U12 A

Round 7 - Bulleen

2009-06-14T04:37:00.000-07:00

Box Hill: 4 defeated Bulleen: 1

Round 6 - Hampton

2009-05-31T02:53:00.000-07:00

Box Hill Inter 4 Defeated Hampton Nil

U11 A - 2008 Season Pictorial

2008-10-17T19:32:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-31T03:43:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-23T18:18:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-10T04:19:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-03T02:05:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-27T21:17:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-20T03:46:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-13T03:50:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-05T23:18:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-05T22:40:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-22T03:24:00.000-07:00

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 ?

2008-06-18T05:33:00.000-07:00

Why was this goal against Monash not allowed ?

Round 8 2008 - Monash

2008-06-14T22:55:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-08T03:56:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-07T05:46:00.000-07:00

Video Highlights - Round 5 Stonnington

2008-06-07T05:44:00.000-07:00

Round 6 2008 - Doncaster

2008-06-01T03:16:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-25T03:56:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-17T23:46:00.001-07:00

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

2008-05-13T04:49:00.000-07:00

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

Round 3 2008 - Bulleen

2008-05-11T00:27:00.000-07:00

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.

Round 2 2008 - Ashburton

2008-05-04T01:57:00.000-07:00

Our first home game was against Ashburton today at Wembley Park. The ground is in fantastic condition and Stackie was looking forward to seeing how the boys played on a good surface. We got off to a good start and controlled the majority of possession in the first half. A few good chances inside the 18 yard box went begging and Ashburton survived, courtesy of their Keeper and poor finishing on our behalf.

Eventually we found the back of the net thanks to Paul, who opened the scoring with a well placed shot inside the box. Not long after it was Nick's turn to add to the scoreline and then just before halftime Jesse also decided to get into the act.

So 3 nil at halftime, but it probably should have been 5 or 6. Stackie was fairly happy with the way the boys were playing. They were pushing the ball around nicely and making the opposition run. However we needed to show more intensity around the box and finish our chances with strong shots on goal.

The 2nd half saw Ashburton lift considerably and they were more successful at maintaining possession. In comparison we looked less hungry for the ball than we did in the 1st half and as a result we spent a fair bit of time defending. Eventually we managed to wrestle the ball back off Ashburton, but once again we were lazy when finishing chances.

If we are to beat the better teams in our league we have to work with more intensity and sometimes be selfish when close to goal. Often another pass is not to our advantage and allows the opposition to defuse our attacks. Next weeks match against Bulleen will be a real test for the lads and they need to work hard for each other for the full 40 minutes.

Round 1 2008 - Manningham

2008-04-27T00:11:00.000-07:00

A cool morning at Timber Ridge Reserve today for our 1st official game of the year against Manningham. The pitch resembled a Cow Paddock, courtesy of poor maintenance from the Manningham City Council over the Summer break. You have to feel sorry for the players at Manningham, having to train and play on such a poor surface.

The game got off to a scrappy start with both teams bunching up and crowding the ball. Eventually Box Hill started to push the ball around, but it was very hard for us to play our signature passing game on such a bumpy surface. Our Midfielders started to find each other and eventually we had some nice passages of play up the wings and through the middle of the park. The 1st goal came from one of these forward thrusts, with new lad Johnny running into the box before calmly slotting the ball into the back of the net.

Half time saw us with a 1 nil lead, however it could have been more if our accuracy was on target. Stackie asked the lads to keep working hard for the ball and to pass the way they were facing. We had a lot of possession during the first half, but our score did not reflect the hard work that we had done.

The second half saw a more attacking style of play from Box Hill and we were able to keep the ball in our attacking half for long periods. Our passing and movement into space created many headaches for Manningham and also resulted in another 3 goals for us, courtesy of Alex (2) and Jesse (1).

Overall everyone played well and contributed to the result, however we can all play much better and work harder for each other. Hopefully next week we can get back to our regular game style on a much flatter and consistent Wembley Park.

Gaffer.

