Sunday May 15th and The Pumas would once again travel to one of our main title rivals on the final day of the season for a winner takes all championship decider. Harvesters full of confidence after their 2 cup final victories over ourselves in the last fortnight showed their class as a top football club by moving the game to their superb club house pitch and booking top youth football referee Ian Woods along with two assistant referees such was the importance of this game. Back in September after both sides received crushing defeats by Whetstone Tigers this would have appeared to be a runners up clash, instead Tigers crashed and burned and ourselves and Harvesters went on to completely dominate WFL football. The signs were not promising beforehand with both regular full backs Luke and Jonny unavailable, so we decided to take a huge gamble starting 4 boys in new positions. We lined up in a 5 4 1 formation with C Weiss and A Charles as wing backs, R Schmid and G Sumpter man marking their dangerous front two with H Salinger sweeping. J Mullin was selected for his pace and directness on the right of midfield with Z Jackson on the left, in the middle R Finnegan was chosen for his heading ability and work rate alongside The Foss with D Noel-Williams leading the attack on his own but with instruction for the midfield to quickly support him when in possession but to quickly fall back if we lost the ball. The boys were fully aware that a point would be enough for the title but began the game on the front foot taking charge early on with quick accurate passing and showing fantastic desire in the tackle. J Mullin was our main threat carrying out pre game instruction to attack the corner flag at every opportunity.Rohan and Fossey were dominant in the middle and DNW gave his all up front but was clearly only 80% after picking up a thigh muscle injury during Thursday victory over Tigers. L Singer-Davies was brought on for Zak after 25 mins and quickly settled. J Mullin hit a fine powerful strike that went just wide but chances were few and far between, which suited us with the whole back 5 all having superb games.HT came and we needed to get D Flude on , but there was no way I was going to split up such a solid defensive unit so another gamble was taken. 40 goal striker DNW was withdrawn but instead of the skipper moving forward as usual James was asked to go up top as he looked like a real goal threat and Ro was having a blinder in the middle, plus we reminded Dan of his knack of popping up with vital goals when he had played right midfield on other occasions. We kicked off and what followed is still a bit of a blur, James kicked off to Ro,back to Greg, sideways to Ryan who found the Foss, he traded first time passes with Lukas, to Ash back to Foss who found James for a first time finish and one of the most stunning goals we have ever scored. This was a result of hours of hard work by the whole squad on winter nights on the astro playing numerous games of passing box and small sided 2 touch football, and when their assistant manager turned to me and said that goal deserves to win the title it made me immensely proud of this brilliant group of talented footballers. The boys were now in command and on 39 mins Ash took a throw that James pressured their fullback in to a mistake and when the ball fell to D Flude he coolly slotted home for his second league goal of the season and consequently set off wild celebrations amongst the Puma parents. With 10 mins remaining an in swinging Harvesters corner was powerfully headed on to Jacobs post and cleared, but for once we never pressurised quickly enough and the ball was lofted back in to our box where M Whites looping header beat Jacob. We remained composed though to see out the remaining few minutes without further scares and the whistle blew to the sounds of cheers and the boys were Champions again. A quite brilliant team performance, Jacob playing his last ever Pumas game was commanding in goal. He leaves us with our best wishes along with 2 league title medals,5 cup finals and numerous tournament wins all in the last 3 seasons. Ash once again showed his versatility stepping in for Jonny and playing a blinder. H and Ryan dominated their forwards and once again looked the perfect double act with Greg excellent in his man marker role. James was a constant danger and would surely have walked the most improved player of the season had we not scrapped it to allow the parents a vote. Ro as always had great energy but even I was surprised how dominant he was in the middle, alongside The Foss who is earning himself a reputation as the complete midfielder. Zak was guilty of a few loose passes in the first half but came back on to show great intelligence with his hold up play when asked to play up front and very nearly created a couple of goals himself, Lukas was outstanding with his skill and vision, Dan after a couple of wobbly games was back to his tough tackling best and ended up scoring the most important goal of the season, Dejon gave his all but was clearly struggling but what a season 40 goals and the Red Div leading scorer by a distance. But MOTM went to Connor only the 2nd player this year to be awarded a perfect 10 for a truly outstanding performance. CW took a long time to settle in to the Red Div but finished the campaign in real style picking up 2 MOTM awards in the final month which bodes well for next season. So 2 WFL cup finals and back to back Red Div titles a tremendous effort once again from the Pumas and with Watford and Arsenal development keeper Lewis Everett and Whetstone Pumas 32 goal midfield/striker Kieran Warren both signed we will go in to the 2011/12 with our strongest squad ever!!!

Back to Parmiters for our last home game of the season and thankfully back to playing some football on a proper sized football pitch. Our opponents Whetstone Tigers came needing all three points and ourselves and Harvesters to play out a stalemate on Sunday for them to win back the title that we so brilliantly stole from them last season on that dramatic final day. A win for the Pumas would guarantee the runners up position at worst but more importantly would move us 2 points clear at the top needing a point on Sunday for back to back Red Div titles. We flew out the blocks putting the Tigers under enormous early pressure with R Finnegan setting the tone with his non stop running and his enthusiasm spread through the team as we created all the early chances. Ro hit a tremendous dipping shot that their keeper got a hand to, but with the boys claiming the ball had crossed the line before their keeper had scooped the ball out the referee waived play on. The back four of A Charles, R Schmid H Salinger and J Hopkins were dealing with any threat from the Tigers strike force and on the odd occasion they did threaten Jacob swept up with ease. Z Jackson showed good feet in creating a goal scoring opportunity but could only fire his shot straight at the keeper then with the clock ticking down for HT Ro reacted first to a mix up in the Tigers backline and gave us a deserved lead for 1 0 at the break. More of the same was required in the second period and C Weiss, L Singer-Davies, G Sumpter and The Foss sweated blood for the cause fighting for every single ball. J Mullin then crossed well for D Noel-Williams whose tame shot went wide of the target then when DNW broke clear again he struck a powerful goal bound shot only for their defender to divert with his arm, and with even the Tigers manager calling it a clear penalty it was not spotted from 10 yards by the referee who apart from that incident I thought had an excellent game. West Ham bound Keegan Cole was brought on for the visitors and he started to pull the strings as we began to come under increasing pressure. D Flude made a couple or crucial interventions while Jacob kept good concentration to clear some dangerous through balls. To the relief of all associated with CRFC the ref blew the whistle and the boys were back on top of the league needing a draw at Harvesters on Sunday to retain the championship. Very hard to pick out one boy as so many played well, the work rate from the midfield was phenomenal and Rohan covered every blade of grass but MOTM went to Ryan who shadowed his opponent all evening and was aggressive but fair in the challenge. Lets all hope its third time lucky on Sunday!!

Back to Everett Rovers for another finals day as once again we would do battle with Harvesters North in our first ever Challenge Cup Final. After knocking out 4 times winners Whetstone Tigers in a previous round the boys were keen to lift their first piece of silverware of the season. The Pumas began well enjoying the majority of the possession but just like last week the midfield was being mainly bypassed with long balls over the top that proved fruitless on the ridiculously small pitch. Harvesters were fortunate to keep 11 on the pitch when a blatant and intentional handball by their defender prevented D N Williams from a clear goal scoring opportunity and from the resulting free kick H Salinger produced one of his trademark strikes that went agonisingly close then followed up with another free kick that their keeper fumbled but was lucky enough to see the ball come back off his post. J Smith in goal came out bravely to save at the feet of their speedy striker and R Schmid and H both produced excellent last ditch tackles to keep the tie goalless. Second half saw much of the same with our opponents defending well but playing very little football through the middle and the game fizzled out to finish all square after the hour, which was the first time this season that we had not managed to score in. The game then turned 5 mins into ET when DNW was clean through on goal only for their excellent keeper to read the situation and just beat Dejon to the ball and in doing so cleared the ball some 70 yards up the pitch and with one clever touch their striker bypassed Jacob and rolled the ball into our empty net. We changed to a 3-4-3 formation, but with our boys now looking deflated Harvesters smelt blood and finished off the game with a late second. The first goal was always going to be huge in a game contested by two such evenly matched sides. We can only hope that its third time lucky next Sunday as we attempt to remain Red Division Champions. 3 players stood out today, ZJ showed some good touches and had a decent game, H was quite awesome yet again as sweeper but MOTM was Jacob for some brave and crucial saves.

