Category: Senior First Team

First Team keep the pressure on with 3 vital points

Marsh Rangers 2 v 3 Kensington DragonsFC

The first game in the final month of Dragons season and the rhetoric remained ‘Win the next game!’. With a team in the lower half of the league and Dragons having to play them twice in these final run of games it was important to lay down a marker. In the opening thirty minutes of the game it was one-way traffic from the Dragons with wave after wave of attackdoing everything but scoring a goal. Whilst there was caution at the potential threat at the other end it was more when the lead would be taken than if. Then it came, a nice through ball from Malone found Navarro who in his first start for the first team was able to mark it with a goal and send the visitors into the break with an underwhelming lead.

Straight after the restart the home team capitalised from a relaxed approach from their opposition and brought the scoring back level. This woke Dragons up and a determined run from Soussi down the right cut back for Nalu Moso who gave Dragons the lead once more. Some indecisive play in the final third meant the lead was not extended further until the last fifteen minutes when a nice one-two between Nalu Moso and Madden allowed Nalu Moso to extend his and Dragons tally for the day. Marsh Rangers continued to push and their determined attitude brought them a goal five minutes from time. A less than comfortable end to the game for Dragons as a result but with enough to see the game out and claim the three points. The days objective had been achieved if not as convincingly as hoped. Lancaster await Dragons on Tuesday evening leading to the massive title decider against LPOSSA on Saturday.

Kensington Dragons MCFL Junior Open Cup Champions 2012-13

Results Round-Up 28 April 2013

Fellow Cup Winning Dragons

The Reserves BEAT Broadfields 1-0 to WIN the MCFL CUP at Uxbridge FC in front of packed stands. The Dragons had a plan – playing a 3-5-2 formation to surprise Broadfields and support their recent faltering attack. Would the youthful Dragons, with the occasional veteran, remember the cunning plan? Certainly the Dragons created scoring opportunities whilst limiting Broadfields to long pot shots before near disaster struck as the Dragons lost their midfield captain through injury to leave it 0-0 at half time. On 60 minutes a lung bursting run lead to a square ball back to the onrushing Dragon veteran striker who finished calmly to make it 1-0. A great team goal but could the Dragons take it to the end? The game was now frenetic and then unbelievably the Dragons lost another key player with a nasty ankle turn. Despite the Dragons back 3 now being all under 19 they coped brilliantly with their superb goalie mopping up behind. As Broadfields pushed on the Dragons were looking sharp on the break but Broadfields just kept coming, desperate to equalise. Into injury time and it was now kitchen sink o’clock for Broadfields as they endlessly won cheap free kicks. In the final 10 seconds the biggest aerial goal mouth scramble ensued with the whistle in the referee’s mouth. The Dragons keeper half cleared with a punch, the out of position Broadfield’s keeper headed it back, another scuffed clearance and the ball headed for the net until it was hooked clear one final time. The referee pursed his young lips and the Dragons were MCFL Cup Champions – if just by the skin of their collective teeth. The players were exhausted; the fans more so.

The Firsts beat Saracens 3-1 at Osterley to further their prospects of promotion to the premiership. There are now a handful of tough games left which will decide who goes up …..and who stays put.

The U17’s beat Bessingby Park Rangers 3-2 at Birbeck. Courtesy and good manners are not the first words that spring to mind when considering Bessingby. The Dragons toiled under the sun gifting the disgruntled Bessingby a couple of goals to leave the scores level at half-time. Despite injury to the Dragons goalie it looked like the Dragons were going to pull away as they scored an early goal. Bessingby however raised their game to equalise but it was to be the Dragons day as they pummelled home their third and winning goal. Bessingby sulked their way off the pitch back to wherever such behaviour is the norm.

The U15’s beat Belmont 4-1 at Birbeck. This was another typical Dragons game – except that it was not raining. The Dragons had a full squad of talented players with a welcome sprinkling of parents watching them play exhibition football without actually scoring much. As Belmont’s coach showed signs of increasing bad temper the Dragons passed, twirled and practiced their kick ups against the hard working Belmont side. Finally one of the more gifted, but often laid back, Dragons players was allowed on the pitch to demonstrate how goals are actually scored at the end of controlled build ups – by ruthless calm precision in front of goal to convincingly win the match.

