what will surely be a very hard fought match. If luck continues to favour us we may even profit from the result. But our focus for the remainder of the season is very clear. Work hard during the week at training and play the way we train on game day.

Well done Lads !

Round 11 - Ashburton

Warner Reserve was the venue for today's Round 11 clash against Ashburton. Conditions were perfect for a game of Football and the boys were in high spirits. Last time we played Ashburton we managed to score a comfortable 3 nil win, so today would be interesting to see how both teams have progressed since then.

The match got underway with with both teams attacking the ball hard, Ashburton were doing a good job of manning up and keeping the pressure on our boys. Aaron S was in goals due to the absence of Billy, so our defenders had to step up and work as a unit without him. Matty was in charge in central defence, with Ben, Paul & Kosmo alongside him.

Box Hill eventually managed to control the majority of possession and we had some very good early chances. It was Alex who eventually scored the first goal, followed by the 2nd and then the 3rd...so a well deserved Hat Trick for Mr Fast Feet.

Stackie was happy at half time, but asked the boys to really try to get the score board ticking over. He was also pleased with everyones efforts and determination in the 1st half. Special mention to Kosmo who was having his best game so far this year.

We started the 2nd half where we left off in the 1st half and continued to move the ball around nicely. Some early corners created a lot of trouble for Ashburton's defenders and we were unlucky not to find the back of the net on more than 1 occasion. Our endeavour continued, especially along the wings with Sam and Paul working well together. Some nice passing resulted in Charlie laying the ball off to Aaron D for a simple tap in and our 4th goal.

Scores remained unchanged until the final whistle and in the end we did it fairly easily. Ashburton do have some talented players, they just need to settle a bit more and not rush their decisions. Good luck to them for the rest of the season.

Next week we travel to The Veneto Club for our return match against Bulleen. The boys are really looking forward to this match and they need to stay focused and deliver the result that we all know they deserve.

Round 10 - Manningham

A late start for us today after the FFV originally booked both U11 teams to play at the same time. In our 1st encounter with Manningham this year we managed to push 4 goals past them on a very rough pitch. Today we had the advantage of playing at home on a nice flat surface, so the expectation to increase our goal difference was high.

It was Box Hill who controlled the match with good passing and control of the ball. We pressed Manningham deep into their defense and continually sent balls into and around the box. Our goal tally by half time was 5, courtesy of Jesse (1), Alex (1), Nick (2) and Matty (1). Billy also got into the action after a Manningham counter attack got too close for comfort, he closed down the striker and dived to his right for a very good save.

Stackie was happy with the boys efforts at half time but wanted to see them maintain their intensity in the 2nd half. Games like this were important for us to capitalise on and secure as many goals as possible to help our position on the ladder.

The 2nd half saw us again dominate possession, however we did not put away our chances. Many easy conversions went begging with shots going wide or over the bar. Nick hit the cross bar after a shot from Matt rebounded off another player in the 6 yard box. Eventually Alex found the target and slotted in another 2 goals to give him his Hat Trick. Andrew finished off with a clever tap in after running into the 18 yard box and slipping past 3 defenders.

Manningham did manage a consolation goal late in the 2nd half after we failed to effectively clear a ball out of defence. However the final whistle blew and we had secured a fairly comfortable 8 - 1 victory.

Round 9 2008 - South Yarra

A beautiful sunny morning with clear skies greeted us at Wembley Park today. The Ref was there early checking the ground and handing out fresh hot scones that he had baked that morning. What a wonderful day for Football this would be...

Now back to reality !

Dark foreboding clouds eagerly gathered overhead, rain tumbled from the sky, so much so that not 1 single Ref appeared at Wembley Park today....disgraceful ! So muggins here gets roped into reffing the match in pouring rain and absolute cold. Ohh the joys of celebrating your 42nd birthday...

Anyway, enough whinging and on to the match. Despite the cold and dismal conditions, both teams were eager to get moving in this Round 9 clash. Box Hill got off to a good start and controlled the ball well in the difficult conditions. It was clear that the boys wanted to bounce back from last weeks effort against Monash.

The first half saw Box Hill continually find ways to attack and we had South Yarra pinned down in their defensive half. The ball was very slippery today, so our first touch would prove important. South Yarra defended in numbers and managed to get plenty of players behind the ball. Countless close range shots went begging courtesy of a mixture of rushing, water, poor accuracy and more water....actually a lot of water.

