A mixed week after the Easter break we hopeful drift into better weather and longer days:

The Firsts drew 1-1 to Jolof Sports away. The First were left to rue missed chances as they came away with a draw, knowing they could have gained all three against a Jolof side they have beaten emphatically before. Jolof had made it a tricky day for the Dragons. Looking ahead to the final string of fixtures, and despite a game against title rivals Shepherd’s Bush, there are points on the table the Dragons will fancy.

The Blues lost away at Portobello. A tough day for the Blue who were shut out of Portobello’s final third and didn’t manage to test their keeper enough. The Dragons have a fortnight break now from League fixtures to regroup.

The Old Dragonians beat Inter Manor 4-1 at home. Whilst not being at their best, the Old Ds fine end of season run extended to 6 unbeaten with 5 wins and a draw. On a blustery day at the Linford Christie Stadium the Dragons, playing with the wind at their back, were clinical and cruised to a 4-1 halftime lead. They continued to control the second half and Inter Manor had not a sniff of getting back into the game.

The new U11 Boys had no scheduled game.

The U12 Boys Red lost 1-3 to Spartan in the League Trophy. The Dragons traveled to the Spartan backyard with hopes of an upset against a team that is in the league above. Despite their confidence, and passages of good play, the Spartans overcame the Dragon’s defence three times to win.

The U12 Boys White were awarded an automatic away win in the League Trophy as Hanwell Town could n’t raise a side.

The U13 Boys lost at home to Pinnstars. This was always going to be a difficult match with the Dragons missing so many players. Many teams might have been tempted to call the match off but the Dragons bravely walked out onto the pitch and did their best in the difficult circumstances.

The U14 Boys were awarded an automatic away win as Hanwell Town couldn’t raise a side. The Dragons are now equal top of the Division and there will have to be a Play-Off to decide who is the Champion.

The U15 Boys were awarded an automatic home win in the League Trophy as Parkfield couldn’t raise a side.

The U16 Boys were awarded an automatic home win as London Athletic couldn’t raise a side.

The U17 Boys had no scheduled game.

The U18 Boys lost 0-2 at home to Ickenham in the League Trophy. The Dragons played an opponent they are very familiar with, having matched up several times in the League. Unfortunately, it was one of those days where nothing the Dragons tried worked. As spring gets underway and the pitches improve, the increased game time will be very much welcomed.

The U10 Boys trained.

There were no Youth Girls games who still enjoyed their Easter break.

It was only the First Team who played over the Easter break leaving Dragons everywhere to put their footballing feet up:

The Firsts drew 2-2 with Indian Gymkhana away. The Dragons went 2-1 up before Gymkhana came back to leave it  2-2 at half time. The good news was that, try as they might, Gymkhana could not break down the Dragons defence to score the winner. The bad news was that neither could the Dragons at the other end. It was to remain a draw.

There were no other matches.

Happy Easter

We wish Dragons everywhere a happy break over the Easter Weekend and trust everybody will come back refreshed for the final part of the season when the weather – we hope – will be better.

Thank you to all the Dragons who have donated. This allows players, whatever their circumstances, to join in. In particular,  thanks must go to our Patrons and, this season, to Druce, the Grove Trust and the Grenfell Projects Fund who have supported the Club.

It cost the club around £300/player per season so with nearly 20 teams we must raise a lot of money each season to keep to our policy of not charging. We spend virtually nothing on management and administration – the costs are incurred on hiring training and match pitches, equipment, referees’ fees, coaches’ expenses etc. All the Trustees and Managers give their time for free.  If you would like to donate please click the DONATE button.

The reward for donating will not just be in heaven. Supporters who donate the cost of a player or more will be invited to the Supporters Reception at the end of the season. If you would like to donate substantially more please consider becoming a Patron and join the other Patrons at our Dinner to be held towards the end of April. Please get in touch with Chris Shirley if you are interested and he will organise a “coffee” with Michael the Chair of our Patrons.