After Sundays disappointing result in the final the Pumas were determined to make amends by bouncing back with a win in the league that we knew would take us in to top spot for the first time this season, perfect timing with just two fixtures remaining. When you consider our poor start losing 2 out of 3 opening league games whilst the Tigers won all their first 8 then this was a tremendous turnaround. Problem was for the third time in six days our injury jinx struck again in bizarre circumstances when James fired in a powerful shot at Jacob in goal before warm ups had even begun it resulted in a bloodied nose and sore eye and us without a keeper! Nightmare!! A Charles once again stepped in between the sticks and with Mr Stallard nursing a broken arm we were down to just the two subs L Singer-Davies and J Mullin. Playing in brilliant sunshine on a large and very wide pitch we quickly settled and on 5 mins took the early advantage when R Finnegan headed on and Z Jackson side stepped a defender then produced a quite brilliant left foot shot over the keeper. The next 10 mins were fairly even then as we have witnessed many times this season the boys clicked and blitzed 4th placed Aldenham with 5 goals in just 13 minutes. On 17 mins a poor clearance was seized upon by C Weiss who calmly slotted home from 10 yards and 3 mins later another headed flick on by the skipper put D N Williams through for the first of his 4 goals. His second came 2 mins later and was a fine individual effort. L Singer-Davies and J Mullin were both now on and straight in to the action with the latter crossing for DNW to shoot and when the shot was blocked C Weiss was on hand to tap in his first brace in a Pumas shirt and with the ref about to blow another fine cross from J Mullin was finished off by DNW with his head for hatrick number 8 of the season for 6 0 at the break. The second half was again dominated by the Pumas but it was Aldenham who scored first after Z Jackson lost possession and their centre forward slotted past A Charles which was the 1st goal our stand in keeper had conceded in 3 games. DNW then finished off a long ball for goal number 7 and in doing so became the first ever Puma to score 40 goals in a season. So on a night when H Salinger and R Finnegan were celebrating their 150th appearances we finally went top of the pile even if it was only for 48 hours as Harvesters beat bottom club Omonia 4 0 to lead both ourselves and the Tigers by a point but with a game in hand on both then a win and a draw from final 2 games will see us crowned champions again. Once again a real team performance, D Flude never lost a tackle all evening, the spine of the team all very solid but the MOTM award went to C Weiss for his all action display, showing tenacity in the tackle, good athletism and rounded off with a couple of goals to boot. Next up the Challenge Cup Final, good luck boys you deserve it!!!

For the second consecutive year the Pumas made the short journey to Everett Rovers for League Cup Finals day where we would do battle for the first of three consecutive Sunday games against Harvesters North all with a potential cup to the winner. The sad news was that Luke had indeed broken his arm during Thursdays victory and would now miss out on the title run in and two cup finals. Fourteen available so D Flude, Z Jackson and C Weiss were named as subs as we began the game in very blustery conditions. Disaster!! less than 2 mins on the clock and a ridiculous goal to give away. We had at least three chances to clear or save and never took any and so the early goal that we craved to put HN under early pressure ended up in our net instead! Harvesters are a strong, well organised outfit who set up with two banks of four and play lots of long balls to their pacy strikers but their midfield offer only token support meaning their very hard to break down once in front. This said we still created a couple of cracking efforts only to find we were up against a quite superb keeper. First R Finnegan took a pass in his stride and powered a right foot shot into the bottom left hand corner, but with the vast Puma fans already celebrating their keeper somehow got a strong hand on the ball for a remarkable save then soon after a super dipping effort by G Sumpter was helped on to the crossbar by the tip of the keepers fingers and cleared from danger.Z Jackson was brought on to provide some craft in our efforts to break them down but with the increasing wind, combined with a pitch that now resembled granite after several weeks without any significant rainfall this was proving very difficult. J Smith kept us in the game with a smart save from their striker so we went into the break 0-1 behind. D Flude replaced J Hopkins as did C Weiss for the hard working L Singer-Davies but we were now playing up the incline and into the wind. Very little pass and move football was being played by either side but we were looking quite comfortable at the back as H Salinger's pace was clearing up most of the threat from the long through balls but apart from set pieces we were also not troubling them to much either. The killer 2nd came about 7 mins from the end and that looked like curtains but the Pumas showed good character forcing a goal and putting HN under some considerable pressure. The goal came about after J Mullins bravely found R Finnegan just before he was sandwiched between two HN defenders that left him needing hospital treatment on his arm but thankfully no break this time. The skipper raced on and sent a swerving, dipping effort over the keeper in to the top corner for his 22nd of the campaign. It was all one way now as we changed formation to 3-4-3 which resulted in several corners but the best chance was created all by C Weiss who worked his socks off the whole half and forced another fine save after weaving past a couple of defenders before getting his shot away. So its now 4 finals 4 defeats in the last couple of seasons but as I am always reminding the boys there's only a handful of players who get to experience these type of days out and just to show what a fantastic bunch they are they only have to wait 7 days to try all over again!! MOTM was awarded to G Sumpter who showed great determination and character in taking on much bigger opponents and more often than not coming away with the ball, but the watching WFL observer chose H for the MOTM which was fitting as he carried on after taking a hit in the first minute and put in yet another top level defensive display!

The first of three games in six days resulted in a long trip up the M25 to Enfield to take on an already relegated Omonia Green with the Champions needing maximum points to keep up the pressure on the top two. With leading goalscorers DNW and Z Jackson unavailable, who together have already contributed some 58 goals this season you would think that we might struggle to find the net but with the quality in depth that we possess in the squad this was never an issue as H Salinger with an already impressive goal tally 0f 15 from the sweeper position was asked to play up top and responded with a treble and the energetic R Finnegan not to be outdone added his second hatrick of the season against Omonia to take the skippers tally to 21.L Singer-Davies and D Flude started on the bench as the Pumas took an instant grip on the game as A Charles playing as sweeper played a delightful 40 yard pass to HS who outpaced their left back before clinically finishing in the bottom left hand corner for 1 0. Goal number 2 was finished off by the same player following another long throw by A Charles that the Omonia defence were finding impossible to defend against then on 19 minutes the pumas defence conceded their first goal in 4 matches as they temporarily switched off and allowed a shot from 20 yards to go unchallenged which looped up and over the stranded J Smith in goal for 2 1.The boys were in the mood to put this game to bed and a fine run down the left wing from C Weiss who then pulled back an inch perfect left foot cross which the skipper finished of in his usual style for 3 1 at the interval.We reminded the boys at HT to just keep focused defensively as the next goal was pivotal as we knew if we scored first then we would go on to run up another cricket score and within 40 seconds of the restart H completed his first hatrick of the season and the game was over.L Singer-Davies was now running the midfield finding the front two with some delightful passing and from one of these R Finnegan scored his second and 3 mins later J Mullins kept a cool head to neatly finish from a tight angle.The skipper completed his hatrick on 47 mins with another well taken goal before The Foss rounded off with a powerful shot from the edge of the box after more delightful passing from the midfield.There was even time for a late HS missed penalty, but the only disappointment was a wrist injury to L Stallard that we have to hope will heal quickly before Sundays League Cup Final. Once again a quality squad performance, Ro and H were both on top form up front, Lukas back from his hols kept up the quality that he showed before his break but MOTM went to Mr versatility A Charles who after keeping a clean sheet last week came back out into his old position of sweeper and looked a class act!!