Eventually we managed to find the back of the net courtesy of some scrappy play in the 18 yard box, the ball bouncing off a defender before Jesse hit a solid shot from the edge of the box. Goal #2 came in a very similar fashion, a comedy of errors saw the ball ping pong it's way around in front of goal, before it was finally put out of it's misery, again by Jesse. The 3rd goal came after Bob finished an easy chance inside the 6 yard box and gave the Keeper no chance.

So 3 nil up at half time, which should have been more like 6 or 8. Stackie disappeared into the change rooms to speak with the boys and have a hot cup of Cocoa. Meanwhile The Gaffer decided to stay on the pitch and enjoy the wonderful mid June conditions. It's amazing how quickly your glasses fog up in those conditions and how annoying it is when you pull your handkerchief out of your pocket to wipe them , only to find that it is completely drenched !

The 2nd half got underway with Box Hill again controlling the tempo of the match and we continued to press South Yarra's defence and create chances. I lost count of how many goals we missed, Alex had a couple of chances, so did Nick, Jesse did all the hard work to weave through the defence and beat the Keeper, only to shoot the ball wide, Sam had a couple of good chances but missed...after a while it became quite comical and I can remember hearing a South Yarra player say to his team mate "Thank God they can't shoot !"

As such we managed to do a great job of not adding to our halftime score and despite all of our hard work the match finished at 3 nil. A pleasing aspect of the match was the way that we maintained possession and moved the ball around. Our Coaching Director was at the match and he commented on how well the boys played in such dismal conditions. Just a pity that our finishing was not going to plan.

I think pretty much all of the boys spent some time on the bench, which given the conditions was probably welcomed. Poor old Billy was a lonely sight in the distance, cold and wet he stood resolutely waiting for the chance to touch the ball. Our defenders had a good day, Ben, Michael, Jordan and Paul all played very well. As did the midfielders, Nick, Charlie, Aaron D and Johnny. A special mention to Kosmo who despite his best efforts just couldn't get that final kick to work. Like I said to you before the game Kosi, you should have worn those flashy Puma boots and everything would have been different !

Next week we start all over again for the 2nd half of the season. The boys need to remember what they have learned from playing each team in the first round and use it to their advantage. As the season goes on, teams improve.... so we must work hard at training and play smart on game day.

PS: If any of you would like to do a Ref course, I will be more than happy to pay for you ! If not can I please have a Hot Water bottle on standby at half time next time it rains.

Goal from Scissor Kick not allowed ?

Why was this goal against Monash not allowed ?

Round 8 2008 - Monash

I know it is a Cliche, but a week in Football is a long time.

Today we travelled to Caloola Reserve to play Monash, who were sitting on equal points with us at the top of the ladder, only 1 goal separated us from 1st and 2nd spot. It was a cool and clear morning, and the ground was in good condition, albeit the early morning dew would make for a skidding and slippery ball.

The result of this match would determine who moves to a clear lead on top of the ladder, with the looser more than likely dropping to 3rd spot, as it was likely that Bulleen would win their match against Manningham.

Monash were warming up by 8.15am, so we could tell that they were serious about giving us a run for our money. Our boys had trained well during the week and were really looking forward to a competitive game. You could feel the sense of anticipation around the ground and everyone was keenly waiting for the game to get underway.

Our Ref today was a young man called Xavier, who plays U13A grade Soccer. Upon speaking to him prior to the match, I could tell that he was nervous. Unfortunately this nervousness manifested itself during the first half in the form of a lack of confidence in making decisions. Those decisions that were made, often went the wrong way, which not only frustrated both teams but also created more tension on the sidelines.

It was disappointing that the FFV put this young man in such a situation, especially given that this match was always going to have a lot of emotion attached to it. The FFV did send down a Supervising Referee to watch him, but he did not arrive until late in the first half when the damage had been done. As such the senior referee took over the 2nd half of the game. I hope that this budding young Ref was not too disheartened by his experience today and that he continues to learn his trade.

Getting back to the game, it was Monash who came out on the attack and they were unlucky not to score in the opening minutes. Slowly Box Hill started to get into the game, but it was obvious from early on that we were playing well within ourselves. Monash were awarded a dubious free kick on the edge of the 18 yard box midway through the 1st half. Their player hit the ball very well and Billy managed to parry it down, but failed to take it cleanly, allowing a Monash player to pounce and kick the ball out of his hands for their first goal. Some might say that Billy was infringed by the Monash player, but the scored remained.

