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Academy Match Reports

CONTROLLING THE GAME

23rd Nov 2023

Bloomsbury Football foundation U7 boys 6 vs 6 London Thames Sharks

Outstanding performance in this match! A great team effort with players demonstrating solidarity as well as supporting each other despite losing at the start. They managed to get back and keep fighting to level up the result. Some good performance and ability by all players, with Zach scoring a poker and Nabil being persistent in recovering the ball at all times. Ozan and Kenan also helped forward but doing great defensive work as well, Michael combining play with Finlay and having good opportunities to score.

The highlight of the game was the last minute nerve wracking equaliser. The team managed to comeback on the second half, however the opposition scored to take a 6-5 lead in the last few minutes. Following this, Bloomsbury was awarded a penalty, which we couldn’t manage to score. Nevertheless, we tried to get back like we did throughout the game. A pass in the box found Nabil who was able to score the equaliser in the last few seconds!  Both teams cheered the draw and took a group photo together at the end.

Player of the match was Zach, agreed by the whole team. Zach showed resilience after a tough first half and used that to be relentless, supporting the team throughout the second half as well as scoring important goals. The attitude and positivity he demonstrated, won him the player of the match. Training improved team confidence and ability to work as a unit. Ability wise, the team has improved their ball control and are now passing more. However that would be an area to still improve in training. We need to develop motor skills, improve ball control and dribbling and passing.

Bloomsbury Football Academy U9 gold boys 5 vs 0 Camden Borough

We were in control for the majority of the game due to being positionally switched on and focused. There were so many chances throughout the game and it was fantastic to be a spectator and a coach for this.  Goal scorers were Rocco, Ezekial, Charlie and Louis x2. Up the U9’s. My favourite moment of the game was when Ezekial picked the ball up on the wing and hit a knuckle ball from 20 yards out into the bottom corner of the goal. A magnificent finish!

Player of the match can’t just go to one player this week. It should be going to all the boys. The effort, energy and emotion to want to win this game and play well as a team made me really proud! The behaviour at training was much better this week resulting in us being switched on in the game. Our understanding of 1v1/2v2 defending has improved and this also showed in the game. Moving into next week I want us to focus on a passing combinations to try and work together as a team.

Bloomsbury Football Academy U9 black boys 9 vs 0 Benfica

A fantastic game to watch as a U9 Bloomsbury Fan! A 9 goal thriller where we just looked like we was untouchable. Dare I say invincible… An all round great performance from front to back. Goals from Ismail (4), Nabil, Ryan (2), Paulo and Ezekiel.. My favourite moment of the game was when Nabil hit a volley facing away from goal over his head and into the bottom corner! A brilliant goal and a brilliant celebration It’s hard to vote a player of the match this game as everyone was fantastic but if I had to it would be James Ssensuwa. On his debut for the team, he was defensively solid winning every ball and showing fantastic game understanding. A couple chances at goal which would’ve made me jump up in the air filled with enjoyment.

The behaviour at training was much better this week resulting in us being switched on in the game. Our understanding of 1v1 and 2v2 defending has improved and this also showed in the game. Moving into next week I want us to focus on a passing combinations to try and work together as a team.

Bloomsbury Football Academy U10 girls  5 vs 0 FC Marlybone

This match started off fairly even, with both teams sharing possession and chances. In the 12th minute a brilliantly taken throw in by Alexandra, into Aniera’s stride, followed by an amazing turn and shot put Bloomsbury 1-0 up. This didn’t stop FC Marylebone, as soon after they had a few really well set up chances, one stopped with a well timed tackle from Alexandra and another cleared off the line by Piper.

In the second half Bloomsbury came out on the front foot and Pipers fantastically taken goal, all the way from defence. This really set the pace for how the team continued to play in the second half. Aniera scored another two goals, with a brilliant display in the striker position to bag a hat-trick. Something she should really be proud of! But the girls were not finished yet, as Piper moved higher up he pitch to score her second goal of the match, a really deserved goal which came from the team pressing high and winning the ball back in the oppositions half.