After securing a place in the League Cup Final the previous week today's target was to once again make club history by being the first Cassiobury team ever to reach both domestic cup finals in the same season. Division 2 strugglers A C Finchley stood in the way on a glorious sunny morning at Parmiters but with J Smith ,L Singer-Davies, C Weiss and Z Jackson all absent for the Easter hols we would have to make do with the bare 11 Pumas.From the second the whistle blew it was one way traffic in to the Finchley area as we attempted to make the early breakthrough. D N Williams had a great chance after just 2 mins when sent clean through but he pulled his shot just wide of the left hand post then moments later R Finnegan looked like he had made the early pressure count only for their linesman to rule out for a controversial offside. J Mullins was creating havoc down the right producing some fine crosses but with a combination of good goalkeeping,rushed finishing and bad luck the goal would just not come.The back four of D Flude,H Salinger,R Schmid and J Hopkins were in total control with AC struggling to even enter our half and with L Stallard, G Sumpter and J Fossey controlling the play in midfield the goal just had to come.Just when the visitors looked like they would somehow come in level L Stallard and G Sumpter traded passes before finding DNW wide left,he turned and then cut inside the fullback and laid the ball off to The Foss who took a touch to steady himself then unleashed a fantastic strike from 23 yards that gave the keeper no chance and the Pumas a 1-0 HT lead.Some much needed fluids were taken before the boys were back out and in the mood for more goals which quickly arrived. On 33 mins H delivered another pinpoint corner that DNW controlled and side footed home in a flash from within the six yard box,then 1 minute later the tie was over when the skipper also tapped home from close range.A Charles standing in for Jacob in goal finally got his hands on the ball after 40 mins but only from an over hit Finchley through ball, then when the next AC attack was broken down by L Stallard he quickly switched play from left to right with a 25 yard arrow pass to the feet of J Mullin who in turn sent R Finnegan free on the right wing before the captain skinned their left back and crossed for G Sumpter to smartly volley home from 8 yards and so once again book our place in a major final. A real team effort today and on another day we could easily have reached double figures but clean sheet number 15 and a fine passing display with no subs on a very warm day added up to a terrific performance. Ryan and H produced another solid display, Dan was excellent and linked well with James, as did Luke and Jonny on the left, and the engine room of Greg and Fossey were in a different league to their opponents but the MOTM award was just shaded by J Mullins for both the quantity and quality of his crossing and some great runs that produced endless chances.

After Thursdays five star showing the Pumas went into our first ever encounter with Panathinaikos Green full of confidence. Lukas joined Connor on the holiday list so we were down to 13 for our League Cup Semi Final clash at Parmiters.The Greens had won their previous 7 games which meant they lead Division Three by several points but they were soon made fully aware of the task ahead as the boys quickly showed their dominance in creating several chances.The first goal came from excellent wing play between A Charles and R Finnegan which resulted in a pinpoint cross that D Noel-Williams headed home for his 100th goal in under 3 seasons in a Pumas shirt.After being denied a clear penalty moments earlier for handball the same player then raised both hands to block a shot from Z Jackson, this time it was awarded and as usual was dispatched by H Salinger for 2 0.Panathinaikos were showing good technique though and great fighting spirit and after a couple of passes in midfield they played the ball wide leaving their winger in a one on one with J Hopkins who showed why he's the best left back in the league by cleverly forcing their winger inside and therefore on to his weaker foot before nicking the ball from him and releasing ZJ who played a delightful ball into the path of DNW who showed great skill in bringing the ball onto his preferred right hand side before unleashing an unstoppable thunderbolt straight over the keeper for 3 0 at the break.The boys realised the game was won and for the next fifteen minutes were content to keep possession and dampen any chance of a PG comeback, then on 45 mins DNW neatly tucked home to complete his 7th hatrick of the season and his 35th goal of the season. Z Jackson then showed wonderful skill in bringing down a high ball and excellent composure in dispatching past the advancing keeper for the fifth and The Foss wrapped up our second consecutive LC Final with a strong finish from 10 yards out for 6 0 which also brought our goals tally to 100plus and counting. Another outstanding team performance with L Stallard and Z Jackson showing top form but today's MOTM went to H Salinger who quite simply snuffed out every single moment of danger that the PG forwards produced, whilst taking his goal tally to an amazing 15, some total for a sweeper!!

After Sundays disappointing result against relegated Hemel the Pumas were out to prove a point against a very strong Maccabi outfit who were on a fantastic run after taking 4pts off the Tigers in last fortnight. With Connor away for an early Easter break we began with a strong bench of L Singer Davies, J Mullin and D Flude. Playing against the slope on a glorious Spring evening the Pumas were quickly into their stride passing the ball quickly and with confidence which brought about chances for D Noel Williams, Z Jackson and fit again R Finnegan but no breakthrough whilst the back four of J Hopkins, H Salinger, R Schmid and L Stallard dealt admirably with any threat from the impressive Maccabi forward line.On 18 minutes A Charles launched a trademark long throw into the box which was well cleared by the defender but only back to Ash who then lobbed the ball back into the danger zone where DNW pounced before the Maccabi defence had time to reorganise and he finished with a poachers flick to deservedly give us the lead. 5 mins later G Sumpter showed excellent technique when taking down a high ball and volleying for 2 0 at the break.All three subs were now on, D Flude settled straight in at right back, LSD was everywhere in midfield winning countless balls and J Mullin produced his best performance in a claret and blue shirt as he destroyed the Maccabi left back with his pace and quality deliveries. The killer third goal was a master class from the two strikers as the skipper delivered yet another delightful cross that DNW met with a powerful header into the top left hand corner. The boys were now in total command and the Maccabi parents were kind enough to mention that this was the finest display that they had witnessed as every single player was at the top of their game none more so than Z Jackson who was producing some magical runs and from one of these came number 4 and ZJ 20th goal in this his first season with the champions. Number 5 was a terrific solo effort from LSD, winning the initial clearance he then drove at the goal, sidestepped a defender before calmly slotting home. DNW then made it six with yet another hatrick making him our all time record scorer on 99 goals. J Mullins produced another dazzling run,gliding past defenders before tapping home number 7 and ZJ wrapped up a perfect display with his second to make it 8 0 on the night. There was even time for R Schmid to place his penalty the wrong side of the post as the Pumas recorded a victory that took us back into second place, level with Tigers and now a single point behind Harvesters with a game in hand. Really difficult to pick out a single player as all were superb. In the first half J Smith was in commanding form showing great hands whilst H read the play and cleared up in style as sweeper, but the accolade went to G Sumpter who scored a vital goal, along with The Foss completely bossed the midfield and created several chances with his intelligent passing throughout. Next up the small matter of 2 Semi Finals!!!

For the third time this season the Pumas made the short journey to Cupid Green, looking for our 4th victory of the campaign against Hemel Athletic who faced being relegated if they lost, whilst we needed maximum points to keep up the pressure on the top 2.Skipper R Finnegan failed a pre match fitness test so was rested on to the bench alongside L Stallard,J Mullin and C Weiss. On a bumpy and ridiculously small pitch the boys began very brightly but just like last week the luck was with our opponent's Singer Davies hit a dipping shot that the keeper did well to save then G Sumpter hit a powerful shot from the edge of the box that beat the keeper but not the crossbar,D Noel Williams showed quick feet to create another 2 chances that were again well saved and Z Jackson just could not control the ball quickly enough on the tricky surface when unmarked at the back post.Then on 17 mins a hopeful punt up field was met by J Smith in goal but his clearance was fired straight at H Salinger which left 2 Hemel strikers with the easiest goal of the season which they nearly messed up when putting the first shot against the post before the ball fell kindly for their second striker to tap into the unguarded goal.The Pumas bounced back within 3 minutes when another dangerous throw from A Charles evaded everyone and was helped over the line by their central midfielder for 1 1.With one minute of time remaining AC did another fine impression of Rory Delap with a powerful throw that brushed DNW on the toe and crept over the line for 2 1 at the break.The Pumas were warned of being complacent as we know from previous battles that Hemel always come out fighting second half but then followed our worst 15 minute spell of the season as every player seemed second in the tackle, combined with countless misplaced passes it was no surprise that after a couple of near misses Hemel equalised in the 40th minute and within 2 minutes took a deserved lead.Realising that all their tremendous efforts this season looked like disappearing the Pumas suddenly rallied and on 44 mins J Fossey did very well to turn in a volley from a difficult position. R Finnegan was brought on for the last 5 mins with H moved up from sweeper to join a three pronged attack alongside DNW, a couple more chances fell our way the best seeing The Foss drive powerfully over from 15 yards but on reflection a 3 3 draw was a fair result in a game played out in great spirit by two committed teams. With Tigers surprisingly losing at home to a resurgent Maccabi who we face on Thursday its back to being a three horse race but we know if we were to win our remaining games it would be back to back titles so all still to play for! Ash again had another strong game but I was delighted to see LSD back to his all action best and deservedly picked up the MOTM trophy.