Cross Border Trophy

2007-09-24T04:28:00.000-07:00

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,

Castlefield Shield Day 2

2007-09-15T21:18:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-15T02:48:00.001-07:00

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 !

2007-09-08T04:44:00.001-07:00

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

2007-09-08T02:23:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-03T03:23:00.000-07:00

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

2007-08-25T00:13:00.000-07:00

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

2007-08-13T04:09:00.000-07:00

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

2007-08-03T23:09:00.000-07:00

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

2007-07-28T23:46:00.000-07:00

Round 11 - Ashburton

2007-07-28T03:40:00.001-07:00

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.

Round 10 - Whitehorse

2007-07-21T02:29:00.000-07:00

Our Round 10 match was against Whitehorse, who always give us a good challenge. Today was no different with our opponents drawing first blood in the first few minutes of the game. Our lads were caught by surprise and it took us a good 10 minutes to get the ball over the halfway line.

Slowly the Box Hill machine crunched through the gears and started to wake up. Whitehorse were playing a tough brand of football and closing us down fairly quickly. Eventually our persistence paid off with a run into the box by Nick resulting in the equaliser. 1 all at the halftime break and we had a good competitive game starting to take shape.

Clifton rallied the lads at half time and told them to relax and play their trademark passing game. They needed to be first to the ball and use their skills in tight situations. Whitehorse would continue to play hard and we needed to match them with intensity and determination.

The second half was one of the best 25 minutes of play we have seen so far this season. Both teams giving no quarter and the ball moving from end to end. Box Hill managed to press the Whitehorse defence and continued to make entries into the box. Eventually some scrappy play in the 6 yard box allowed Nick enough space to convert his 2nd for the day, the Whitehorse defenders failing to clear the ball effectively.

Marcel was kept busy in the 2nd half and he did well to clear the ball effectively. A Whitehorse cross late in the game was unlucky not to have been converted, the forward not quite finishing the opportunity.

All up it was a great game with plenty of action from both sides. The early starts don't seem to suit us all that well but once we get going we are hard to stop. It was also good to see the boys using their bodies when challenged and giving everything to gain possession.

Video Highlights - Round 9 Eastern Lions

2007-07-18T04:04:00.000-07:00

Round 9 - Eastern Lions

2007-07-14T22:35:00.001-07:00

A great game today against Eastern Lions at Gardiners Creek Reserve. The Lions played very well and held us at bay for the first 15 minutes of the match. It was great to see the lads able to play the ball on the ground and get consistency, something that has been difficult this season with bumpy surfaces.

Jesse opened our account with a run into the box and then an easy left footed slot into the corner of the net. Not long afterwards he was again in the right spot to capitalise on a well placed pass from Nick, with Aaron D providing the clever step over that gave Jesse the space he needed to crack the ball past the Keeper.

Not long before half time, Aaron S found himself receiving a ball just outside the 6 yard box on a 45 degree angle. He took a controlling touch and then launched the ball past the Keeper and into the back of the net. Halftime came and we were 3 goals up, courtesy of some very good passages of play.

At the break Clifton told the boys he was very happy with the way that they had played in the first half. We were passing the ball very well and supporting each other off the ball. The play along the wings was very good with great movement between Dylan and Kosi on the left and Charlie and Michael on the right. Our defence was working well with Jordan, Ben and Bob keeping the Lions forwards honest and switching play across the back line. Meanwhile Marcel was keeping a clean sheet and timing his runs off the line very well.

The 2nd half saw some light rain begin to fall and the ball became a little bit slippery. The Lions had some good passages of play and were unlucky not to convert at least one genuine goal. However Box Hill continued to play a controlled passing game and we frustrated our opponents with good movement into space. Our 4th goal came midway through the 2nd half when Charlie hit a looping ball from just inside the 18 yard box, the ball hanging in the air and catching the Lions Keeper off his line. Young Hamish had a good 2nd half and at one point made a nice run into the box. Declan also did the hard yards and kept his opponent honest with strong tackles, whilst Carlo made some strong runs up the wing and was unlucky not to snag a goal today for his efforts.