Pipers first goal was the highlight of the match. She carried the ball all the way from defence to attack, weaving in and out of opposition players and then slotted the ball into the back of the net. Piper was also the player of the match. Not only because of the two amazing goals she scored but also because of her fight and determination in defence. An all round amazing performance. This weeks training hugely impacted the game, with defenders receiving the ball out wide from goal kick and building play from the back. Next week we will focus on tracking back into position when the opposition have the ball.

Bloomsbury Football Academy U10 gold boys 3 vs 1 European Football Gold

The toughest game of the season so far.  I feel like I write that every game but this was a nail biter. After a very slow start the opposition managed to sneak a goal just before half time. The first half we struggled to get into the groove but our defensive abilities were on point which saved us from conceding more than 1. After a much needed team talk at half time the boys went out there and changed the game. 2 quick goals from Teo and Kingsley let us relax and control possession. After that, Kingsley finished prolifically from a counter attack and the game was done.

My highlight was Kingsley’s breakaway counter attacking goal which came from an opposition  corner. Pace, skill and finish, a brilliant goal. Kingsley was also our player of the match. Not only his goal threat but also his work off the ball was crucial for the team. This week we worked on counter attacking. Perhaps it was a coincidence that the game would involve probably the most counter attacks we’ve had. The boys retained the knowledge and succeeded in that area of the game. We need to move the ball quicker and know when to dribble and when to pass to improve.

Bloomsbury Football Academy U11 gold boys 6 vs 2 Club SFC Blue

Wow! What an eventful game. It had absolutely everything resulting in a BIG and important win for the U11 team. As seemingly natural in recent weeks, the team conceded first again from a set piece. We had to fight back and quickly did with Edgar scoring again to equalise from a good cross from the left. The team started to put the pressure on but couldn’t find that next goal. Club SFC then started to counter attack and got a goal back scoring a rebound off the post. The boys had to go and believe again. With 5 minutes before half time Santi displayed some excellent dribbling on the right hand side, gliding past defenders and squeezed a finish into the bottom corner. The drama didn’t end there. Just on half time Deniro went round the keeper and Yasser went to put the shot into the net but it went wide of the post. This was the start of Yasser’s redemption arc in this game.

Another strong start from the second half from both teams led to chances at either end. But Bloomsbury got the next goal. Yasser finding his confidence to but a great cross across goal for Deniro to volley home into the corner. The game then went scrappy with both teams making numerous fouls leading to a very stop start game. But then a moment of brilliance. Yasser in space see’s the keeper off the line and chips him from distance. A true demonstration of resilience and never stop believing attitude.

The opposition then wanted to push further forward for the next goal and this meant there was space in behind to exploit. Kurt took advantage and got two assists on the counter attack for Yasser and Santi to both score again. A brilliant performance from the team. Well done all

After missing two big chances in the first half, seeing Yasser score a 20 yard chip over the keeper for our fourth goal was a brilliant moment in an excellent game. Kurt McDermott was our player of the match. Kurt came back into the team and worked non stop up and down the pitch. He played some brilliant through balls getting some assists in the process. In training we were trying to work on pressuring from the front and not letting opposition defenders have time on the ball. Deniro was able to press well with both Christian and Santi being able to press the wide defenders. We need to make sure that when defending from a free kick to hold a defensive line and not drop back – this would lead to player’s being onside.

Bloomsbury Football Academy U11 black boys 2 vs 2 The Vale FC

Another poor start to a game which meant that we conceded two quick goals early in the game. The team looked quiet and didn’t look up for the game. We took a long time to start putting tackles in and getting shots at goal. After making changing our keeper and some other positions on the pitch the team started to play their football. Pressing the opposition and getting tackles in led to creating chances. This resulted in Fallon getting a goal from our pressing from the front.

At half time we spoke about our poor start and how much better we are than what we had shown in the first half. We then fulfilled our promise shown in the first half with Marlei getting shots away at goal which the opposition keeper had to stretch to save. All the pressure paid off with Lachlan then powering a shot into the bottom corner to level the game up. The game was even with both teams having chances. We could’ve won the game if we only had started the game properly. A lesson for the team to not be over confident before a game at Coram’s.