The Pumas travelled to Northwood today in the knowledge that a win would put them within 2pts of second placed Harvesters with games in hand. Both Rohan and Harry were unavailable for the first time this season due to injuries picked up in school games so we started with just D Flude and L Singer-Davies on the bench. Northwood won the toss and elected to go with the huge slope and kick downhill first half. Intricate passing was proving difficult for both teams on such a hard and bumpy surface but the Pumas were creating all the chances but failing to take any.D Noel-Williams and Z Jackson both saw a couple of chances either go narrowly wide or well saved,R Schmid hit a speculative shot from all of 40yards that the keeper just got a finger to and from the resulting corner a Northwood defender headed against his own bar, bounced down onto the line and was cleared. With no H and A Charles playing centre half G Sumpter was given the responsibility of corner taking and he whipped in several with accuracy and real venom with C Weiss unlucky to see his header just miss and from a R Schmid flick on J Mullins again just missed when well placed. The half ended goalless but with Northwood failing to muster a single shot on target the second half would surely bring goals for the Champions. Both subs were now on and from a clever LSD through ball Z Jackson went close again as the Pumas kept up the pressure. J Mullins hit a screamer on the run that just went over and when a superb A Charles cross was somehow turned over the bar from a yard out by L Stallard we did begin to wonder if it was going to be one of those games.Another couple of chances went begging for DNW before with three quarters of the game played the breakthrough finally came when ZJ kept a cool head to lift the ball over the advancing keeper to at last break the deadlock. The Pumas continued to dominate the possession but in the final minute Northwood won a corner and the way so many chances had been missed it would have been typical if their first shot had sneaked in but instead we cleared and the three points were banked! Not one of our best performances but understandable on such a hard surface but both D Flude and J Hopkins had solid games, G Sumpter was always in the thick of the action and A Charles showed what a versatile team member he is with a faultless display at centre half but today's MOTM went to J Mullins who mixed up his short and long passing range well and was always an outlet for the fullbacks whilst causing trouble with his pace!

After knocking Hemel Athletic out of both domestic cup competitions earlier in the season, the Pumas went into our Red Div encounter with confidence as the boys tried to make it 16 wins from the last 17 games. All 15 were available so we started with a bench of Z Jackson,D Flude, L Singer Davies and J Mullin.The first 10 minutes were fairly tight with the Pumas enjoying the majority of possession without hurting our opponents, that changed on 11 mins when we were awarded a free kick 23 yards outside the box and up stepped our very own Roberto Carlos AKA H Salinger to slam home his 9th free kick of the season and his 14th in total, not bad for a sweeper!! Hemel though were proving worthy opponents and continued to threaten from set pieces where the defence had to be alert at all times.On 18 mins the Pumas suddenly clicked into top gear scoring 4 times in a 10 minute spell to leave Hemel somewhat shell-shocked. D Noel-Williams already creating havoc with his speed and power scored a super goal using quick feet that left the defence bamboozled and the boys 2 up. Z Jackson was called into the action and after a super 30yard ball from the impressive L Stallard, ZJ controlled the ball effortlessly before running on and chipping the keeper with a sublime piece of skill. On 26 mins R Finnegan's clever flick on fell at the feet of DNW who coolly slotted home his 2nd and 28th of the season and in doing so became the 4th Puma to reach his personal target for this campaign.2 minutes later J Fossey with his back to goal helped the ball goal wards with an overhead flick and looked on in astonishment as the Hemel keeper completely lost his bearings and let the ball just roll past him and into an empty net for 5 0 at the interval. Positional changes were made at the break but similar to the earlier league game with Omonia when we lead 6 0 at the break the boys lost concentration, suddenly stopped tracking back and became sloppy in possession and to their credit, Hemel who could have just rolled over instead rolled up their sleeves and scored 3 quick goals. The first R Schmid did well to head clear of the 6 yard box but no midfield player closed down their danger man in midfield and topscorer,a job that G Sumpter had done so effectively first half and he volleyed home in style. Then a missed clearance from both our central defenders let their striker in for a second, before a silly free kick was given away on the edge of our box for handball, again something that we had preached to avoid beforehand as we knew the danger they possessed from these so from strolling to another 3points it was game on at 5 3.The Foss and Greg were reinstated to their central midfield rolls and The Foss put the game to bed in the 51st min with another brave finish when he looked second favorite to win the ball.So another 3pts safely deposited moves the boys above Aldenham and into 3rd position behind Harvesters and Tigers but with games in hand.Some decent performances today,the midfield trio of Z Jackson,G Sumpter and The Foss were all influential whilst L Stallard was his usual solid self but clear MOTM today was DNW who as their assistant manager said was unplayable, Enough said!!

After cruising into the League Cup Semis last week today's Challenge Cup Quarter Final was always going to be a completely different affair between the best 2 teams in the WFL. Both teams records last season were impressive with both ourselves and Tigers reaching their respective County Finals, and where we went on to lift the title,Tigers won both the League and Challenge cup infact Whetstone had the incredible record of never losing a single Challenge cup game in 5 years being crowned winners for all 4 of the previous seasons. Lukas who had been poorly all week was the only absentee so at a damp and cloudy Parmiters we started with L Stallard, J Mullins and A Charles on the bench.The first 10 minutes was very tight as both midfields battled to take a hold in the game but Pumas began to show their class and 2 fine R Finnegan crosses just evaded both D Noel-Williams and then Z Jackson.The breakthrough came on 18 minutes when R Finnegan found himself one on one with the keeper and the skipper kept a cool head to dispatch past the keeper. Pumas were now on top and after another fine H Salinger corner had been cleared G Sumpter was unlucky to see his powerful strike go just wide of the mark but 2 minutes later another delightful cross from R Finnegan was missed from 2 yards out by G Sumpter when he tried to volley when a header would have resulted in a second. Tigers also had their chances when their striker was denied by the brilliant J Smith in goal when he saved from 8 yards but apart from that the defence were well on their way to a record 10th clean sheet for the season. The second half saw the Tigers apply more pressure but the midfield of C Weiss, G Sumpter, J Fossey and J Mullins were flying into every challenge whilst the back four of J Hopkins,R Schmid, H Salinger and L Stallard were putting their bodies on the line time and again to keep our excellent opponents at bay. Our chances were becoming more limited but the front twos powerful running and work rate were still a worry for the Whets. Tigers best chance fell to their leading scorer but once again was bravely saved by J Smith but when it rebounded to the same player it looked a certain goal until R Schmid stretching every one of his 5ft 7inches managed to clear the ball from our goal line and help secure a famous victory.Any one of the defenders would have been a worthy winner of the MOTM trophy, Jacob in goal showed not just what a great shot stopper he is but more importantly impressed with his excellent handling, and the midfield and front 3 all put in a terrific innings but today's winner was J Hopkins, from the first whistle he was bang on his game, keeping a talented right winger in check, tackling without fear and like a vice captain should ordered those around him to keep focus throughout!

Today saw the Pumas up against neighbours and old rivals Croxley Guild as we attempted to end their cups hopes for the second consecutive year this time at the quarter-final stage of the League Cup. We were dealt a blow an hour before ko when keeper J Smith injured his hand so a quick call to Mr Versatile A Charles to bring along his gloves and step in once again to fill the void. Wearing aluminous orange bibs due to both teams sharing the claret and blue colours the Pumas made an edgy start as we struggled to get our passing game flowing for the first 10 minutes but at the same time looked in total command defensively. D N Williams was unlucky to see both a powerful volley and header just go over from 2 excellent corners from H Salinger,then Z Jackson looked to have given us the lead with a clever chip over the advancing keeper before excellent last gasp defending resulted in the ball being cleared off the line. With all the play now condensed in the Croxley half the breakthrough came after 20 minutes when DNW was fouled 20 yards out and the excellent H noticed a poorly organised wall and simply passed the ball into the bottom left corner to give last years finalists a deserved lead.Influntial midfielder G sumpter scored a delightful second, with the ball coming to his left foot he resisted changing body shape and just concentrated on a clean contact with the ball that resulted in a fine strike and the Pumas reaching the landmark 100th goal for the third consecutive year.2 minutes after the interval the game was put to bed with H clinically dispatching his 13th goal of the campaign from the penalty spot after DNW had been needlessly pushed in the back by a Croxley defender. Z Jackson finished off the guild with a brace of his own, keeping up an impressive goalscoring record of a goal a game the best of which was a smart turn that left the centre half bamboozled before slotting home goal number 17 for the season. Many more chances were created and unusually our prolific strike duo of R Finnegan and DNW never found the net for once.One of these chances was a breathtaking move started with a trademark solid D Flude tackle, he fed the creative J Mullins who cleverly sent Ro flying down the right wing before murdering their left back for pace before delivering a quality cross that saw ZJ rise like Rooney and with incredible technique saw his bicycle kick sail inches over the bar.A tough one to call MOTM as we looked solid in every position but The Foss just edged out H with his creative through balls that caused havoc in the Croxley backline all game long!