Overall it was a very enjoyable match for the lads and a nice way to finish the first half of the season. We have another 7 matches to go this season and next week we start all over again with an away game against Whitehorse. Mooroolbark and Eastern Lions are the only 2 teams that we don't play again and we wish them all the best for the remainder of the season.

Video Highlights - Monash / Mooroolbark

2007-07-11T04:47:00.000-07:00

Round 8 - Mooroolbark

2007-07-07T01:40:00.001-07:00

A comfortable win today for the U10 Kangaroos. Mooroolbark were outclassed from the first minute of the game, however it was great to see the Mooroolbark players enjoy themselves regardless of the scoreline. As their coach said after the game, they would have been better suited to playing in the Joeys Comp this season.

As it turned out, Box Hill played a good first half of football and controlled play all over the ground. It was especially nice to see 3 goals come from corner kicks that were headed into the goal by well timed runs. A few chances went begging, but most opportunities were clinically finished.

7/0 at half time and Clifton asked the boys to use the 2nd half to practice maintaining possession. Marcel was offered a players Guernsey, but graciously declined, after a hard night partying...he was enjoying the rest in Goals.

The 2nd half saw defenders and forwards swap positions. We also saw the ball being passed all the way back to Marcel, who switched play effectively. Another 3 goals to take our tally to 10 for the day. It was great to see Ben get his first goal for Box Hill and the subsequent celebrations.

Well done lads on chalking up another victory. No training this Monday but make sure you keep practising your skills at home !

Round 7 - Bulleen

2007-06-30T06:38:00.001-07:00

Today we played our Round 7 match against the 2nd Bulleen side in our group. Box Hill got off to a quick start, attacking from the outset. Some early chances went begging, but Nick found his distance from just inside the 18 yard box to get things underway. A great shot that gave the Bulleen keeper little chance of a save.

Box Hill continued to press hard in the first half but our normal passing game was lacking and too many players were rushing and trying to take too many Bulleen players on. As such the general standard of play was fairly poor and the game quickly became unsettled. Not long before halftime we managed to convert our 2nd goal, courtesy of Dylan who made no mistake from the 6 yard box.

The 2nd half saw Box Hill continue to dominate possession, however we continued to play a very individualistic brand of football. This meant that we lacked discipline close to goal and allowed Bulleen to clear far too many balls that we should have scored from. To their credit, Bulleen defended in strong numbers and continued to chase down every ball. They also had a few chances to score late in the half, however we managed to eventually clear the ball with long kicks out of the box.

So another victory to the young Kangaroo's but by no means a performance to be proud of. Perhaps the lack of training during the week had a negative impact on the boys, more reason to put down the PSP and get out into the back yard for those 100 touches per day !

Video Highlights - Round 5 Knox UTD

2007-06-20T04:51:00.000-07:00

Round 5 - Knox UTD

2007-06-15T21:27:00.000-07:00

I get really annoyed when people say one thing and then do the complete opposite. Such was the case today at Knox United, the Ref stating quite clearly before the match that he would not call Off-Side unless a player was camping in the goal mouth. Hence when he called Michael Off-Side (he was probably a body width in front of the last defender) you can imagine my frustration and to top it off I copped a mouthful of sarcasm from Knox's Coach. How quickly they forget what environment they will endure at our next meeting !

Now that I have got that off my chest, it was fair to say that Knox managed to keep the pressure on our lads during the first half. We did control the majority of the play, however we were not really playing our usual style and we were rushing our passes instead of slowing the game down and dictating the flow of the game.

Knox relied too much on one player who camped on our last defender all day. Any through balls that managed to get to him were quickly cancelled out by great defensive play. Aaron, Declan, Hamish and Jordy all combining to work the ball out of danger areas. No score at the halftime break, however I reckon the Knox Coach fancied his chances.