The U14 Nighthawks lost 1-4 to Forest United, the second bottom team in the division. The Dragons played well with just 1 sub but Forest were hungrier and had 5 subs. Some have commentated that the Anno Horribilis continues but others would suggest that learning to lose is the first step in developing the resilience to win except their Latin is rusty.

The U14 Eagles had no match but watched reruns of their top 100 goals instead.

The U13’s lost 0-2 to Hillingdon. The Dragons were forced into making several positional changes due to players being unavailable and a re-arranged defence was caught out in the first 5 minutes as a Hillingdon midfielder got to the by line and crossed the ball low; the Dragons keeper tried to cut it out but could only parry the ball into the path of a Hillingdon striker who converted. The Dragons began to control the game midway through the first half as their passing game began to excel and they created a couple of good chances but failed to convert. Only the cross bar prevented the Dragons from equalising from a great shot from their striker. The second half was much of the same with the Dragons having the possession for most of the half except a Hillingdon counter attack caught out the Dragons defence to lead to a 1 on 1 with the keeper and a goal to clinch the win for Hillingdon.

The U11’s lost 2-4 to Wealdstone. The full squad of Dragons were raring to go on the beautiful Sunday morning at St Marks. The game started at a fast pace with Wealdstone on the attack and the Dragons on the back foot giving Wealdstone an early goal. The Dragons regained their competitiveness and started to play some exciting football, moving the ball around the pitch with precision passing but were caught by a Wealdstone counter attack to go down 0-2. The Dragons then had two goals disallowed, one from a poor refereeing decision. The Dragons refused to be downhearted and kept up the pressure to make it 1-2 at half time. Wealdstone then scored a further two early goals prompting the Dragons coaches to make the three substitutions which had an immediate impact with a superbly executed goal. The Dragons were now finding their feet but alas time was against them and they were caught by the final whistle.

An ever increasing number of cheerful U10’s trained.

The Girls had their biggest turn out to date at their Friday training session.

Reserves triumph in MCFL Open Cup final

Kensington Dragons Reserves 1 v 0 Broadfields Reserves

The Reserves beat Broadfields United 1-0 at Uxbridge Football Club to win the first Reserves silverware since the club began!

Having lost a cup final last week, been hammered by Southall in the league on saturday and facing a team they had lost to on their previous six meetings, the Dragons backs were firmly against the wall. After a roller coaster of a season the question was could they raise themselves one last time to get a second 2013 club trophy in the bank? With a bus load of Dragons fans they certainly knew the whole club was behind them.

The answer would only come in injury time but with a strong looking squad the pre-game feelings were all very positive having learned some key lessons in their final defeat last week. The management decided to switch to a 3-5-2 to spring a surprise on Broadfields while giving more support to a faltering attack of late. After a few minutes settling into the new shape, they began to slowly open up the Broadfields defence. James Shirley, at the central point of the 3 at the back was leading by example and with Luke Giles and Adam Finch controlling things in midfield the two wing backs were pushing on and causing havoc. Jack Lyons, responding to some heavy criticism in recent weeks, was cutting Broadfields apart down the right. He fed striker Jon Laycock after 20 minutes who in turn put in his new striking partner Steve Cahill. He drove into the box but the keeper saved his well hit effort superbly. Ethan Meyers, on the left flank was also pushing on and linking with Giles beautifully. But the second chance again fell to Cahill, taking a lovely touch with his back to goal and firing a swivelled shot that the keeper again saved well. However, after losing key players in last weeks final again they lost a key man in captain Dean Humphrey who was just starting to take control in the hole. Reiss Corr came on and the team needed a performance out of one of their youngest Dragons. A couple of half chances came and went but at half time it was 0-0, Broadfields being limited only to long pot shots at the excellent, as always, Joseph Muyanja.