After a significant run of cup games we were finally back to league action as we welcomed old rivals Whetstone Pumas to Parmiters our first Red Div action since way back on the 21st Nov.Whetstone, along with club mates Tigers had only missed out by a single point last season against ourselves in the battle to the title but with the loss of 3 key players to academy football their season had began disastrously but was showing signs of improvement according to recent results.Unfortunately three of their squad called in sick before ko resulting in them taking on the champions with only 10 players! The Pumas on the other hand had only Jonny away so with 14 to choose from there was only ever going to be one outcome. From the start it was sustained Cassiobury pressure which resulted in Z Jackson reaching his personal scoring target within 4 minutes.R Finnegan doubled the lead on 8 minutes and the points were sealed on 15 after a delicious H Salinger corner was cleared back to him, H fired the ball back into the danger zone and was turned in by the stretching Whets defender.H then saw a penalty saved before a super move in the penalty area saw Z Jackson cleverly put in L Singer-Davies who neatly played in R Finnegan to clinically finish and 2 minutes before the break Z Jackson made it 5. Just when Whetstone thought it couldn't get much worse D Noel-Williams was introduced to the precedings and quickly added yet another well taken hatrick making him clear Red Div top marksmen with an impressive tally of 17 goals in just 8 league outings.R Finnegan was not to be outdone and also completed his hatrick, C Weiss taped in from close range and H made amends for pen miss with a fantastic chip after a powerful run from midfield, there was even time for keeper J Smith to add his name to the scoresheet but his penalty came back off the bar so the final score was 11-0 to the Pumas with Jacob joining Zak to the managers target award with cleansheet number 8.The boys have now scored 98 goals this season so not surprisingly the joint top 10 league goalscorers contain 4 Pumas in DNW, Ro, H & Zak.The defense were rock solid today and 8 goals from the forwards was a tremendous effort but today's MOTM went to H Salinger who after looking accomplished at sweeper first half was pushed into midfield where he capped a decent all round performance with yet another beautiful goal which resulted in him also reaching his seasons target, closely followed by G Sumpter who completely dominated their strong central midfielder then slotted in at sweeper to keep things nice and tidy at the back.

After several comfortable recent victories today the Pumas would do battle with the only top 5 county side that we had never had the pleasure of playing in the last 3 campaigns. Barnet Azzurri. Winners in 2008 and beaten Semi-Finalists in 2009&2010 against the finalists for last 2 years was a mouthwatering encounter. There was a last minute switch of venues to a full size pitch so the game was in jeopardy before KO as we had to wait for a senior game to finish before permission was given to play on the heavy and now churned up pitch. Both teams were at full strength but Azzurri with the slope and wind behind them began the brighter and took an 8th minute lead when a cross shot bounced in front of keeper J Smith and ended up in the bottom left corner.At this point it looked like it would be a case of damage limitation in the first half but instead the Pumas showed tremendous spirit and really took the game to Azzurri. A Charles was delivering some dangerous crosses and when one fell to Z Jackson the excellent Azzurri keeper did well to block.Next a fine move between L Stallard and Ash released R Finnegan whose cross found J Fossey who fired just over from 6 yards.At the back J Hopkins, H Salinger,R Schmid and L Stallard were all working well as a unit in keeping the speedy Barnet forward line at bay,whilst midfield were now dominant and the power and pace of D Noel-Williams and the skipper were causing havoc.DNW then turned his marker and powered through at goal but could only shoot straight at the keeper but the pressure was now firmly on our opponents.With the half nearly over the Pumas won another corner which was whipped in with venom from H, R Schmid flicked on and just on from the bench C Weiss scored his third county goal of the season to level up the scores.D Flude and J Mullins were brought on and straight from thr restart a fine move saw DNW find the energetic C Weiss on the right wing who running at pace still had the skill to deliver a delicious cross that just evaded L Singer- Davies but not J Mullins who scored for the fourth consecutive game with his first touch! The next ten minutes were a cagey affair then disaster struck as we never cleared our lines and a couple of unforced errors meant that we were suddenly behind again.Once again we rallied with DNW placing two headers wide of the target and H blasting another trademark free kick which looked a certain goal before being bravely headed off the line by their fullback.With the Pumas looking for the deserved equaliser the Azzurri forward line were looking ever more dangerous and after more hesitation at the back Azzurri scored the killer fourth and our love affair with the most prestigious of cups was finally over after going nearly three years undefeated in a qualifying game. Congratulations to Barnet who were a pleasure to deal with both before and during the game and possess a squad of very talented young footballers who we wish well in their Semi-Final. At the end both boys and parents were gutted to be out but very proud of not only being the first and only Cassiobury side ever to make it to County headquarters but then repeating the feat last year. Today's MOTM went to the youngest member of the Pumas in Mr L Stallard for another robust performance at right back closely followed by C Weiss who was back to his all action best!!

Today the Pumas traveled to neighbours Sun Postal for their 3rd Rd Challenge Cup tie knowing that if they won their 12th consecutive game they would once again qualify for all three quarter- finals. For the 7th match in a row all 15 were available for selection so once again the bench was extremely strong with Z Jackson,D Flude, G Sumpter and A Charles all rested.As suspected the windy conditions were a bit of a leveler and Sun to their credit gave a good account of themselves for the first fifteen minutes without ever threatening J Smith in goal.After a couple of near misses R Finnegan's excellent first touch took him away from his marker who clumsily brought him down inside the box and so H Salinger stepped up to score his 10th of the season. The boys took confidence from their lead and after good work by J Mullins, Z jackson who had just come off the bench coolly slotted home our second and within 5 minutes repeated the feat to give us a deserved 3 0 HT lead.G Sumpter was moved to sweeper for the injured H and alongside R Schmid completely snuffed out any threat to our goal, while at the other end the Sun goal lead a charmed life as a combination of the woodwork and rash finishing meant the goals we deserved never materialized until a neat one two between D Noel-Williams and J Mullins was converted by the latter for his third goal in as many matches. So another comfortable victory for the Pumas saw J Smith keep a record fourth consecutive clean sheet,32 goals scored without reply and L Stallard, H Salinger, Z Jackson and J Smith all now either 1 goal/clean sheet away from their personal target for the season. J Mullins continues with his development and time and again beat their left back and whipped in dangerous crosses, L Stallard bravely playing with a hugely impressive shiner had a storming game at right back but today's MOTM went to Z Jackson who cleverly linked up play from midfield to the forward line and took on board the pre game instruction of passing in triangles rather than trying to beat three players on his own and this resulted in a brace of goals to celebrate his birthday week!

After safely navigating their path through to the last 8 in the County Cup last weekend, the Pumas faced Division 2 outfit Alexander Park North from Muswell Hill as they attempted to reach the League Cup quarter finals.Once again all 15 were available on a chilly morning at Parmiters as the boys tried to make it 11 straight victories! Within 3 minutes we had the lead as just like last week The Foss was on hand with a smart finish to give us the early advantage. The next 15 minutes we were a bit sloppy with our usually excellent passing game and even though we were never threatened at the back we should have added to our tally with the best chances falling to R Finnegan and Z Jackson. To spice things up D Noel-Williams and J Mullins were brought on to add some pace and aggression to our attack,and this paid off within 2 minutes as G Sumpter put through DNW who calmly rounded the keeper and slotted home so 2 0 at the break.D Flude and J Hopkins came off the bench to slot in at fullback and the performance levels went up a notch as we began to enjoy our passing game more. After 3 minutes DNW was fouled on the edge of the box and H Salinger curled in a smart free kick that eluded everybody including their keeper who anticipating a touch was left rooted to the spot and could only watch the ball nestle into the bottom right hand corner.3 minutes later and a super move involving 5 players was finished off by J Mullins and with 5 minutes left on the clock a lofted ball into the box was bravely headed home by Z Jackson under severe pressure from 2 much taller defenders. Although not at our sparkling best today J Smith in goal kept his 3rd consecutive clean sheet,infact since last conceding a goal against Omonia the boys have scored 28 goals without reply and now look forward to our derby fixture against Sun Postal as we continue to fight on all 4 fronts.DNW and J Mullins were both influential in today's win but the MOTM went to another sub in J Hopkins who 24 hours after helping his school team reach the last 16 of the national cup came on with confidence, a great attitude, was always vocal and never gave the ball away once.