Results W/E 24^th March 2024

Finally, some good weather at a weekend:

The Firsts beat Camden Utd 2-1 at home. This was a great result for the Dragons who were reduced to 10 men for most of the match –  their striker having been retired to the side lines for being naughtier than absolutely necessary. The Dragons led 2-0 before Camden scored to leave the 10 doughty Dragons defending a slender one goal lead. A casual observer however would have assumed that the Dragons had their full complement because they continued to attack Camden’s end as they saw the match out to a triumphant conclusion.

The Blues just lost 4-5 away to Bessingby Park.  The Dragons went 1-0 up at the start but over confidence lead to their being 1-4 down before a stern talking to at half time lead to a resurgence. It was 4-4  when, five minutes from the end, Bessingbly scored the controversial winning goal with the referee ignoring the offside flag. Still, it was an entertaining match.  

The ODs beat Harrow Hive 3-1  away extending their unbeaten run to 5, with 4 wins and a draw. The Dragons opened the scoring, with a deft flick from OD’s forward on his debut. Harrow then equalised and it was all square at half time. In the second half the Dragons regained the lead from a corner with their centre-half rising above all to head in from close range. The win was sealed with a shot from the edge of the box by a marauding Dragons midfielder hunting down a loose pass.

The U14 Girls beat Barnet Nightingales 1-0 away in a tense league match. The two teams are due to meet in the Semi Finals of the Cup so that will no doubt be similarly tense affair.

There were no other Girls’ matches.

The U11 Boys were awarded their match as London Eagles could not raise a team

The U12 Boys Reds beat London Athletic 4-1 in the League Trophy at home.  This was a dominant display from a confident Dragons team that took their chances in front of goal and a showed intelligence in defence.

The U12 Boys Whites drew 3-3 with Brook House away. It is better to win but in reality this new Dragons team has had an excellent first season and a draw away from home is a victory of sorts.  

The U13 Boys beat Pro FA 2-0 at home. The Dragons have also had an excellent season and this win will surely secure them  promotion as their league matches near the end. The Dragons was especially pleased to have their former goalie to cheer them on on his visit from Madrid.  

The U14 Boys had no match.

The U15 Boys beat Southall Athletic 6-2 away in the League Trophy. The Dragons were on a 3-match winning streak as they went into this cup tie full of confidence. They put on yet another fantastic performance to secure the resounding win. They have now scored 19 goals in the last 4 matches.

The U16 Boys just lost 2-3 to Hendon at home. This was a generally competitive, close fought match. Probably the best football was the superb scoring free kick taken by the Dragons captain.  As the match neared the end, with the score 2-2, Hendon scrambled the winning goal to their obvious delight.  Hendon were probably a little over excited and the Dragons a little under excited –  not a great combination. The Dragons have the makings of a great team but they are not there yet.   

The U17 Boys drew 2-2 with Harrow Utd at home. The Dragons were still recovering from their string of postponed matches in the first half and, before one could think of encouraging exhortations, they were 0-2 down. The second half was altogether a different affair. The Dragons dominated to score via a deserved penalty before disaster struck – their defender was slight naughty and retired from the match. With only minutes to go, and with only 10 players, the Dragons stepped up a footballing gear to score the vital goal. Harrow will now finish below the Dragons in the Division.  

The U18 Boys drew 1-1 away at full time but then lost on penalties against Ickenham in a dramatic Play Off for the second place in the League. There is a history of high tension between the clubs and the Dragons coach did an excellent job in setting a disciplined tone ahead of the match. Whilst the Dragons dominated possession in the first half, and had many more chances than Ickenham, they left it too late to score and then lost on penalties.

The U10 Boys trained.

Results W/E 17th March 2024

Yet again the “Wet from the West” frustrated many Dragons:

The Firsts drew 1-1 at home to PFC Victoria. This was a decent result for the Dragons all things considered. PFC Victoria are very much in the title race and the Dragons managed to give them a frustrating afternoon and could have won. They will regret the missed opportunities.

The Blues were awarded an automatic away win as London Europeans have forfeited for the season.

The Old Dragonians were awarded an automatic home win as London Samurai couldn’t raise a team. Much to the annoyance of the Dragons who were chomping at the bit to play after 4 weeks of inactivity due to the wet weather.