My favourite moment was the equalising goal. The team looked really encouraged and then motivated to go get that equaliser. Lachlan Turner was our player of the match. Lachlan started the game slow but then grew into it. He got an assist for Fallon’s goal and then continued to keep the ball throughout the first half. Lachlan came off early in the second half, coming back on with the drive and correct attitude to then get the equalising goal. After we started the game slow we managed to start to press them high up the pitch and win the ball back. Lachlan was especially good at this. We need to make sure that we start games properly and we don’t give the opposing team a head start by conceding two goals.

Bloomsbury Football academy U12 girls 10 vs 0 HGS Vipers

Wow! A fantastic display of football from the U12 Girls on Sunday. We dominated the game from the start, with Miya scoring her first goal inside the first 3 minutes. We looked comfortable on the ball despite the oppositions press, and we’re organised defensively when we had the ball high up the pitch. Lots of goal shoutouts today: Noa scoring her first goal for the U12s, Aiyana with a brace, Miya with a hat trick and Ilva with four! Credit to all the girls who played in defence they were composed and calm on the ball and provided a great outlet to switch play. I was super proud of the clean sheet, with three different goalkeepers too, all stayed alert and were great sweepers!

My favourite moment was watching the goals scored from playing through the thirds. Most of our goals came from building the attack, being patient in possession and dominating the 1v1 battles to get the ball up the pitch. Salima is my player of the match for this game. She was incredible at being a sweeper in defence. Her communication and organisation was excellent and her passes into midfield were superb.

This week, we focused on playing through the the thirds, and switching play, specifically our passing and receiving. The girls were fantastic at this, and they remembered what we had focused on and put it into practice here. Next week, we know we will have tougher opposition so we will ensure we focus more on playing with a high intensity at all times, as well as being compact out of possession.

Bloomsbury Football academy U12 gold boys 0 vs 2 Macabi

We conceded 2 sloppy goals; scored none. The less said about this the better so I’ll try my best keep this concise. The Boys started strong but were unable to sustain it against what was a strong, well-drilled Macabi side. Despite some good build-up, we were unable to make it stick in the final third coming up against physically imposing, man-like adult defenders.

Eduardo put in a terrific shift running up and down the line to support the attack, our player of the match, as did Archie with some heroics on the right flank (when that boy learns to trust himself—madre mía, WFL ain’t ready). Zinedine toiled but fitness saw him come off early (suicides, Ali, suicides; everyday before school, nice one). Whilst Yacine’s terrier-like nature in the middle of the park kept Macabi at bay as much as possible. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be our day. We’ll be back and will be ready to put in the work back in training to condition ourselves for future battles. My highlight was when their gaffer nearly fell over when sprinting into the pitch. It wasn’t a great game.

We worked on creating conflict on the wings. Unfortunately, we were unable to sustain possession well enough to see this in full effect. I’ll be making it known that both full-backs and central-midfielders are able to provide conflict. Concentration throughout the match needs to improve, as well as staying compact and denying space centrally. Making the ball stick up top. Perhaps some safe-side carrying.

Bloomsbury Football Academy U12 black boys 5 vs 1 Isledon Wolves

This was more like it. 5-1. Dominant, tactically complete, ruthless. It’s like all my Christmas wishes came true in one evening. Lads, when I’m frustrated you’re messing around in training, it’s because I literally live for these moments. There’s not much else going on in a coach’s life, but boy you guys delivered. Seriously, I’m going to tell my mum she doesn’t need to buy me anything next month.

The signs were good early. Isledon may be Wolves in name but they were sheep in nature. Pressing with just one forward against our imperious back-3 of Archie, Kieran and Kristiano. Big mistake, buddy. We passed the ball around with the ease with which a samurai brandishes his blade; picking our moments to slice through their weak underbelly. Shoutouts must be made to our midfield dynamos: Yilly and Zinedine. Yillinho, my son that never was, you are so back. Unfortunately though it was the superiorly committed to Blooms Zinedine who ran the show. Flashbacks to his first trial when I marvelled at having a big lad with half-decent feet. His courage and outright physical domination of Isledon was a sight to behold. He could have been a player of the match contender if he could actually finish off his dinner… only joking – you are my man of the match.