After last weeks postponement it was back to County Cup action as the Pumas welcomed Ashwell Academicals from the Royston Crow white div to Parmiters for our 4th Rd tie. After dispatching of 3 Red Div sides from the same league in earlier rounds this looked on paper like a decent draw,but Ashwells record of 13 wins from their 15 outings this season including thumping our very own Panthers 8 0 in the 2nd Rd deserved respect.Once again all 15 were fit and able and within 5 minutes of the start there was only ever going to be one outcome as we bombarded the Accies from both wings and after several near misses The Foss opened the scoring after the initial shot was blocked.Playing on such a good size pitch was beneficial to last seasons finalists as our skilful midfield constantly passed the ball at pace,showing great technique before unleashing the pacey forward line. There were tap ins for D Noel-Williams and Z Jackson,R Finnegan powerfully headed home a L Stallard pinpoint cross before A Charles unleashed a screamer from 20 yards that threatened to remove the netting from the goal,so 5 0 and game over at the interval.The Ashwell management tried to lift their boys spirits whilst we made several positional changes.Sweeper H Salinger moved to centre forward and quickly helped himself to a brace of goals,substitutes L Singer-Davies, J Mullins and J Hopkins all added their name to the scoresheet with Jonnys a Lionel Messi effort weaving past 4 defenders before slotting past the keeper.The combative C Weiss then joined in the party and leading goalscorer D Noel-Williams completed yet another hatrick and completed our biggest ever county cup win by 13 goals to 0. Such was the difference in class resulted in birthday boy J Smith only having 1 shot to deal with in the whole match so dominant were central defenders R Schmid and H Salinger as the Pumas chalked up their 10th consecutive win to cruise into the quarter finals.All the squad played their part today, full backs A Charles and D flude were both outstanding going forward, J Mullins and J Hopkins both came on at halftime and put in a tremendous shift but todays MOTM went to C Weiss who destroyed their left back time and again creating numerous chances for the front 2 whilst covering every blade of grass with his non stop running.

After a seven week lay off it was passports at the ready as we began the 40 mile hike to sunny Royston for the Pumas 3rd Rd County Cup tie against Royston Celtic.For the fifth consecutive game all 15 boys were present so the only question was how rusty would the champions be.That question was answered immediately as the boys won all the early tackles and quickly went about as requested before the game in winning their own personal battles.Royston an established Red Div side who had not lost by more than a goal for over a year were put under increasing pressure and after D Flude won another crunching tackle, he found J Fossey who then released L Singer Davies down the right wing to cross perfectly for G Sumpter to side foot in from six yards.Z Jackson then found R Finnegan in the box and the skipper turned and scored to make it 2 0. The Pumas were now in total control with some delightful interpassing and it was only for some outstanding saves from the excellent Celtic keeper that kept the scoreline respectful then just before halftime a through ball by G Sumpter found D N Williams unmarked in the box who turned and shot, the keeper parried and DNW then finished off before their central defender could clear so 3 0 at the break.A Charles,C Weiss,L Stallard and J Mullins were all now on and as seems to becoming the norm even with four new arrivals the change was seamless as the Pumas continued with their magnificent display.J Smith in goal had only touched the ball once in the first half due to the dominance of J Hopkins,H Salinger, R Schmid and D Flude at the back and this built the platform for the attacking players to really enjoy and express themselves second half, even though at times we over played the passing game. Goal number 4 came about when the combative Foss won the ball in his own half, then followed several quick one touch passes as we quickly moved the ball through midfield before R Finnegan struck powerfully from 20 yards which the keeper could only parry in to the roof of the net and he then completed his first hatrick of the season after good passing between A Charles and Z Jackson resulting in the boys 9th consecutive victory and a place in the last 16.Difficult to single out one player but the Foss just beat the outstanding skipper to the MOTM trophy for his workrate and tenacity linked with simple but devastating passing but this was a real squad performance of the highest order.

Back to league action this week as we welcomed Omonia Green to Parmiters to play our first ever game on the sloping pitch 7 as our pitch was deemed unfit to play on. Once again all 15 available and the boys were in the mood to extend our recent winning run to 8 games. As in previous weeks we started brightly and the Pumas remained unfazed despite two early chances coming back off the woodwork as Omonia sensed they were going to have a very difficult morning against the champions. The deadlock was broken in the 7th minute when J Fossey cleverly finished from 12 yards with a smart over head kick,the lead was then doubled within 2 minutes as H Salinger coolly slotted home his 6th goal of the season from the penalty spot after their defender had needlessly handled.Two more poacher goals from D Noel-Williams and a fine chipped effort from just outside the area from Z Jackson then followed before a breathtaking 5 man move was gloriously finished off by the in form R Finnegan so 6 0 at the interval.With the game over several of the boys were tried out in new positions in case of key injuries later on in the season but this backfired as we were suddenly second to every tackle and we lost concentration at key moments and Omonia sensed an epic comeback as they reduced our lead to just 3 goals.Changes were needed and R Schmid and H Salinger were brought back on to shore up the defence and order was quickly restored as the Pumas ran in another 4 goals without reply.The first of these was from a powerful strike from A Charles who just a few minutes earlier was unfortunate to see a corner deflect off him for an OG,number 8 was DNW hatrick which meant he was now the Pumas all-time leading goalscorer on 85 goals,number 9 was somewhat controversial as the referee indicated that R Finnegan had got the final touch on G Sumpters toe poke but the goal was kindly given over by the skipper but with 3 minutes on the clock R Finnegan made it double figures and scored his 85th Pumas goal to go back level with his strike buddy DNW on 85 goals as well.So hard once again to pick a MOTM after the whole team were outstanding first half,but L Singer Davies came off the bench for the final 40 minutes and put in a superb shift in the middle of the park,showing neat touches and good vision but more importantly there was a real steel about his performance which had been missing recently that bodes well for the rest of thev season.

Today saw the Pumas matched up with fellow Red Division opposition but from the Royston Crow League in F C Comets from Hitchin as we continued our triple assault for cup glory this season.Having already navigated our way safely through the first two rounds of the domestic cups,it was good to finally be back on home soil even if it was on a very soggy pitch after such a wet week. Once again we were at full strength with all 15 available and kicking downhill the Pumas wasted no time in stamping their authority on the opposition who demanded respect after reaching last seasons quarter finals.After a couple of near misses the Pumas took the lead after L Stallard played a neat one two with D Noel Williams then reached the byline and drove in a cross to the feet of Z Jackson who neatly converted for 1-0.The second soon followed after a shot from J Fossey was parried in to the air, skipper R Finnegan powered in to finish with a well placed header. Many more chances went begging to make the game safe but the alarm bells began to ring when the defence were caught out of position from a swift attack so a game that should have been wrapped up was still in the balance at halftime.The second half followed a similar vein with lots of near misses and decent saves by the replacement Comets keeper, with L Singer Davies,DNW,ZJ and A Charles all unfortunate not to add to our tally. As the game wore on Comets, smelling a County Cup giant killing against last seasons runners up,began to press and from a well taken corner equalised and just like last year at the same stage took the game to extra time.Leading goalscorer DNW then had to depart but the team were boosted as sweeper H Salinger shrugged off an earlier knock and came back on to partner R Schmid which allowed G Sumpter back into his customary midfield birth alongside the Foss. We reminded the boys in the interval of their incredible record of always reaching the final of this the grandest of all the cups and they responded by totally taking Comets apart in extra time,Within 5 minutes the tie was over as first ZJ restored our lead with a powerful header after a well taken GS corner,this was then followed up by RF 2nd and 7th of the season as he remembered what we had practised in training and followed up a saved shot with a poachers finish.ZJ then completed his first Pumas hatrick with a shot on the turn that duped the keeper and nestled nicely in the back of the net to make the final score 5 2.More chances still fell our way but this would have been a tad unfair on our sporting visitors who had showed good character throughout and played the game with a great spirit.So the dream is still on to travel to County headquarters for the third year running but just like last week we must finish games off when in such control and not let our opponents back into the game so cheaply. Some good displays today with C Weiss and J Mullins impressing after coming off the bench,A Charles put in another awesome display at both right back and midfield,Z Jackson was involved in all our best moments and could have added another couple to his tally of 3 but today's MOTM went to R Finnegan who not only continued his recent scoring run, but wearing his new boots repeatedly set up his team mates with excellent through balls and accurate crosses and of course his infectious running and work rate for the team.