The new U11 Boys lost 1-3 to Wealdstone away. The Dragons lost despite taking the initiative first to lead 1-0. Muddy conditions made a messy affair.

The U12 Boys Red home game to London Athletic was postponed.

The U12 Boys White won 1-0 at home to Pro FA in the League Trophy. A great win for the Dragons to the elation of home fans. They scored the only goal and defended well to keep Pro FA out.

The U13 Boys had no scheduled game.

The U14 Boys lost 2-6 at home to London Athletic in the Group Stage of the Trophy Cup. The Dragons assumed they would win but were rudely awakened by LA. The Dragons were lucky that this was not a League Match where they are title contenders. If excuses were needed one could say that the recent string of cancelled matches, due to waterlogged pitches, was not the best preparation for the Dragons

The U15 Boys won 8-3 at Hanwell Town away in the Trophy Cup. The Dragons, after taking an early lead, conceded soon after and the game looked like it would continue in such fashion: the Dragons went 2-1 up, then Hanwell equalised again to 2-2. The Dragons reassessed and then took complete control and put in a world class, team performance to soundly regain the lead and extend it.

The U16 Boys had no scheduled game.

The U17 Boys lost to Wealdstone away in the Group Stage of the U17 Trophy Cup. Wealdstone were a good side and the combination of having not played for weeks, their goalie being ill, and some finding the location a geographical challenge, all contributed to the Dragons being outplayed – they were lucky this was not a vital League match and they could still progress beyond the Group Stage in the Cup.

The U18 Boys had no scheduled game.

The U10 Boys trained.

The new U11 Girls were awarded an automatic home win over Enfield Town.

The U13 Girls won 5-1 away at Ealing Trailfinders. The Dragons put in a huge performance and, perfectionists that they are, will be frustrated to have conceded. A stellar win on the road and a good win before the Easter break.

The U14 Girls home game to Barnet Nightingales in the Semi Final of the Cup was called off due to a waterlogged pitch.

The U15 Girls had no scheduled game.

The U16 Girls home game to Islington Borough was called off due to a waterlogged pitch.

Weather watchers will remember the Dragons battling through the “Beast from the East“ to emerge the other side in fine fettle. Our challenge is now is the “Wet from the West”:

The Firsts drew 1-1 to London Tigers away. The Dragons knew this was a game they should win but also could not lose. With such a tight pack in the mid-table, meaning a mere few points would take them higher, the Dragons hope they will not be left to rue the missed opportunities.

The Blues away tie to Kodak in the Semi Final of the Divisional Cup was postponed and the Old Dragonians home game to Inter Manor was called off due to a waterlogged pitch.

The U16 Boys beat Trailfinders 6-3 in a friendly played away on astroturf. This was a fast and furious match where the Dragons only pulled decisively ahead in the last 15 minutes. There was much rejoicing as the Dragons sometime goalie, who was put up top to keep him out of harms ways, scored the vital winner and then put another away for good measure.

The U14 Boys beat Pro FA 9-1 at home. The Dragons were expecting tougher opposition and were consequently somewhat perturbed when their goalie cried off at the last moment. In the event all was well and the Dragons controlled the match with their reserve goalie saving a penalty along the way – helped by the penalty taker kicking straight at him.  

The U13 Boys lost 5-8 to Princes Park away. Not a good game for the Dragons who lost their focus after working hard to recover from being behind 1-3. The Dragons did magnificently however to get themselves back in the game and deserve to be applauded nonetheless.

The U12 Boys Red lost 1-2 to Titans at home. The Dragons dominated for most of the match and had plenty of chances in front of goal. After taking the lead in the second half from a wonder goal, the opposition put in a late effort and pulled back not one but two. A game the Dragons deserved to win but instead were given a lesson in the importance of taking their chances in front of goal.

The U18 Boys home tie to Ickenham in the League Trophy, as well as the U15 Boys, the U12 Boys White and the U11 boys’ games, were called off due to waterlogged pitches. The U17 Boys had no scheduled game. The U10 Boys trained.