Clifton and Dave gave the lads some words of wisdom during the break and encouraged the boys to relax on the ball and control it with a good first touch. We were clearly the more dominant and skillful side, so we needed to play to our strengths and take the early initiative in the 2nd half.

The boys listened to the halftime advice and our midfielders started to knock the ball around very nicely. Jesse and Nick were winning the 50/50 balls and they had great support from Kosi and Dylan on the wings. Meanwhile Aaron (D), Charlie and Michael were causing the Knox defenders a lot of problems

2 well constructed goals were our reward in the 2nd half, with Jesse finishing both chances. However the work that went into creating the goals was fantastic and this was evident by the way that the boys celebrated after each conversion. As parents we are lucky to witness such wonderful passages of play, especially considering most of the lads are still only 9 years old.

Marcel once again kept a clean sheet and he made the right choices when Knox had a couple of late chances in the game. Next week we meet Monash at home and hopefully they bring down their best squad. Last year we had some great matches against Monash and the boys always look forward to a tough contest.

Video Highlights - Round 4 Doncaster

2007-06-15T05:46:00.000-07:00

Video Highlights - Round 3 Bulleen

2007-06-13T06:51:00.000-07:00

Round 4 - Doncaster Rovers

2007-06-08T20:29:00.000-07:00

Today we travelled to Anderson Park to play against Doncaster Rovers. We have always had interesting games with this club, so we were ready for anything to happen. As it turned out the morning was very enjoyable, with parents behaving themselves and a good game of Football to watch.

In the first half we were kicking against the wind, however we had the benefit of the Sun at our backs. Both teams looked a bit lazy in the first half and the ball seemed to just ping pong it's way around the ground without much control. We had a few good chances to convert, however we rushed our shots and missed our opportunities. We also failed to take a controlling touch when we had time, preferring to just kick the ball quickly.

As such the first half ended with no score for either team and both Keepers had managed to clear any danger effectively. During the half time break, Clifton asked the boys to work harder and play their natural game. We needed to take on the Doncaster players and keep the pressure on them. We also needed to get louder and communicate more effectively, too many players were contesting the same ball and getting in each others way.

The 2nd half started a lot better for us and we lifted the pace of the game. Our midfield worked hard to win the 50/50 balls and our wide players started coming into the match. We were attacking the ball and not waiting for it to come to us, which resulted in more pressure being put on the Doncaster Players.

Our hard work paid off when Jesse ran down the wing and then crossed the ball into the 18 yard box to find Nick, who neatly slotted it past the Keeper for our first goal. This seemed to lift the boys even more and we started to run even harder through the midfield. Our 2nd goal came courtesy of a corner kick from Jesse, the ball bending back into the goal and the Doncaster Keeper managing to get a finger on it. The ball hit the underneath of the cross bar and went into the back of the net.

2 nil and the lads had their tails up. Our passing continued to get better with Dylan, Hamish and Kosi doing some great work to hassle the Doncaster players. Our defence was working well as a unit and Jordan was teaming up well with Aaron & Declan. Meanwhile we continued to push hard into Doncaster's defence and it was great to see Michael take on the Doncaster midfield and run with the ball into the box, only to be brought down by an illegal tackle.

An indirect free kick was awarded from the edge of the 18 yard box and Aaron made no mistake with a beautifully positioned strike that gave the Keeper no chance. Doncaster continued to play as well as they could and they managed a couple of late charges up the wings. However Marcel had everything covered and was clearing the ball really nicely out to the wide areas.

We finished off with a 4th goal after Jesse drew the Keeper, then chipped the ball over his head. Michael followed the flight of the ball and made sure of the goal by giving it a gentle tap with his head. Our 2nd half effort was much better and the results were evident. Our running players had come into the game and were maintaining possession by recovering their positions quickly. It was great to see Aaron (D) and Charlie continue to gain confidence and show what they can do.

So the lads continue on undefeated and next week we play Knox United (not Knox City) away. We don't know much about this team as we have not played them before, but lets hope for a great game with plenty of action !