The Pumas returned to Cupid Green for our second cup tie in a week against our Hemel neighbours but with last weeks rain replaced by broken sunshine.After ending their League Cup campaign last week the Pumas were at full strength as we attempted to repeat our convincing victory of seven days previous.Any manager who can name a bench of Z Jackson,D N Williams,C Weiss and J Hopkins knows that he has assembled a very talented squad and the Pumas on the pitch wasted no time in racing in to a 3 0 lead.Just 4 minutes on the clock and L Stallard,moved from his usual defensive position to left midfield took a difficult pass with a great first touch,looked up and struck an unstoppable shot into the top right hand corner from 25 yards for 1 0. Just 4 minutes later and he was at it again,this time following up his first shot to score his second in 4 minutes a total that took him all of last season to achieve and move him to just 1 goal off his target of 5 for this season!! On 14 minutes R Finnegan cut in from the right and cleverly lobbed the goalie with the ball already over the line by the time G Sumpter made sure.Hemel just like last week then pulled 1 back from a quality in swinging corner that was bundled over after striking the crossbar. D Noel Williams was first off the bench and with almost his first touch he scored his 15th with a delightful chip leaving the excellent Hemel keeper stranded.The second half was a real scrappy affair not helped by the numerous free kicks awarded for the slightest infringements and it was from one of the many that were awarded around our penalty area that Athletic pulled one back with a quite brilliant strike that gave J Smith in goal no chance. Chances came and went the best falling to G Sumpter,J Fossey and DNW,but a combination of good goalkeeping and poor finishing meant we never added to our total.Credit to Hemel who are well coached and even though quite physical play the game in the right spirit and on another day could have snatched at least one more goal.Six consecutive wins for the Pumas keeps us involved on all 4 fronts but we will need to improve our second half display if the run is to continue.My stand out players today were G Sumpter again bossing the midfield,Z Jackson who on several occasions showed a delightful first touch and awareness that he used to link up nicely with DNW but today there was only ever going to be one MOTM,MR L Stallard who in 4 years of 7 a side football never scored a single goal,mind you he only crossed the halfway line to change ends,scored a career best of 2 last term then single handedly put Hemel to bed in the first 8 minutes,followed that up with controlled aggressive tackling in the second half and even took a rocket to the back of the head to deny a certain goal in the dying minutes!!

Today the Pumas travelled to newly promoted Hemel Athletic in the 2nd Rd of the League cup to try and replicate last seasons result which saw us knock Hemel out in the early stages before going on to reach the final.With only J Hopkins absent we took a very strong side along with the intention of winning our fifth consecutive match.The Pumas began brightly on a sticky pitch, playing in a constant drizzle the boys zipped the ball about with a real purpose and we were soon in front from a well rehearsed long throw from A Charles, cleverly flicked on and over the stranded keeper by skipper R Finnegan. R Schmid and G Sumpter then went close to opening their accounts before the Pumas scored a truly outstanding team goal involving 7 players which involved tremendous pass and move first time football finished off neatly by J Fossey for his first of the campaign. Three more goals then quickly followed, G Sumpter went on a surging run before setting up D Noel Williams for a simple finish, Z Jackson then proved once again what a fine acquisition he is with a delightful flick over the oncoming keeper before DNW then cleverly flicked on and finished all by himself for his 14th of the season. On the stroke of half time Hemel were awarded their first corner which was whipped in with real venom and J Smith could only help into his own net so 5 1 at the break. The second half was a tighter affair with our hosts proving what a fantastic team spirit they possess which will hopefully see them retain their Red Div status. The Pumas added a further 2 goals, the first a cross/shot by the skipper which nestled perfectly in the bottom left hand corner from an acute angle, before the Foss finished clinically for his 2nd our 7th on the day and the Pumas 32nd in the last five games! impressive indeed!! Hard to single out any player as the whole squad impressed, but L Stallard and the Foss very solid,J Mullins working tirelessly for the team and for me D Flude was the best player on the park second half, winning every tackle then passing simply but effectively but MOTM went to G Sumpter who took on board all my pre match instruction regarding moving the ball on from midfield to the forwards with more urgency, shooting from distance when possible and winning his personal battle with opponent which he did. Expect a much sterner test next week when Hemel return to full strength after the school break

After 3 consecutive victories the Pumas went into their 1sr rd County Cup fixture full of confidence. Today we welcomed Sawbridgeworth Town along to Parmiters who on paper looked like they would give the boys a real challenge as they sit in 3rd position of the Royston Crowe League Red Division and reached the last 8 in the most prestigious of all cups last season. Before the game the champions arrived early so Mark could take a squad photo showing off all the silverware that the Pumas picked up last season and I think this must have spooked our opponents as from the first whistle we took complete control and cruised through to the next round.This is a very special cup to all of us as we were and still are the only Cassiobury team in the 21 year history of our club to reach a County final a feat that our boys then repeated last time out and this year there's a real determination to make it three in a row! The first goal fell to the boy who just cant stop scoring D Noel Williams, already comfortably leading goalscorer in the Red Div, he opened his county account with a typical surging run and powerhouse finish.25 minutes in and although controlling the game we needed a second and this came from the unlikely source of L Stallard at right back who after going all last season and scoring a personal career best of 2 goals has now already matched that figure with a looping shot from fully 35yards out that the excellent Sawbridgeworth keeper could not keep out, he then redeemed himself with a fantastic penalty save on the stroke of half-time from H Salinger so 2 0 at the interval.Kicking down the slope 2nd half and the same story of complete dominance saw us extend the lead to three as C Weiss stole in at the back post to head in his first Pumas goal and cap another excellent display.Goal number 4 was a real strange one as it seemed both L Singer-Davies and the Foss struck the ball at the same time from the edge of the area.The Mums, bless em thought it was a good idea to give them a half goal each [bet Mitoo would love that] but in the end I took advice from old Eagle Eyes Stallard who granted the final touch to LSD,a fitting tribute on his 100th club appearance scoring his 50th Pumas goal an outstanding record from a midfielder.Goal number 5 came about after a terrific cross from the skipper R Finnegan was headed home by the lively Z Jackson. Sawbridgeworth to their credit never gave up and they forced a fine late save out of J Smith in goal but when you have a keeper that good with a defence in front of him that contains the A team captains from Queens,Parmiters and Kings Langley then it takes something special to break them down. Hard to pick a MOTM today as all 15 Pumas played so well, C Weiss and the Foss covered every blade of grass,back 5 very solid,Z Jackson and LSD imaginative,A Charles G sumpter,D Flude all combative and front 2 causing usual headaches but MOTM went to J Mullins who came off the bench with a real purpose,exploited their left back at every opportunity and created several goalscoring opportunities for his teammates!