The U14 Girls drew 1-1 with Broomwood away. The Dragons played an exemplary first half and went into the break one nil up. The teams were very even and as the second half progressed the Dragons tired, and under immense pressure, relinquished an equaliser.

The U16 Girls, the U13 Girls and the U11 Girls all had their games called off due to waterlogged pitches. The U15 Girls had no scheduled game.

This was a miserable, wet weekend. The Dragons spent the week organising teams and matches only to then spend the weekend calling matches off with both home and away pitches mostly waterlogged. Still, spring cannot be far away.

The Firsts lost to Pitshanger Dynamo away in the League. Pitshanger are title race contenders and the Dragons were up against it on a wet and windy weekend. A valiant fight but the Dragons could not hold back the home side’s attacking force and, in particular, the League’s top goal scorer.

The Blues lost at home to Portobello. A similar story for the Blues up against local rivals Portobello who sit unbeaten at the top of the League. The Dragons managed to find the back of the net but not as many times as their opponents.

The Old Dragonians had no game.

The new U11 Girls had no game.

The U13 Girls lost 0-3 to Islington Borough at home. In boggy, sticky conditions, the Dragons worked hard to play in their own style. This was a tight mid-table clash that either side could have won  but it was Islington who triumphed. The Dragons will clean their boots off ready for their next fixture.

The U15 Girls were awarded an automatic home win over Hayes and Yeading who forfeited the match. Easy points for the Dragons who did not have to pull up a sock, lace a boot or get out of bed to claim the points.

The U14 Girls home match to Islington Borough and the U16 Girls away game to Barnet Nightingales were postponed due to waterlogged pitches.

The U11 Boys, U12 Boys Red, U13 Boys, U14 Boys, U15 Boys, U16 Boys and U17 Boys all had their games called off due to waterlogged pitches. The U12 Boys White and the U18 Boys had no scheduled games.

The U10 Boys trained.

A wet week saw many matches postponed:

The Firsts had no scheduled game.

The Blues drew 1-1 with Wisemen West away. The Dragons were not at their best which led to 90 minutes of ups and downs. Wiseman is a good team and took the initiative and the lead. The Dragons realised that they were trailing so pulled themselves together and improved to, not just stay in the game, but to come back and rescue a point.

The Old Dragonians away match against Hillingdon Abbots was called off as their pitch was waterlogged.

The U16 Girls beat Acton Ealing Whistlers 12-1 away in the Middlesex FA Cup. Despite the huge win, the Dragons were wasteful in front of goal in the first half and only led 2-1 at half time. Some strong words and inner reflection saw arguably the best attacking half by any Dragons team this season. They were a threat from all over the park and 10 second half goals was just rewards for the way they went about their business. Whilst the forwards will get all the plaudits, kudos must also go to the defence and goalkeeper who kept their concentration levels and continually pushed the midfield and attack forward.

The new U11 Girls, the U13 Girls, and the U15 Girls all had their games called off due to waterlogged pitches. The U14 Girls had no scheduled game.

The U14 Boys drew 2- 2 with the League Leaders, Hanwell Town at home. This was a tremendous match between two very good teams. The Dragons scored first but Hanwell were too good a team to let the matter lie there – they came back with a vengeance. Frankly, the game could have gone either way with the Dragons hitting the post at least twice and Hanwell being denied sure goals by the Dragons mounting last ditch defensive scrambles in their goal mouth. The massed fans certainly had their money’s worth in entertainment.

The U13 Boys were awarded an automatic home win as Pinner United could not raise a side. On a weekend where you might have thought Pinner would have used the conditions as an excuse and lucky escape, they did not and the Dragons happily took all three points without lifting a boot.

The new U11 Boys lost 1-3 to Brent United away. The Dragons could not catch up with Brent after a quick onslaught left them 0-2 down in less than 10 mins. This match was unusually on a Saturday and missing their normal Saturday training session prior to the match proved costly.

The U12 Boys Red, the U12 Boys White, the U15 Boys, the U16 Boys, the U17 Boys and the U18 Boys all had their games called off due to waterlogged pitches. 

The U10 Boys trained.