Video Highlights - Round 1 & 2

2007-06-04T04:38:00.000-07:00

Round 3 - Bulleen

2007-06-02T04:42:00.000-07:00

Our 3rd Round match was against Bulleen at Wembley Park. A good day for Football with cool and overcast conditions. The lads had played Bulleen a few weeks ago in a practice game and came away with a 1 nil win. It would be interesting to see how the boys performed today after a convincing 10 nil drubbing over Ashburton last week.

No Off-Side today, however our boys were instructed to honour the rule regardless. The game got off to a good start with both sides attacking the ball. Box Hill took the early control of the game by winning the 50/50 contests and supporting each other. As usual our defence was rock solid and it is fair to say that teams have found it extremely difficult to get past our back 4.

Our first goal came courtesy of Carlo, who after missing a couple of opportunities earlier in the game, ran through the box a slotted the ball into the bottom corner. We were trying to avoid hitting high balls at the Bulleen Keeper as he is very good in the air. Our 2nd goal came shortly afterwards via a free kick by Aaron S. This is the 2nd week in a row that Aaron has achieved the same result from a free kick.

We finished the 1 st half with a 3rd goal from Nick, a neat pass into space from Jesse set him up beautifully and he made no mistake in hitting the target. Halftime arrived and we had a comfortable 3 goal lead. It could have been 5 or 6 had luck gone our way, however the Bulleen Keeper was good enough to stop a couple of certain goals from going in.

The 2nd half ended up scoreless, however Bulleen did manage a couple of daylight raids into our defensive area. Bulleen had chances but sprayed their shots wide and failed to capitalise. In contrast, Box Hill controlled the tempo of the game and it was nice to see some good series of passes through the midfield and switches of play across the back line.

We had many chances to convert during the second half, however Bulleen managed to clear the ball or their Keeper did the impossible. Next week we travel to Anderson Park to play Doncaster in what is sure to be a hard tussle. Don't expect any favours from the boys in Yellow and Green as they love to try and beat us on their terms.

Round 2 - Ashburton

2007-05-26T04:21:00.000-07:00

Warner Reserve was the venue for today's Round 2 match against Ashburton. An earlier start than normal with a 10am kick-off, however with the Sun shining and not a cloud in the sky it was perfect conditions for a game of football.

Today we had Michael and Jordan missing, so we only had 1 substitute. The game got off to a good start with Ashburton applying pressure to our defence. Before the match Ashburton agreed to play a modified version of the Off-Side rule. However it was evident early in the game that this would not happen, with 2 Ashburton players setting up camp in the 18 yard box. Eventually the young Box Hill Kangaroos cranked up through the gears and started to play their usual passing game.

Ashburton were persistent, but only until the first goal went sailing past their Keeper, courtesy of a free kick by Aaron S. This was perfect motivation for our lads and we continued to push hard into Ashburton's defence. The oppositions Keeper was doing a great job and pulled of some fantastic saves, but we still managed to get 4 past him by half time.

Supercoach Clifton Dragon told the boys during the half time break to continue to create space and look for passing options. A few players were holding on to the ball for too long and running into trouble. He also told the lads not to worry about the Ashburton players who were off-side and to focus on keeping possession and letting the ball do the work.

We had the benefit of a slight breeze and the Sun at our backs during the 2nd half, an advantage that Ashburton squandered during the first half. Once again we continued to control the majority of play, using the wide corridors to push the ball forward. Ashburton did manage a few shots from long range, however Marcel was never really challenged and he cleared the ball effectively.

Another 6 goals went past the Ashburton Keeper in the 2nd half and he probably saved as many chances again. A highlight was Declan's run through the entire Ashburton midfield and defence to score a brilliant solo goal. Another moment of amusement was the multiple shots on goal from inside the 6 yard box, the ball hitting the post 4 times before being cleared by Ashburton.

Apart from the disappointing effort from Ashburton, we did use the occasion to practice some of the things we have been doing at training. Some nice switches of play through the midfield and some great work along the wings with Charlie and Aaron D starting to show us what we all know they can do. Special mention to Hamish who hassled and harassed the Ashburton players in the midfield...well done !