A beautiful sunny afternoon ko between last seasons Red and White Division champions produced a competitive game played on a fantastic playing surface at Rowley Lane. Six games in to the season but this was the first time that all 15 Pumas had been made available. Not the best of starts with three boys arriving just before kick off resulted in a sluggish first 10 minutes that saw Z Jackson provide two excellent crosses that no forward was able to get on the end of, while at the other end Aldenham were unlucky to see a powerful strike come back off the bar, and keeper J Smith then made a terrific one handed save to keep the score goalless. With our central midfield struggling to take a grip on the game and our usually tight back four caught on their heels we were struggling to really put our stamp on the game.A Charles was brought on to toughen up the midfield and the boys began to take control and after a couple of excellent chances went begging for D Noel-Williams he then produced a fantastic powerhouse goal that saw him leave two Aldenham players spread out on the floor and the ball firmly dispatched in the back of the net! 5 minutes later we were awarded a deserved free kick from the excellent referee and up stepped free kick specialist H Salinger to rifle in his fourth free kick of the season from 25 yards, incidentally that is HS 77TH goal for the Pumas and is now only just 1 behind all time record goalscorers DNW and R Finnegan on 78.Second half saw tough tackling C Weiss drafted into central midfield, L Stallard came on at right back and never put a foot wrong and J Mullins used his attacking prowess on the right hand side of midfield. The second half was then dominated by the Pumas and the only surprise was that we only added 1 more goal from several good chances but what a great team goal it was as A Charles and J Hopkins traded passes before finding R Finnegan who unselfishly set up his strike buddy DNW for a neat finish and his 11th league goal in just 3 games. Today saw some good creative play from L Singer-Davies and the reliable Z Jackson,another ball winning display from J Fossey. G Sumpter showed good character after a awkward first half coming back on at centre half and looking assured, J Smith proving once again why he is the Red Div no 1 stopper but today's MOTM went to C Weiss who went into every tackle with relish, distributed the ball well when in possession and basically got the boys to roll up their sleeves and play the way we have all become accustomed to!!

With a wet and windy afternoon ko at home to Aldenham Tigers the chances of a classic Pumas performance never looked on the cards but that’s exactly what the boys served up with their best team performance of the season.Kicking down hill we quickly took a grip on the preceding and after R Finnegan added to D Noel-Williams opener who then added a third on the stroke of half time the points were secured. Second half saw the Pumas run riot with DNW finishing with 5,thats 9 in 2 games,Z Jackson up against his old teammates and in terrific form notching his third of the campaign, L Singer-Davies putting in a real engine room display and opening his scoring account and J Mullins adding another, the Pumas finished on top by 9 goals to 1.Really pleased with this display J Smith in goal displaying tremendous decision making, R Schmid playing his 100th consecutive game spanning over 3 seasons a rock at the back, marshalled by the class act that is H Salinger.Both full backs D Flude and J Hopkins showing defensive nous whilst still supporting their midfield colleagues, midfielders G Sumpter,J Fossey and C Weiss all showing great tenacity whilst controlling the game, while up at the business end DNW and his strike buddy R Finnegan bullied and battered the Aldenham defence in to submission.Todays MOTM went to A Charles who played in several positions but his touch,footwork and distribution meant he just about outshone the rest of our shining stars!!

Another away day at Whetstone for the boys but our first trip to the wind swept Victoria Park and a very different Whetstone Pumas team that finished just 1pt behind the champions last season. With 4 of their talented team away at professional London clubs for trials, and with no manager, Ritchie from the Tigers was decent enough to give up his Sunday morning to coach the Pumas. Our boys took the game to them immediately and on 5 minutes L Stallard neatly tucked away our first goal after just 4 minutes. D Flude scored his first of the campaign, and an og was sandwiched in between a poachers hatrick from striker D Noel-Williams so 6-0 and game over at the interval. Second half and the Pumas switched off and conceded 2 sloppy goals defensively as Whetstone showed some team spirit,but Z Jackson then scored the goal of the match with a swerving 20yard strike,after watching a similar 1st half effort come back off the bar, and MOTM DNW scored his fourth and the Pumas eighth after good work from J Mullins.Best 3 performances today were from J Hopkins,new boy C Weiss who is improving with each game,but the standout player was DNW,not just because of his 4 goals,but more so his hold up play and distribution were top class today.

Today we welcomed our neighbours from St Albans along to Parmiters in what turned out to be a very entertaining game played out between two of the strongest teams in North London.Harvesters boasting 6 new additions to their squad started the brighter of the two teams, but with H Salinger and R Schmid keeping a tight rein on the lively forwards,the Pumas midfield then took a hold of the game which allowed striker R Finnegan to go close with a shot which only found the side netting,then D Noel Williams clean through on goal saw his shot deflected on to a post off the keepers knee,so all square at the break at 0 0.The second period began with total domination by the Pumas.Several chances came and went the best being a run and chip by Z Jackson which was just about cleared off the line,then DNW shot agonisingly wide after good work by J Fossey.The inevitable breakthrough came from yet another H Salinger free kick masterpiece,once again finding the top left hand corner from fully 25 yards out and from an acute angle.A few minutes later we were given a warning about what was to come as their small but speedy striker burst clean through only for H Salinger to pull off a truly outstanding recovery tackle.A couple more glorious chances fell to the boys to put the game to bed, but when DNW saw his goal bound shot come back off R Finnegans hand,the alarm bells began to ring.With 10 minutes remaining their winger put in a average cross which on any other day J Smith would have dealt with with ease,but he fumbled leaving a simple tap in to level the score.This boosted Harvesters and their second goal was a technically sublime strike as their player allowed the ball to drop over his shoulder,then steer his volley into the left hand corner for a goal that deserved to win any game.The boys then piled forward trying to find a deserved equaliser and with the last kick of the game a lovely passing move was neatly tucked away by their clever striker and we somehow came away from a game that we had played very well in pointless! After going 31 games unbeaten at the start of last season,we now find ourselves with 2 defeats in 3,but this is the strongest Pumas side to date and as long as we keep working hard in training and putting the same level of commitment in as today then the results will follow. Standouts today were the returning L Singer-Davies excellent in midfield alongside the strong tackling G Sumpter and J Fossey,H Salinger awesome once again as sweeper,top scorer so far with 4 and now just 1 behind all time leading scorer R Finnegan,but todays MOTM went to R Schmid who had a commanding game up against last seasons top Red Div striker who was so ineffective he was replaced.Training Thursday lots of finishing practise!!!

The boys first away game of the season saw us visit 3 times Red Division champions Whetstone Tigers on a glorious September afternoon.After denying them yet another treble with almost the last kick of last season, the Tigers were always going to be focused on trying to wrestle back the title from ourselves! With 2 influential midfielders already missing due to a school trip,the last thing we needed was D Noel-Williams to have to be replaced within 5 minutes and it was another huge blow when H Salinger also had to depart the field.The Tigers capitalised on our bad luck with some quality pass and move football which led them into a 3 0 fully deserved HT lead. The second half and we greatly improved only four G Sumpter to join the injured list.J Fossey playing his first game of the season became more and more influential in the middle of the park,but against the run of play some sloppy marking from a corner lead to a fourth Tigers goal.This was very frustrating as J Mullin.J Fossey and R finnegan had all gone close.Then came an incredible 5 minutes when H Salinger came back on the field of play to first hit a 25yard free kick screaming into the top right hand corner,then within minutes reduce the deficit again with another thunderbolt from a more central position but again a full 20 yards out.The usually deadly R Finnegan then missed a great opportunity from close range and the game finished 4 2 to the Tigers.A real pity that the boys never began the game in the fashion that they finished,this was frustrating as several of our boys continue to worry when up against the best teams! Its down to all of us to remind them what fantastic young footballers they are and when they go out with the right attitude,just as we did back on May 16th then they can achieve anything!! Standout players today were J mullin in the 1st half,another top showing from D Flude at right back,The Foss back to his battling best in central midfield, but the MOTM went to J Smith for yet another outstanding display

The Pumas began their defence of the Red Division with a tricky home tie against last seasons early pacesetters Northwood. Straight from the whistle the Pumas put their neighbours under pressure and it was no surprise when new signing Z. Jackson reacted quickest from a rebound to tap in his first goal for his new club. Within 10 minutes it was 2 when a thrilling 4 man move was finished by last seasons leading goalscorer R. Finnegan after a delightful cushioned header by Z. Jackson released R. Finnegan to finish with power in the bottom corner. A. Charles having a commanding game in midfield added a third, before H. Salinger secured the points with a 25 yard free kick which sailed over the excellent Northwood keeper! So 20 minutes gone and the game as a contest was already over.
Northwood improved in the second half and there was surprisingly few chances for either side after this, G. Sumpter saw a stinging drive go inches wide, and a clever lob by another debutant, C. Weiss just sailed over. At the other end J. Smith, with very little to do all game pulled off a stunning one handed save, then right at the death the versatile L. Stallard signed off a fine performance with a superb goal line clearance. D. Flude was voted MOTM after a typical solid performance at right back, but this was a real team performance with J. Mullin another of the new signings also looking threatening on the right flank.
I expect Northwood to be safe in a mid table position this year, but the race for the title already looks a four horse race between ourselves, Harvesters and the two Whets!! s!!