That’s high praise because madre mia there were some good goals in there: Yillinho to start of proceedings with a top-left howitzer; Maxi with a hooked volley for the ages; and Oli DB with an other-worldly solo-effort-followed-by-scooped-finish (more of that on Sundays please yeah fella? In the Gold & Black of Blooms? None of this Beta nonsense). Those were accompanied by another two goals to put the icing on the cake for a 5-1 finish.

Aside from the goals, it was our tactical display that really impressed me. Not only was the build-up measured, the movement beyond from full-backs Archie, Kristiano and Elijah was superb, constantly offering conflict and creating space for our centre-mids. Moreover, we were able to force high turnovers through pressing in 3s: our striker showing to either side before ball-side CM blocking the line and far-side CM covering and blocking the diagonal. We can be better next week simply by translating our success to the 9-aside team with wingers, ball-side CMs applying pressing traps and CMs applying conflict for our wingers.

Bloomsbury Football foundation U13 Girls 2 vs 4 PSA

On a very windy Sunday the Bloomsbury girls played a competitive match in the u13 league. The first half was a tight competition with both teams working hard and making a few good chances but the wind was making it hard to play. But Bloomsbury kept their composure and battled away from start to finish. The second half the wind was against Bloomsbury making it extra hard for the girls to play they way they usually would.  The ball carrying further than expected when kicked up by the opposition.

The wind definitely helped the opposition to gain momentum and aided them in scoring a few goals that were hard for a keeper to save although the Bloomsbury players gave everything. The Bloomsbury girls didn’t let this get them down and pushed hard and Jet grabbed a goal immediately after the opposition scored and after another brilliant attack 4 minutes later Ela grabbed BFA’s second of the game. An unfortunate 4-2 loss for the Bloomsbury girls

My highlight was the resilience of all the players in tough conditions. Players player pf the match was Ela and coaches player of the match was Jet. This week we worked on defensive duals and more passing patterns to help us progress up the pitch. Next week we need to not be afraid to come to the ball and control it when it’s in the air. Bloomsbury Football Academy U13 black boys 6 vs 1 AFC Finchley North

A wet and windy Sunday morning in Barnet for the U13 boys, tough conditions for an important game to get back on track and winning in the league. Following back to back losses, it was important the boys go into this game with the mentality needed to change this and that’s exactly what they did! Lorenzo Sanna started menacingly and was a continuous threat from the first minute. He started the team off on the right foot, calmly slotting away the first goal of the game. Despite many opportunities and great play it was still only 1-0 20 minutes into the game. That was until some great play from the team. A throw in from the left went into Max Gerber who turned and switched play to his midfield partner Everett Nerland. Everrett then played a perfect pass in front of Eben who took a touch and dispatched his chance into the back of the net. The half time whistle goes with the boys 2-0 up and dominating.

In the second half Lorenzo Sanna scored a superb individual goal off the right hand side, skipping past two players and giving the keeper no chance with his powerful accurate finish. Elliot and Kente also added their names to the scoresheet and Lorenzo finished off the scoring from Bloomsbury after a fantastic cross from deep by Linus which Lorenzo volleyed into the back of the net, completing his hat trick and rounding off a great performance to get back on track in the league.

The play from the midfield for Ebens goal was my highlight because we spoke about the shape and positions they should take up in possession. The boys executed it perfectly and it led to a great goal. Lorenzo Sanna was our player of the match. Lorenzo dominated the game from start to finish and was unplayable. The opposition had no answer for him and he rallied the squad to a very good win. We worked on playing out from the back and the boys confidently attempted to play out continuously whilst taking up the correct positions and shape to do so. We need to continue to improve on what we did well and take more of the chances we create.