Next week we are at home against Bulleen...hopefully more of a challenge than today.

Round 1 - Whitehorse

2007-05-19T03:30:00.000-07:00

Today was Round 1 in the 2007 Season and we were up against our old foes, Whitehorse. Last year Whitehorse caught us napping in our first encounter and we had to wait until late in the season to even the ledger. The U10 Kangaroos were not going to give Whitehorse any easy breaks today however.

Light rain was falling at Wembley Park for the first half of the match, hence the ball was skidding and difficult to control. Box Hill took early control of the game through the midfield and we were very unlucky not to have scored in the first 5 minutes of the game. Jesse took a free kick from just outside the box and sent the ball high and towards the top corner. It looked like it was going to hit the back of the net, but the WH GK pulled off a fantastic leaping save just at the last moment.

Box Hill continued to pressure WH and a series of corner kicks were delivered viciously into the goal mouth, however Box Hill failed to convert the opportunities. The best chance came when Nick managed to head the ball just over the bar. Halftime came and WH could count themselves lucky not to be 2 or 3 goals down.

Supercoach Clifton Dragon asked the boys to use the space around them and not crowd the ball. We also needed to release the ball earlier and pressure the WH defenders. The 2nd half started with Box Hill once again dominating possession and winning most of the contested balls. WH managed a couple of counter attacks along the right wing, however some long range shots were easily handled by the safe hands of Marcel.

About halfway through the 2nd half we managed to push deep into the WH defence and a nice series of passes resulted in Nick having a cracking shot from just outside the box. The ball moved like a cruise missile and slammed into the back of the net. WH seemed shocked and their heads dropped, not the best sign to give a team like Box Hill. It wasn't long before another forward assault resulted in a free kick just outside the penalty box. Jesse hit the ball with power and it bounced off a WH defender and straight into the path of Nick who took no time to knock it past the WH GK.

2 nil is how the game ended and a very deserved win for the talented Kangaroos. Some great performances around the ground today: Jordan working hard in defence with Aaron, Matty and Declan. Hamish, Charlie, Dylan and Aaron (D) all adding value through the midfield. While Carlo, Michael and Kosi managed to frustrate the WH Defenders all day.

A great start to the season for the lads and some really nice passages of play. Next week sees us away at Ashburton for Round 2.

Bulleen May 12th

2007-05-12T03:05:00.000-07:00

Today we played Bulleen in our final practice match before the season commences. Conditions were perfect for a great game of football on Wembley Park. The lads got off to a good start and controlled the flow of the game. Bulleen were physical, but Box Hill were able to win the crucial 50/50 balls and maintain the majority of possession.

The first half saw Box Hill enter the box on many occasions, however our shots on goal were adequately dealt with by the Bulleen keeper. In contrast, Bulleen found it difficult to penetrate our defence, hence Marcel only touched the ball once during the first 25 minutes.

The 2nd half continued similarly to the first with Box Hill controlling the majority of play. Although we were managing to get the ball into danger areas, we were unable to convert. Clifton told the boys at half time to have low shots on the Bulleen keeper as he was too good with high balls. Aaron D must have listened as his low fast shot went straight between the Bulleen Keepers legs to give Box Hill a 1 nil lead.

Scores remained the same until the final whistle, however if it had not been for some brilliant efforts from the Bulleen keeper, it could easily have blown out to a 5 or 6 goal drubbing.

Good signs for the young Kangaroos with good movement and passing. We still need to get a bit louder and release the ball a bit earlier. Remember to keep moving once you have passed the ball so that you can get it back again !

Beaumaris May 5th 2007

2007-05-05T02:09:00.000-07:00

Today we played Beaumaris in a practice game at FFV headquarters. It was perfect conditions at Darebin and both teams really enjoyed playing on the synthetic pitch. Box Hill got off to a great start with a conversion within the first few minutes of the match. Some clever play along the wing resulted in a great ball into the box, which found the back of the net with ease.