Box Hill tried to rally after that and we did have a couple of good chances to equalise. However try as we might we could not finish effectively and we went to the break 1 nil down. The 2nd half saw Monash come out strongly and press us hard. There was a lot of play in and around the box and Monash were doing everything they could to keep the pressure on our defenders. Eventually they scored their 2nd goal after we failed to effectively clear a ball from wide of the box, the cross being finished clinically by their forward.

Late in the 2nd half we did manage to get some forward movement underway, but once again the resolute Monash defence cleared the ball effectively. On the final whistle we actually did manage to score a consolation goal, but it was disallowed due to an infringement in the box.

So our first defeat for the season and a solid wake up call for all of the boys. Stackie was disappointed with the efforts of many of the boys today, especially in a game that had so much riding on it. The result has now seen us drop from 1st to 3rd on the ladder, with Eastern Lions only 4 points behind us.

Qualifying for 'A' league next season is not a Lay Down Misere and we must work hard every week to ensure that we finish in the top 3 at the end of the season.

I think the game was summed up best by one of the Monash players after the game. As he walked around congratulating his team mates he simply said, "Well done boys, we wanted it more than they did..."

Life is tough at the top and even tougher in 3rd place...

Round 7 2008 - Eastern Lions

A tough and determined Eastern Lions team were our Round 7 opponents at Wembley Park today. Great conditions made for a very enjoyable morning and both teams were eager to play. The game got underway with Box Hill attacking from the first whistle, good runs from Sam and Charlie gave us many entries into the the 18 yard box. Eastern Lions defended in numbers and their tenacity proved to be successful early in the 1st half.

Once again Box Hill hesitated when close to goal, preferring to look for that extra pass to another player. Our first goal was more the result of a defensive error by the opposition than effective work on our behalf. Jesse was just outside the 6 yard box when he decided to pass the ball to Alex, rather than pull the trigger himself. Luckily Alex's shot spilled into goal after a defender and the Keeper failed to clear the ball.

Other chances were created, but we were rushing our shots and allowing the Lions to muscle us off the ball. 1 nil at half time could have easily been 3 or 4 but all credit to the Lions for their continuous hard ball contests and determination.

The 2nd half saw Box Hill dominate play with a strong possession game that forced the Lions to chase the ball. Our defenders, Ben, Bob, Aaron S, Paul & Jordan worked hard to clear the ball wide and where possible switch play across the back line. We started to run some nice combinations and our midfielders, Nick, Jesse, Aaron D & John worked hard to provide some good forward momentum.

Up front Kosi was seeing a lot of the ball and using his skills to outfox the Lions defenders. We managed to win a couple of corners and the delivery of the ball to the front & Back posts was spot on. As such Aaron S & Sam were unlucky not to have converted some good chances, their shots just going wide of the goal.

Alex also had a great chance to score but was closed down well by the Lions Keeper, who muffled his shot.Eventually it was Jesse who scored our 2nd goal after Sam sent him through with a pinpoint pass that split 2 defenders.

Eastern Lions had a couple of chances late in the match, their tactic was to try and catch us the counter with a long ball. We cleared effectively until a scrappy ball ping ponged around in the box and the Lions forward had a good shot from close range. However Billy dived brilliantly to his right and with arms extended made a save that would make Guss Hiddink proud.

So 2 nil at the final whistle, which given the circumstances could have easily been 5 or 6 if we had finished effectively. Interesting to see that Monash won against Ashburton (3 - 1), which keeps us at the top of the ladder by only 1 goal. Next weeks game at Caloola Reserve is shaping up to be the match of the round, so lets work hard this week to give ourselves the best preparation possible.

Life is tough at the Top !

Video Highlights - Round 6 Doncaster

Video Highlights - Round 5 Stonnington

Round 6 2008 - Doncaster

A cold and foggy morning at Anderson Park for our match against Doncaster. The boys trained very well on Friday night and were ready for a strong challenge. The game started with Doncaster pressing us in their attacking half. However it was interesting to note that although Doncaster initially tried hard to attack, they had 4 defenders camped in our 18 yard box ?