Bloomsbury Football Academy U14 Girls 2 vs 2 Kickabout Griffin

 Bloomsbury started on the back foot in the first 5 minutes with the opposition having three shots just off target and Shola pulling off some great stops. Shola received players player of the match again for another good performance, playing out well from the back too. After a rocky start we conceded first but Kayla scored twice in the first half to make it 2-1 at half time. Kayla also received players player of the match from her teammates. Gabby put in the performance of her career, making sure no one passed her in defence. If they did get past, Muzique, O’Miya or anyone else would be tracking back to support. Bloomsbury put in a huge effort to try to secure the win. It was just very unlucky in the last minute to concede.

Tara was great out on the wing and Laura too, who led the team with a great speech at the start exclaiming, ‘mistakes happen, we are still a great team’. Marwa was coaches player of the match because she was always encouraging players when they did play to their potential and made some great runs down the wing herself. Janet played in midfield and stayed tight to her marker putting in some strong tackles when needed. I am very glad we have the game recorded because Kayla’s goal was an incredible top left bins effort off the right wing, our favourite moment of the game.

We have been working on recycling the ball and it is really starting to show as we build up the play we play back to switch sides really well. We need to improve on seeing out the game and taking our chances because we had lots of shots on goal in the second half that could have increased our advantage. This was the only missing piece as everyone really played their part.

Bloomsbury Football Academy U14 Girls 0 vs 4 Kick action

The BFA girls put in a fantastic effort from start to finish with a reduced squad size of just 9 for this game. The girls pushed and battle with an opposition who were taller and more physical than the majority of the the BFA squad especially as a few U13 players stepped up for this game. A touch match in some testing wind conditions with they girls being caught a little of guard at the back to concede the few goals they conceded.

The fight in all players to keep pushing even with limited numbers was my highlight. Players player of the match was Emily for her constant running and coaches player of the match was Eleanor for her defensive abilities throughout the game. This week we worked on defensive duals and more passing patterns to help us progress up the pitch. To improve we need to be not scared of the ball when it comes towards us especially when in the air.

Bloomsbury Football Academy U14 boys 0 vs 6 London Maccabi Lions

In a challenging encounter between BFA and London Maccabi Lions , the team found themselves on the wrong side of a 6-0 score line. The match proved to be a tough test for us as we faced a well-organised and difficult opponent that capitalized on our slow start. In the first half we struggled to match the quality of London Maccabi, conceding several quick-fire goals that left us with a daunting 4-0 deficit at halftime. Despite the early setbacks, the halftime break became a turning point for the team as they rallied together, determined to put in a stronger performance in the second half.

With renewed energy and a collective fire in their bellies, the BFA U14 boys displayed a significant improvement in their overall play during the second period. The defence tightened up, and the midfield worked tirelessly to create more goal-scoring opportunities. However, the team was unfortunate not to convert these chances into goals, as our shooting accuracy and decision-making in front of the goal showed definite room for improvement.

Despite the mounting score line, the boys never gave up. Their relentless spirit and commitment were evident as they continued to push forward, trying to break through the resolute defence of the London Maccabi Lions. The second half showcased the team’s resilience and determination, demonstrating that we have a squad unwilling to surrender, even when faced with adversity. Although the final result did not favour BFA , the match highlighted valuable lessons for the players. The experience of facing a tough opponent and the character displayed in the second half are crucial elements for this team’s growth and development. As they continue to hone their skills, the BFA U14 boys can draw inspiration from their unwavering effort and commitment, using this match as a building block for future success.

Strahinja Zizic, who normally plays as a central midfielder, put in a huge performance at centre back, commanding the backline and organising the players around him. He displayed composure and quality on the ball, as we attempted to build our attacks from the back. However, it was his mental toughness and resilience that stood out above all else. Despite the difficult score line, he never let his head drop and continued to motivate and inspire his teammates, leading by example on the pitch.