Our second goal came from a visciously whipped in corner, which a defender stuck out a desperate leg to and scored an own goal. 2 nil and the lads had their tails up, however Beaumaris managed a well put together goal late in the half to go to the break 1 goal down.

The 2nd half was as intense as the 1st and both teams worked hard in the midfield. Some good chances for Box Hill during the term with some well planned forays into the box, but Beaumaris defended well and managed to clear the ball. At the other end of the ground Beaumaris had a couple of good chances with some corners, but failed to convert.

All up an enjoyable game for both sides with Box Hill walking away with a 2 / 1 victory. Thanks to Dave Stack for refereeing the match and to Steve T for finally working out how to put the drink bottle holder together !

2007 Sponsor

2007-04-28T04:44:00.000-07:00

Steve Tsivelekis from Whitehorse Brake & Clutch has generously sponsored the U10 Kangaroos by providing each team member with a Sports Bag for the 2007 season. If you need Brake or Clutch parts, please consider using Steve's business. He also makes a great cup of instant coffee and is always keen for a chat !

Dates to Remember !

2007-04-23T05:45:00.000-07:00

Sunday April 29th - Practice match against the U10 Joeys at Wembley Park. Kick Off is at 12pm, so please be at the ground by 11.30am at the latest.

Saturday May 5th - Practice match at FFV Darebin against Beaumaris. Kick Off is at 5pm, please be at the ground by 4.30pm.

Saturday May 12th - Practice match against Bulleen at Wembley Park. Kick Off is at 12pm, so please be at the ground by 11.30am at the latest.

Monday Night Training Announced

2007-04-23T00:23:00.000-07:00

Please be advised that from Monday April 30th we will be training on Monday evenings at Sparks Reserve (opposite Wembley Park).

Training will run from 6.30pm to 8pm.

2006 Season Pictorial

2007-04-20T21:20:00.000-07:00

View a video compilation of the boys from last years U9 competition.

U12 A

Round 7 - Bulleen

Round 6 - Hampton

U11 A - 2008 Season Pictorial

Round 18 - South Yarra

Round 17 - Monash

Round 16 - Eastern Lions

Round 15 - Doncaster

Round 14 - Stonnington

Round 13 - Boroondara

Round 12 - Bulleen

Round 11 - Ashburton

Round 10 - Manningham

Round 9 2008 - South Yarra

Goal from Scissor Kick not allowed ?

Round 8 2008 - Monash

Round 7 2008 - Eastern Lions

Video Highlights - Round 6 Doncaster

Video Highlights - Round 5 Stonnington

Round 6 2008 - Doncaster

Round 5 2008 - Stonnington

Round 4 2008 - Boroondara Eagles

Video Highlights

Round 3 2008 - Bulleen

Round 2 2008 - Ashburton

Round 1 2008 - Manningham

Cross Border Trophy

Castlefield Shield Day 2

Castlefield Shield Day 1

Undefeated !

Round 16 - Bulleen

Round 15 - Monash

Round 14 - Knox United

Round 13 - Doncaster

Round 12 - Bulleen

Video Highlights - Round 10

Round 11 - Ashburton

Round 10 - Whitehorse

Video Highlights - Round 9 Eastern Lions

Round 9 - Eastern Lions

Video Highlights - Monash / Mooroolbark

Round 8 - Mooroolbark

Round 7 - Bulleen

Video Highlights - Round 5 Knox UTD

Round 5 - Knox UTD

Video Highlights - Round 4 Doncaster

Video Highlights - Round 3 Bulleen

Round 4 - Doncaster Rovers

More Video Highlights...

Video Highlights - Round 1 & 2

Round 3 - Bulleen

Round 2 - Ashburton

Round 1 - Whitehorse

Bulleen May 12th

Beaumaris May 5th 2007

2007 Sponsor

Dates to Remember !

Monday Night Training Announced

2006 Season Pictorial