Eventually we managed to wrestle control of the ball and it was not long before we managed our first conversion, courtesy of Aaron D (see you do have a right foot !). This gave our boys an extra lift and we then started to control the game with good passing and lots of movement into space.

Doncaster were persistent at the ball, but we had their measure and we manned up well. Our midfielders (Ben, Jesse, Nick) were winning the hard balls and our wide players (Sam & Aaron D) were providing lots of options. However our endeavour in front of goal was frustrated by rushed shots and poor communication. As such a number of good chances went begging in the first half that we should have easily converted.

We did manage to put another 2 goals past the Doncaster Keeper before halftime, courtesy of Jesse and Alex. The latter goal was the result of a well executed free kick from about 25 yards out, with the ball looping over the Keepers flapping arms.

3 nil at half time and we looked primed for a solid second half and hopefully a few more goals for our tally. Stackie was reasonably happy with the boys, but he wanted to hear more talking amongst the group. In his words..."I can't shut you up at training but you could hear a pin drop on Sunday mornings..." He also wanted the boys to respect the team rule and not turn unless told to do so by another player.

The 2nd half saw us once again control the tempo of the game. Doncaster managed the occasional long ball out of defence but our defenders (Bob, Jordan, Paul & Michael) had little difficulty in stopping any forward movement from Doncaster. Kosmo, who had played very well at Left Back in the first half, was now wearing the #1 Jersey in Goal. We would not see him again until after the final whistle, where he appeared to shake hands with the opposition.

For all of our efforts in the 2nd half, we were unable to finish effectively when given the chance. Aaron S, Charlie and Johnny were doing some good work wide of the box, but we missed many chances and were frustrated by Doncaster's flooding of the goal mouth. As it turned out our 4th goal was probably the best of the day with Nick crossing a ball into the box from the right wing, Michael was in perfect position and he made no mistake with a clinical header that took advantage of the Doncaster Keeper being off his line.

So another convincing win for the lads, but we really need to work harder in and around the box so that we convert more of our chances. In other games today we were fortunate that our lead at the top of the table has been maintained. As we all know each match begins at nil all, so we must listen to Stackie and put into practice what we learn at training during the week.

Round 5 2008 - Stonnington

A great day for Football today at Wembley Park with near perfect conditions. The boys were focused on a big win today in the chase to close the gap on Monash's goal difference.

It was evident from fairly early in the match that we would have very little to worry about from Stonnington. This is not an arrogant statement, just a confirmation of how much difference there was between the 2 teams. Stonnington would be much happier if they were competing in the Joeys League, as would a few other teams who we have met this year.

Having said that our 1st half was fairly ordinary as sometimes happens when you play lesser teams, you can fall in to the trap of thinking that it is going to be too easy and take short cuts. Yes we were 6 goals up by half time, but the manner in which we scored those goals was less than impressive. If Stonnington had a capable Keeper we would have struggled to be 1 or 2 goals up at the most.

Stackie was not impressed and he told the boys to make sure that they worked harder in the 2nd half. He wanted to see more passing and plenty of communication. We also needed to keep our defensive shape and not rush our decisions, especially when we had time on the ball.

Our effort in the 2nd half of the game was much better than in the first half. Even though we kicked less goals than in the first half, we were playing much better Football. It was good to see our defenders switch play and our wide players using the space that was available to them.

Next week we have Doncaster at Anderson Park, which will be a stronger challenge for the boys. If we do the things that we are learning at training and work harder on our communication, we will begin to see the benefits. Having said that we did manage to kick a goal today that was the result of 17 consecutive passes...

The Gaffer

Round 4 2008 - Boroondara Eagles

A cold and drizzly morning greeted us today at Macleay Park for our Round 4 match against Boroondara Eagles. We were to play on a shared Footy oval with 4 types of grass, 2 centre circles and a very slippery synthetic cricket pitch in the middle.

We started the game well and controlled the ball in our attacking half. Boroondara were scrambling in defense and we wasted probably 3 good chances in the first 5 minutes. Eventually we managed to settle and we started to play our trade mark passing game, albeit difficult on the poor surface.

John was first to convert with a well timed shot inside the box. Next was Jesse who hit a fantastic volley past the Keeper from the edge of the 18 yard box, courtesy of a great cross from John. Alex then scored our 3rd goal when he saw the Boroondara Keeper off his line and chipped him from about 25 yards out - A sensational goal ! Aaron S then managed to make it 4 nil just before half time with a well placed shot.