In training last week we worked on our game out out of possession, focusing on our defensive principles in 1v1 and 2v2 situations. Although the score line represents a difficult game for us, there were positives to take from the second half as the boys looked to implement the week’s training in the game and were much better organised defensively and harder to break down. There is always lots of room for improvement in youth football. One main focus moving forward, is in our psychological approach to matches. The team is learning the importance of putting in a good performance for the full duration of the game, and particularly in our case, of making a good start in the first half and not leaving ourselves a mountain to climb in the second .

Bloomsbury Football foundation U15 Boys 6 vs 2 Maccabi London FC

The result was good and players should feel good. We showed that we can move the ball in part and took our opportunities, creating a lot of shooting opportunities. Goals were scored by  Luca Della Nave (2), Sammy Seddat (2), with Daniel Afsharpour and Kyri Gregoriou scoring one each as well.There were a few players who had really good performances. I would like to highlight Oliwier Bartula, Rion Finnis-Dangerfield and Roka Barnes. Roka, made a lot of good overlapping runs on the right side. Rion, gave good defensive support and had a really good shot saved. Oliwier kept possession and created good attacking opportunities in midfield. My moment of the match was Sammy’s long range screamer.  Sammy was also our player of the match.

I believe we have improved week by week and that’s a great thing! We still need to work on dealing with the second ball and moving the ball across the pitch. We are still struggling to move the ball in the right places with good technique. This is an individual and collective responsibility. We’ll be focusing in these areas in the coming training sessions. I believe the performance could be much better as the opposition gave us a lot of space to work with.

The previous weeks focus on defensive shape and 1v1 defending. The boys showed good defensive shape and we did well in our 1v1 battles. I really liked our defensive shape as it was compact and we dealt with the aerial balls quite well in parts. There’s still work to be done on controlling the ball and distributing it from the back. Good performance but areas to improve is my summary. Onwards and upwards, up the Bloomsbury!

Bloomsbury Football Academy U16 girls 7 vs 0 Ruislip Rangers

The girls gave everything and more in what was a fantastic all round performance. The effort and attitude on display was extremely commendable, and this directly translated to their performance as they overran and overwhelmed the opposition from start to finish. Rebecca opened the scoring with a tidy finish within the first two minutes of the game, from which the flood gates proceeded to open. Both Karina and Alexia bagged a brace, with dazzling feet and decisive dribbling, the pair were a constant threat whenever they touched the ball. Acacia also got on the scoresheet with a lovely nice finish inside the box, and an own goal completed the punishing performance.

The defensive unit of Scarlet, Toni and Carla were formidable and impenetrable, constantly communicating and covering for one another, they didn’t even concede a shot on target the whole game! My favourite moment was Alexia’s brilliant solo goal in the second half. She won the ball in our half, breezed past her defender and surged towards goal before smashing it across goal from just outside the box. I couldn’t pick between two players for my player of the match; Carla captained and commanded the side well from the back, always vocal, dominant in defensive duels, and calm and composed on the ball at all times. My other choice was Alexia, who ran riot and scored that brilliant solo goal, tracked back making many tackles and interceptions, and controlled the game from the midfield with some brilliant passes and great awareness.

The girls trained with the U15’s on Monday and were brilliant, really good examples to the younger players. They didn’t have training on Wednesday as their coach wasn’t available, but this didn’t affect them one bit as they turned up with the right attitude and performed above my expectations as their stand-in coach. In order to be even better next week, all I ask is that the girls continue to communicate to each other throughout the match both in and out of possession. Call for the ball when you’re in space, shout “man on!” when your teammate is under pressure, tell one another who is marking who, and encourage and praise each other as this raises the whole team morale.

Bloomsbury Football Academy U16 Boys 6 vs 0 Highbury Wolves

Bloomsbury U16s beat Highbury Wolves in the CIYFL with a commanding 6-0 win on Friday night. The players set an incredible intensity throughout the game and put in a battling performance, resulting in some superb pass-and-move goals and some wonderful free-flowing football. The lads rode some aggressive challenges well, and battled hard to assert themselves throughout the game. Players looked confident to take opponents on 1v1 and combined well with their teammates to create some lovely chances. Goals scorers were, Ellis Irish (Elijah Johnson assist), Zak Zebiri (Benni Doleman assist), Benni Doleman, Elijah Johnson (Benni Doleman assist), Marc Bowyer (Elijah Johnson assist), Benni Doleman (Elijah Johnson assist).