The management team were happy with the performance, Tony Smith and Miguel De Souza only asking a few extra tactical additions as well as to be brave and push on for the goal. After a poor opening 5 minutes suddenly they burst into life, Giles and Finch dominating in midfield and putting in crunching tackles along with great build up play. On 60 minutes finally they got the break through. Finch laid the ball off to Laycock who span and released Corr down the left. His lung bursting run took him into the box and then showed immense composure to square the ball back to the onrushing Laycock who opened up his body to finish calmly into the far corner, the out of form striker’s first goal in 8 games. A great team goal but could they take it to the end or grab the killer second? The fans were driving them on, incredibly loud and passionate songs heard by all the players. The game was now end to end, and then unbelievably the Dragons lost another key player in the superb James Shirley. His nasty ankle turn brought another 18 year old on in Shegun Beckley. The back 3, all under 19 now, were reshuffled and they were coping brilliantly with Muyanja mopping up everything when needed. As Broadfields pushed on the Dragons were now looking sharp on the break. Laycock fed Cahill in behind but again found the keeper saving well. Lyons then drifted a beautiful cross in for Laycock at the far post but he headed tamely to the keeper with the goal at his mercy. Into the last 15 minutes and the Dragons began to sit deeper and deeper. Finch was now in full flow and all over the pitch while communicating superbly to his younger team mates around him. But Broadfields kept coming, and the back three in Will Conway , Meyers and Ade Akeredolu had to be at their very best to restrain the opposition forward line, Akerdolu standing out while marking the Broadfields excellent winger. Director of Football Smith then went to a 4-4-2, allowing a bit more defensive shape…. could they hold on?

Into injury time and it was now kitchen sink o’clock for the opposition, endlessly winning cheap free kicks. The keeper was now up for set pieces and in the final 10 seconds the biggest aerial goal mouth scramble ensued with the whistle in the referees mouth. Muyanja half cleared with a punch, the United keeper returning it with his head, another scuffed clearance and the ball headed for the net until Man of the Match Finch hooked it clear one final time. The referee pursed his young lips and The Dragons were MCFL county Champions, if just by the skin of their teeth.

Kensington Dragons Reserves, 2013 MCFL Junior Open Cup Champions!

Matchwinner Jon Laycock Kensington Dragons

First Team press on in title bid

Kensington Dragons 3 v 1 West London Saracens

With seven games to go, the title run in is heating up week by week and with the Reserves in a cup final later in the evening the First team looked to start the winning trend. This was a difficult fixture for Dragons on paper as a resurgent WLS showed signs of the form that saw them win and draw against the Dragons last season. A determined start to the game by the hosts gave an indication that this was set to change, good interplay in the opposition’s half and good pressure off the ball was what would have been requested. With the defence having little to do other than start a new attack on the twenty minute mark the WLS danger man picked the ball up and fashioned a shooting chance on the edge of the area and what a shot. It arrowed to the top corner and the Dragons goalie could only slow it down on its way in. So against the run of play Dragons had to find the finishing touch that denied them the lead. Nalu Moso the most lively of the Dragons forwards earned a free-kick and his resulting effort looked perfect until it hit the bar and over. This was the nudge needed and with better play developing WLS conceded another free-kick this time Nalu Moso’s strike was clean and true as it whistled into the net. It would be Nalu Moso who had the best chance to give Dragons the lead at the break but his shot went straight to the keeper. Going into the wind but with the sun to their backs Dragons knew only a win would do. It was this hunger and determination that created the second goal as Nalu Moso and Soussi both chased lost causes to force an error and Soussi made no mistake with his finish. With what was a good moment for the Dragons some neat play on the halfway line set Soussi away again though this time he was not as clinical and his rebounded shot came to Nalu Moso who’s attempt was blocked but fortunately the ball fell nicely to Soussi who rolled the ball into a vacant net and was judged on side by the referee who overruled the opposition linesman. The final moments of the game was about being resolute and Dragons were able to come through unscathed and gain a valuable three points.

