Kensington Dragons Reserves 3 v 1 Pitshanger Dynamo Reserves

Kensington Dragons Reserves faced Pitshanger Dynamo Reserves in a league game at Linford Christie Stadium. Another very important game for the team and also one of the most difficult for them. Without a goalkeeper and missing a central defender the team had to find a balance and win another game.

Left back Matt Finch jumped into the goal and Kamal Romain started as a CB. These shifts gave a place for Justas Krisciunas on the wing and Mohammed Al Faisal in the middle.

The team started very quickly but it was difficult to build momentum on a very poor playing surface. All the players knew what they had to do but they needed time to jump into their normal level.

Unfortunately Dragons conceded a goal after 5 minutes. Once again, the team failed to defend a corner kick and were punished. It was good however to see the team respond positively and although their play didn’t improve too much, it was the mental strength and character that was making the difference. Shortly after the restart, Captain Adam Finch saw his free kick saved by the goalie but this seemed to stir Dragons into life and a few minutes later Dragons scored for 1-1 when Tom Madden stepped up and put his free kick in past the keeper. Some very offensive play gave a positive result 10 minutes before half time when Tom Madden scored again this time from the penalty spot. Dragons had a few more chances to score but the pitch didn’t make this job easy and the teams went in with only 1 goal separating them at half time.

The second half was fully under control of the team however the result was always very tight. The situation didn’t improve when John Hammond picked up an injury and was forced to leave the pitch. For the last 30 minutes of the game two central midfielders had to play in a central defensive partnership. Lamelle Williams then replaced Justas Krisciunas, Elhabib Oumar replaced John Hammond and Stefan Baisden went on in place of Hassan Osman. It was a pleasure to now see the team attacking and controlling the game. Dragons clinched the points when Lamelle Williams hurled a long throw in and Jamanhi Henry found space in the box to tap home from close range.

The final score was great, 3-1 and still on top of the league. Unfortunately John Hammond’s injury is serous and will not let him play next week in the most important game of the season.

 

CB Hounslow Social Reserves 0 v 3 Kensington Dragons Reserves

Kensington Dragons Reserves faced C.B. Hounslow Reserves in an away league game. All the team had to do, was to bring another 3 points to stay alive in the run in for the league championship!

There were 3 changes in the line up. Matt Finch came back on the left side of the defence line. On the right played James Shirley and in front of him ‘new- old’ Steven Cahill. As both flanks were almost brand new the core of the team stayed the same with all the supporters looking forward with confidence and hope for a win.

The first half of the game was boring and very unfortunate for the Dragons. The opponents had a simple strategy; kick the ball as far away from their own goal as possible and apart from 2 shots on target they didn’t do anything. Unfortunately Dragons were far away from their normal level. Most of the time the ball stayed in the central area and neither team could force their own patterns of play.

The half time team talk was needed to get the team back to their ‘Dragons’ game. The players responded and took the lead a few minutes after the game restart. Elhabib Oumar opened the game when he dribbled through the opponent’s defenders to score another goal to add to his season tally. 2 minutes later Kamal scored his first goal for the Dragons after Andrew Scheck’s low cross into the box and gave a 2 goal advantage for the away team. It was clear that nothing wrong could happen from this point and the coaching team decided to make 2 subs. Justas Krisciunas replaced Elhabib Oumar and Mo Al Faisal replaced team captain Adam Finch.  A few minutes later Jamanhi Henry scored the 3rd goal and Dragons took all that they wanted. Another 3 points see Kensington Dragons Reserves at the top of the table with 3 games to play. A clean sheet for the team saw the man of the match award go to CB John Hammond.

British Airways Reserves 0 v 3 Kensington Dragons Reserves

It was necessary for Kensington Dragons Reserves to win against British Airways Reserves on Saturday. At the same time it was absolutely clear that Dragons could not afford for a second loss in as many weeks. With John Hammond returning to the defensive line and Jamanhi Henry just behind the striker it was clear that the team was complete and well balanced.

Dragons started as their Manager asked, careful, calm and patient. The ball stayed mainly in the central areas and the very physical style of the opponents didn’t surprise the Dragons but we knew we would have to compete in those areas to deserve 3 points. The forward players started with great determination but unfortunately El Habib Oumar and Andrew Scheck missed their chances against the goalkeeper. Both of them missed the goal in great situations but the team stayed calm and looked for other chances. All plans came true in the 28th min when Andrew Scheck crossed the ball into the box. The ball came straight to Matt Finch who fired home to put Dragons into the lead. Unfortunately, Dragons were playing against the wind and their opponents took advantage of that fact. Several dangerous crosses just missed their intended target and when they did, Dragons keeper David Hills was up to the task. The team survived the pressure and went into the half time with 1 goal lead.

The Manager didn’t make any subs over the 15 minute brake and asked the team to stay united and careful. A few minutes after the restart and Dragons won a corner kick. Adam Finch took a chance and delivered the ball into the box. Playing with the wind the ball went straight into the goal. 2-0 for Dragons. It was the first game this season when twins brothers Adam and Matt Finch both registered. That was not enough for the team and the players wanted to score more goals. 5 minutes later another corner kick and Adam Finch crossed again. This time, one of the opponents, very unfortunately changed the ball’s direction and scored an own goal. A Situation in the 65th minute gave the team even more confidence. A missed tackle from Kamal Romain saw an absolutely unacceptable reaction from the opponent who tried to attack the referee who had no choice but to send him off.