There were lots of good moments throughout the game – I honestly can’t pick one stand out moment as the quality was high throughout! Marc Bowyer was our player of the match. Marc put in an exemplary performance, setting the standard and the tone for the match. He was aggressive, intense, and did not rest off-the-ball to support his teammates well and provided some great quality on the ball.

Last week, we focussed on our possession principles. Mainly, we looked at developing spontaneous rotations and encouraging intelligent pass-and-move concepts. We looked to ensure that after playing a pass, players positively rotated with a teammate to support ahead of the ball, alongside the ball, or deeper than the ball to provide appropriate support options. Players looked to support each well within the game, although we do need to increase our reaction times as soon as we regain or rotate possession. This week, we will continue to reaffirm our possession principles and look to build third-player concepts. Additionally, we will look to consider how the timing of our movement affects our ability to receive, and how we can use selfless support runs to open spaces and produce receiving opportunities for our teammates.

Bloomsbury Football Academy U17 Boys 3 vs 0 Enfield Town

We travelled to Enfield for our reverse fixture against Enfield town U18. We started the game very sloppily, giving the ball away 3 times in the opening minute. A shot came in from their striker and Tom pushed wide for a corner. Immediately after we begin to take control, keeping the ball well and having our opponents chase the ball. Markus released Felix who is now 1v1 with the defender, beats him for pace but is brought down from behind!! Surely a pen?? The ref says no! Midway into the first half, Saul has it on the edge of the box, beats his man and shoots. The keepers saves it but the rebound falls to Lamin who scores bottom corner. 1-0 blooms!!

Saul finds flint who drives into the middle of Enfield’s area. He beats one player then is clipped by another player in the box!! Ref points to the spot for a penalty. Flint steps up and slots it home for 2-0 blooms!! We go in 2-0 at half time. Enfield kick off the second half the same way they did the first half with Tom making a great save from their no.9. The game begins to go end to end. If Enfield get the next goal it makes the game interesting, If we get the next goal it’s a real uphill battle for Enfield to come back. Felix drives forward with the ball, plays a through ball to Lamin who lobs the keeper and then taps it into the empty net, the highlight of the match. 3-0 blooms!! Great away win!! On to the next game.

Oscar was our player of the match as he controlled the game. This week we worked on shooting and getting our shots off quickly. To improve we need to be even more clinical.

 

Bloomsbury Football Academy U18 Boys 3 vs 0 Clissold Rangers

A match against bottom of the table Clissold Rangers presented us with a perfect opportunity to get back to winning ways following our draw against the Under 17s in the WFL last time out. We came out of the blocks firing and created a couple of fine goal scoring opportunities through our early pressing and quick passing combinations up front. The early pressure paid off and Luca finished off a fine move that started all the way from our goal kick. The second soon followed with Jayden Irish starting and finishing the attack with a marauding run out of defence, latching onto a through ball after good link up play with Luca , that we have come so accustomed to seeing this season. The third came just before the break after a long throw by David caused trouble which Luca pounced on to set up Jayden once again for a simple tap in for his second of the match.

As has been the case far too often against perceived weaker opposition this season, BFA allows complacency and comfort to creep into our game. The second half was a reflection of this, a truly dull affair as we took our foot off the gas and rarely threatened their defence we allowed the quality of our passes and touches to slip. Time to pick ourselves and prepare for a cup quarter final to come!

Luke’s flick on around the corner in the build up to the first goal was my highlight of the match. All whilst pinned to the defender, something we worked on in training this week. Luca was our player of the match. 2 assists and a goal capped off an all round dominant performance despite carrying a knock. His determination to succeed is infectious to the team!

Last week we worked on different passing combinations and ways to break defensive lines. This was evident at times during the match. To improve we need to keep our fitness levels up to ensure we can maintain our physical and mental performance as we enter a crucial run of fixtures.

on to the next!