Firsts suffer shock home defeat to ICOB

Kensington Dragons 2 v 3 Imperial College Old Boys

Still in good spirits from the mid-week cup win it would be down to Dragons to continue the seasons main objective to win the league and gain promotion. This against a team that Dragons always find difficult and today would be no different. A sloppy start from Dragons had them going a goal behind in the first ten minutes. A lack of quality on a wet day and soggy pitch did not allow for any kind of rhythm in Dragons play. As a result it would be two corners to drag Dragons back into the game. The first taken by Madden from the right to the near post who found O’Donoghue on the run and a good connection gave the keeper no chance. Minutes later the same taker this time found Pepera whose athletic effort flew into the net to luckily give Dragons the lead at half-time. The second half would unfortunately be more of the same from the home side not testing the goalkeeper from open play and this would be to Dragons detriment as another two really bad errors would give ICOB their only real attacks of the second-half but both times they scored.

Dragons due to playing so bad for so long were not able to pose a meaningful come back. This would end with Dragons second defeat in a week and more importantly their second in the league meaning its all to do now to ensure promotion.

Results Round-Up 10 April 2013

Fellow Cup Winners

The Firsts WON the Middlesex County Cup on Wednesday night under floodlights by beating NPL 2-1. A fantastic achievement. The first half was tentative and tough with the Dragons giving away an own goal before the break. The second half was a different affair with the Dragons playing good controlled competitive football in the rain to go one up via a penalty and then 15 minutes from the end a tremendous shot from the right 25 yards out sealed the win. We are simply the best.

At the weekend the sun finally shone to cheer up the irrepressible Dragons:

The Reserves drew 0-0 with table toppers Stedfast before going on to win 3-2 on penalties to reach the MCFL Junior Open Cup Final on April 27th. With a solid spine through the centre the Dragons started superbly and created opportunities but at half time it was still 0-0. The second half was an even affair and often end to end. As the clock ticked it seemed inevitable that it would be Extra Time and indeed it was. It was clear that Stedfast were physically spent and the Dragons dominated the extra 30 minutes but again could not score and it was onto penalties. As events unfolded it dawned on the Dragons that the result was down to the Dragons keeper being left to face 2 pens and take his own! With the Dragons nerves shredded the goalie put his gloves back on, returned to the goal and leaped majestically left to palm away the last penalty and the celebrations began. The Dragons had won and were through to the Final on 27 April having already reached another Cup Final on 17 April!

The Firsts drew 2-2 with Hillingdon away and then generously lost in extra time against Hillingdon as they prepared for the Cup Final on Wednesday

The U17’s had no game

The U15’s beat Brunswick away 2-0 in the first leg of a double header and then drew 1-1 in the second leg. With a reduced squad the Dragons played their customary game of good passing football without actually slamming the ball in the opposition’s net quite as much as they deserved. Calm ruthlessness in front of goal is all that is needed to turn the side into League and Cup winners.

The U14 Eagles beat St Joseph’s 5-2 at St Marks. Only as the Premier League entered its post-Easter climax were the Eagles finally able to re-start their own campaign after poor weather and the Easter break. St Joseph’s were not going to let the Dragons ease back into their stride – they were well-organised and proved even stronger than the last time the sides met. This was just the kind of challenge the Dragons needed. It was a performance from the top-drawer, with every Eagle pulling together to provide the platform for another man-of-the-match hat-trick from their tireless striker, not to mention two eye-catching strikes from their jinking midfield maestro whose dazzling footwork kept the crowd heartily entertained. To quote the Manager “our appetite is back!” The Dragons are hungry for more but will the weather, and all the other vagaries of this frustrating season, let us satisfy it?”

The U14 Nighthawks had no game

The U13’s at St Marks lost 1 to “quite a lot” against the run away league leaders Pinner United. It all started so well with the Dragons looking like they were the ones who should have been top of the table. They took the lead with the Dragons left midfielder weaving passed three defenders, passing to his midfield chum who had made the right run to calmly control the ball before smashing it into the net. Pinner then made the Dragons pay and with some defensive and keeper errors they clinically punished the home side. Pinner simply proved to be too good on the day.