The 2nd half saw us continue to dominate possession and really press the Boroondara defence. We had many chances early in the half but just couldn't quite find the back of the net. Boroondara cleared a long ball out of defensive midfield and caught our defenders napping. They managed to convert their chance, however an action replay clearly shows their Striker to be off-side by a good 2 metres.

Not to be disheartened by the unfortunate goal, Box Hill then shifted up a gear and launched wave after wave of attacks. We managed to score another 3 well deserved goals courtesy of Aaron D (2) and Jesse (1).

Today we saw a total team effort from every player on the field. Sam had a blinder on the wing and he was the catalyst for much of our forward movement. Charlie held solid in the middle of the park and was unlucky not to score late in the match. Nick as always was working tirelessly to win the 50/50 balls and he was also unlucky not to get a goal.

Our defence was well organised and Ben, Jordan Bob & Paul are all working very well together with a good understanding. Last but not least was the effort of Billy who after a quiet first half in goal was placed up front for the 2nd half.

It was great to see Bill really get involved and show his skills as an outfield player. He did some great work in the 18 yard box and helped set up a couple of the goals.

Overall it was a really good effort from all of the boys and they worked hard for the final result. We still need to work harder on our communication, especially when we can help a player who has the ball. Lets all work hard at training this week and make sure we have a great game at home on Sunday against Stonnington.

PS: Kosi and Mickey, get better soon and hurry back !

Video Highlights

Enjoy these video highlights from our Round 3 clash with Bulleen...

Round 3 2008 - Bulleen

Our first real test for the season today against Bulleen's 'A' team. A great day for Football with cool conditions and no wind. Box Hill got off to a good start and managed to control the majority of posession. Our midfielders were working well together and we managed to keep the ball in our attacking half. Strong efforts from Nick, Arron S, Charlie and Arron D, made sure that we were first to the ball and keeping Bulleen under pressure.

We had a number of chances in and around the box early in the 1st half, however our efforts were thwarted by Bulleen's very capable Keeper. A number of corners were also wasted and we failed to capitalise on our opportunities. Johnny and Jesse had a couple of good shots on goal, but once again Bulleen's Keeper proved to be too good.

Late in the half Bulleen managed to force the ball down their end and some poor defensive work allowed their striker to work his way through the 18 yard box and convert a neatly slotted goal. This was dissapointing as no one closed him down and we allowed him too much space so close to the goal. It was only Bulleen's 2nd attack for the half and they had scored, compared to our majority of posession and multiple scoring chances at the other end with no reward.

The 2nd half saw us continue to play our normal passing game, but once again we were being frustrated close to goal with missed chances and good keeping from Bulleen. We managed to secure a few free kicks around the edge of the box and we came close to equalising on a few occasions. Kosi had a couple of good chances as did Arron S who found himself in space inside the 18 yard box, only to hit his shot into the side netting.

Bulleen were looking for the quick counter, but our defense was holding up well with strong efforts from Ben, Michael, Jordan and Bob. They were able to use our wide players, Sam & Paul, to help run the ball out of defense and build up another attacking formation. Billy did not have a great deal of work to do, but when called on he was composed and effective, clearing the ball out to the wings and away from danger.

Time was running out and we needed an equaliser to bring balance back to the game that we were dominating. We continued to press hard and we almost scored from a cheeky shot that Paul hit from about 30 yards out. The ball seemed to hang in the air and the Bulleen Keeper was off his line, however the ball hit the side post and bounced back into play for Bulleen to clear.

Alex had a cracking shot from a free kick, but the ball hit the cross bar and went out of play. Then a couple of minutes before the final whistle we won a free kick on the edge of the centre circle, courtesy of a Bulleen hand ball. Jesse stepped up to take the free kick and we all thought he would just try to get it into the box. He thought otherwise and hit a cracking shot that sailed into the top right hand corner of the goal, beating the talented Bulleen Keeper and equalising the game.

That is the way the game finished, with a 1 all draw. Box Hill had controlled the majority of the ball all day but were victims of their own inability to finish chances with precision. Bulleen look much better this year than they have in previous seasons and we can expect a hard game from them when we next meet at the Veneto Club.