Back at home in style

It was like a lovely step-back in time on a warm, blustery day back at home for a double-header fixture. The pitch played well, many parents were spectating, and the boys played some excellent passing football throughout.

They will be slightly disappointed not to have registered two victories, but a dominant 0-0 and a straightforward 2-0 was a good return against a side we had never played before.

In the first game, Balham were dominant throughout, probably more so than in the second game. Somehow, they could not quite score despite some excellent build-up play and robust defending. It was a pleasure to see Chris and Wilbur looking composed at the back, and the wing-backs making several surging runs down both flanks.

Early on, George was well tackled in the penalty area and Gethin came close after an Amine cross from the left. Ethan showed great energy down the right, setting up Gethin whose shot was well saved.

Every time Oakwood attacked, Chris looked composed and out-muscled the attackers. Amine skipped through the defence, but his shot from a tight angle was saved. The wing-backs were pushing forward and Luca fired just over.

After a scrappy period, the team in blue came into it a little, but never really threatened. Jacob was distributing the ball well to set up multiple attacks. Whilst Balham showed great pressure, with Will and Ethan attacking down the flanks, and George and Amine running midfield, there were no real clear-cut chances. In the last minute before half-time, there was a claim for a handball but the penalty was not awarded.

The second half followed the same pattern and the boys started to get frustrated with several long-range efforts. Dylan and Jude connected well on the left, and with a surging run Jude beat his defender beautifully, only for George's scooping left-foot effort to sail just over the bar. Ollie was creating several chances down the right but none of the crosses could quite reach a Balham player; in the final minute, an excellent run from him deserved a goal. Agonisingly, his excellent cross along the ground was not followed in with a gaping goal ahead.

And so the first game ended, with a disappointed set of boys who knew they had played well enough to register their first League win of the season.

They did not have long to wait, though. With heads picked up, after a quick ten minute break, the Whites started as they had left off. Balham were on the front foot in the first ten minutes - Wilbur and Ethan combined superbly down the right to force a corner, Gethin had a chance he could not quite control, and Will's excellent run down the left was smothered by the keeper before Gethin could poke it in.

Ethan and George continued to combine well, but some strong last-gasp defending thwarted them again. Amine had other ideas though, picking up a loose ball in midfield, setting himself and firing in an excellent long-range effort to finally give Balham the lead they deserved.

Having not looked dangerous at all, Oakwood then had a small spell of pressure. Jacob saved sharply at the near post, and George needed to clear a ball off the line from a corner.

The pressure did not last long though and the Whites surged forward again. Ethan was perhaps too unselfish when at the edge of the box, crossing when he might have shot; Wilbur showed excellent skill to set top Will whose shot was saved. Jude's shot went over after another run from Ollie, but shortly afterwards the deserved second went in. George shot from an Ollie corner - the keeper could only parry it, with Dylan there to pop the ball home.

In the last move before half-time, Balham were so close to scoring their goal of the season. With excellent one-touch pass starting at the back with Chris and Wilbur, Amine, Ethan and George carried on the move, setting up Ollie whose shot was just over the bar.

In the second half, the boys needed to defend more with several players showing great diligence and strength. On several occasions, Chris - a man-mountain at the back, out-muscled the attacker to win the ball. Amine defended brilliantly in our penalty area, and Jacob took no prisoners with a sliding tackle outside of his area with Oakwood counter-attacking. The game petered out a little towards the end, although George showed excellent vision on a number of occasions with some excellent crosses to the right. From one, Ollie's cross could not quite be reached by George rushing into the area. Jude had a late chance to make it three but the keeper was equal to his left-footed shot.

An excellent eighty minutes of football from the boys, who can be pleased with their application, excellent passing and complete dominance of both matches today.