The U11’s were awarded 6 points as Brentham Colts defaulted in the scheduled double header

The U10’s started training again after the Easter break and look forward to their match against the Spanish School

The Girls started training again after the Easter break looking forward to more tournament success

First Team Win MCFA Junior Cup

Kensington Dragons 2 v 1 NPL

The first of three finals in the Dragons Senior section began with the First Team vying for their first trophy in three years. Going out of the only other cup competition they were in meant this chance could not be spurned. Just as the teams were about to kick off the rain added another variable for both teams to contest with. Dragons started off well but for all the good possession, did not produce any shots at goal. The opposition took the small opportunities to push forward and were able to create set-piece opportunities. From one of these a corner was only half cleared and the returning cross was diverted into the net by a Dragons player and gave NPL the lead. The rhythm in the Dragons game had gone and NPL looked more likely to add to their lead. A slight tweak in the formation of the Dragons allowed them to finish the half on a positive note but with it all to do in the second half.

Knowing that an improved level of performance would be required to get back into the game Dragons set about the task in determined fashion. With more shots on at goal in the first fifteen minutes of this half than produced in the whole of the first half, Dragons showed their intent. A corner created from the ongoing pressure, lead to a stab at goal which was judged by the referee to be handled. Tom Madden stepped up in cool fashion as he has done all season to bring Dragons back to parity. With momentum significantly shifted in Dragons favour the pressure intensified and as the ball broke infield to Malone 25 yards out a strike at goal was all he was thinking and a great strike it was skimming across the turf and in off the post with the keeper helpless.

The final period of the game came down to some resolute defending from Dragons to repel any hope of NPL getting back into the game with the best chance coming from a Nalu Moso chip cleared off the line.

A well earned victory in testing conditions with little time to celebrate as the aim for promotion continues in three days. Congratulations to the team and may the Reserve team follow suit in their two finals.

MCFA Junior Cup Winners Kensington Dragons 2012-13

Firsts progress in MCFL Cup

Kensington Dragons 1 v 0 Supreme Athletic

With yet another weather enforced break Dragons needed to get this third round cup game played as the fixtures are already beginning to pile up. Playing against a team that dramatically knocked them out of a different cup at the semi-final stage on penalties two years ago, the Dragons were keen to come out on top. The quality of the pitch was not great but Dragons have a way so far this season of adapting their way of play to get the result over the performance. With personal battles all over the pitch the physical contest was the most obvious in the first thirty minutes of the game. It was at that point Dragons would start to express their footballing qualities and carve out the best goal scoring opportunities the best of which came from a great ball from full-back Maxwell to Samin who was not able to take the ball in his stride. Dragons felt confident that an improvement in their game would see them progress and for large parts of the second period thats exactly what happened. It was no surprise when on seventy minutes a diagonal ball found the excellent Mariner, who played a cross field ball to Malone his deep cross to the back post found Mariner still on the move and a deft header back across goal allowed O’Donoghue to nod the ball into an empty net. There seemed little in terms of a response from the opposition until the last five minutes when a guilt edge chance was crashed against the bar and gave Dragons a deserved victory. The quarter-final against Hillingdon will be played this week.

First win away to Chiswick in the league

Chiswick 1 v 3 Kensington Dragons

With an enforced week of rest due to the manager taking his nuptials, the Firsts had an away trip to a Chiswick side who since the start of the year have lost all games in the league but won two cup games to get into a final. A potential banana skin for Dragons and the bitter cold weather would test the desire of the players and a very even start to the game would prove both sets of players were up for it. Dragons slick play soon got in motion and Soussi one on one could only find the keeper whilst at the other end Chiswick’s top scorer shook the upright. With Dragons wasteful in front of goal through a dominant period of play they would find themselves behind as a slip at the back was clinically finished.

The attitude from the players was not to panic but to continue with the tempo and quality of play that had created chances and the philosophy was proved right as some great play down the right and a one-two between Nalu Moso and Mariner allowed Nalu Moso to end his goal drought with a tidy finish. Though there were a number of chances to go into the break ahead, it would not be the case and Dragons would have to settle for level pegging.

Dragons changed their setup for the second period and had the opposition pinned back from the start and knew that a draw would harm their title charge. The attacks came wave by wave from Dragons but as hard as they tried they just weren’t able to get the break. The first change from the bench came with fifteen minutes to go and Dragons remained calm under pressure and kept to their philosophy. With six minutes to play a swift move down the left had Scott attacking the byline and firing a cross to find one of the subs Samin at the far post to finally give Dragons the lead. Now momentum was with the away side and another move down the left hand side led to a cross finding Samin who finished the game as a contest and secured another three points.

Results Round-Up 10 March 2013

Spring opened the door and then firmly shut it again to allow the wind, wet and cold back in:

The Firsts beat LPOSSA 2-1 away in a mouth watering head to head intense match between the division leaders. The Dragons opened the scoring from twenty yards and then had LPOSSA pinned back in their own half to score again to make it two nil. As the interval drew nearer LPOSSA launched a long ball to catch the Dragons off guard to score and make it 1-2 at the break. LPOSSA came back out determined to claw their way back into the game and launched wave after wave of attacks. The Dragons held firm and were glad that three match officials had been appointed for such an important match when they judged correctly that an LPOSSA shot had not crossed the goal line and the win was sealed.

The Reserves drew 1-1 with Hillingdon. Unbeaten in 10 games the Reserves arrived confident of finally beating Hillingdon having lost to them in their last 5 encounters. The Dragons started superbly winning everything in the air and pressing high up the pitch. However in typical “football” style Hillingdon were first to net on the break when they scored from a tackled clearance. The Dragons responded well and finally, just before half time, equalised via a penalty. The second half was one way traffic with the Dragons creating the opportunities only to be thwarted at the last gasp to leave the final score a draw.

The U17’s lost 0-4 away to FC Kensington at Wormwood Scrubs in the local Derby. With a late 1.30pm kick-off the already inclement weather, with a strong biting north-easterly wind combined with the churned up wet muddy pitch, proved to be totally the wrong conditions for the Dragons. After having most of the first half possession the Dragons conceded a goal the only time FCK ventured from their own half. There was all to play for in the second half but, despite very skilful play from the dogged Dragons, they were rewarded with hits on the cross-bar and near misses whilst FCK went on to score run away goals. An odd result with the only redeeming feature being able to escape the cold and get home.

The U15’s lost 0-3 away to C.B.Hounslow on a dank dark muddy pitch in a most peculiar game. The Dragons played on occasion almost sublime passing football but were incapable of actually scoring. Time after time superb passing moves moved the ball up to Hounslow’s end but then nothing much happening when it arrived there. “Goals win Games”, not displays of brilliance which are better left to synchronized swimmers.

The U14 Nighthawks lost 0-2 then won 4-1 in a double header vs Princess Park B at the freezing Wormwood Scrubs. The Dragons could have won the first game but missed too many opportunities. In the second match the Dragons dominated from the beginning to win. Statisticians noted how the same teams playing on the same pitch produced two completely different matches where both teams deserved their victory.

The U13’s had no game.

The U11’s lost away 2-7 to Watling in a freezing cold Sunday in Burnt Oak on a pitch more suited for mud wrestling. The Dragons started with explosive style scoring a quality early goal and it looked like they were on fire. Watling had other ideas and started to ease their way back into the game. As the match turned from football to ‘stuck in the mud’ the Dragons sat back, lost their rhythm and conceded a hand full of goals to lose the game 7-2. A game not to be remembered.

The U10’s training was called off as the pitch was closed. Next Saturday they have the return leg with South Ealing Saints and the week after a match with the Spanish school

The Girls training was also called off due to the weather but will be on again this Friday.