 

Over the last 25 minutes, 3 substitutions meant Dragons could keep up their pressure. Justas Krisciunas replaced Matt Finch, Lamelle Williams replaced El Habib Oumar and Reiss Corr took the place of Jamanhi Henry. 3 fresh legs up the front and absolutely great combination play in the middle and on the side brought many more chances. The best of them unfortunately  missed by Lamelle whose shot clipped the far post of the goal.

This game clearly showed that Kensington Dragons Reserves had done their homework and the team played well, performed well and fully deserved their three points. There is no man of the match as the whole team was fantastic and should take a prize.

There was also an incident in the first half when Kensington Dragons Reserves Manager was abused on the nationality/ethnic basic. Unfortunately not all of the people involved in modern football have the same standards and their minds and world understanding are still narrow or closed. The team, over whole 90 minutes showed them that football is the same game in every part of the world.

Kensington Dragons Reserves 4 v 6 Broadfields Reserves

After a last kick victory in the previous game against Broadfields Reserves it was clear that Dragons would need to put a lot of effort into the game to maintain top position in the league table. With a completely new defence, Stefan Baisden and Kamal Romain, both signed in the last transfer window day, made their debuts, and their goal would prove much harder to achieve. Up front was only one change with Ali Soussi in to replace Andrew Scheck who was called up for the first team game.

After a good start, the team looked full of optimism. All of that disappeared after 5 min when the defenders made a massive mistake and let the opponent take a shot from the edge of the box. 0-1 so early on opened the game up and 3 minutes later Ali Soussi made a fantastic run on the side of the box and he scored for 1-1. Another 5 minutes and another score for Dragons. A great pass through the opposition defensive line and Justas Krisciunas found himself face to face with the keeper but found little competition and scored for 2-1. Dragons continued nervously at times but managed to see the half out to go into the break a goal to the good.

Over the 15 minutes of half time, no one expected what would happen in the second 45mins. Dragons were focused coming back on the pitch, took a chance, scored one more goal and brought the game under their control. 3 minutes after the restart of the game Elhabib Oumar scored  a fantastic goal using one touch to lob the keeper. Unfortunately a few minutes later a completely non understandable referee decision gave our opponents a penalty. 3-2 and all nerves came back. In truth the referee was not having the best of games for either side and Dragons won a soft penalty. Playing for the Reserves this week, Dean Humphrey easily beat the keeper from the spot. 20 mins to the final whistle and Dragons were 4-2 up.

Unfortunately the referee showed his skills again. After a clear foul 35yrds in front of the goal he gave the advantage to Broadfields to carry on. They scored but the linesman showed an offside. Surprisingly the ref then pulled the game back to the foul and gave a free kick. They crossed into the box, won a challenge in the air and scored for 4-3. The opposition could feel the tide turn and a few minutes later won a corner kick and showed Dragons what is their weakness this season. Another cross, another header and another lost goal by Dragons. Over the last 3 games the team has lost 5 goals from corners.

When everybody expected the final whistle the ref extended the 2nd half to 54 minutes without any reason. There were no cards or injuries in this game. In the last minute of injury time disaster struck. Broadfields cleared the ball in towards Dragons goal. The keeper David Hills made a mistake and, under no pressure, let the ball bounce in front of him and then over him. It was incredible. The worst goal the team have ever conceded! Shocking! From 3-1 and 4-2 Dragons were 4-5 in the 9th minute of injury time. The team, disheartened and shell shocked then compounded their misery. A quick centre, missed pass and counter attack killed the game completely. 4-6 and the final whistle.

Kensington Dragons Res lost the game they shouldn’t have even drawn. In the final part of the season the team can ill afford for any more games like that.

 

FC Deportivo Galicia Reserves 2 v 4 Kensington Dragons Reserves

Saturday’s Dragons Reserves game against FC Deportivo Galicia seemed to be an easy win judging by the league table. Unfortunately, everything changed just before the kick-off when opponents brought much of their first team to the pitch after their game had been postponed. Dragons are never scared and players always face up to the challenge!

The Manager decided to rotate the squad and start a few players who’d spent the last few games on the bench. In the starting 11, took their place Matt Finch and Justas Krisciunas. Also Jamanhi Henry took his place in behind Elhabib Oumar.  The balance of the team was perfect and from the start it seemed they had come back to their early season form. The Manager asked players to keep the ball, make the most of wide areas and work very hard as a team.

As a result the players brought full commitment as was asked on the pitch. Dragons were very careful at the beginning. Most of the time the ball stayed in the middle area but after 20 minutes El Habib Oumar was face to face with the keeper but saw his shot saved. After 25 minutes El Habib jumped into the channel to create another opportunity. Keeping between the defensive lines of opponents,  he took a pass and immediately moved it forward to Jamanhi who beat the keeper. For the rest of the half Dragons played fantastic football and didn’t let the opponents take even one shot.

Over the half time break, Manager Marcin asked the team to stay calm and continue their fantastic work. Soon after the restart, Matt Finch won the ball on the wing, sprinted past a defender and delivered into the box, straight into El Habib who scored his first goal of the game and doubled their lead. Almost from the restart the same player scored another goal and put the team in a comfortable position at 3-0 to the good. Dragons were now in full control of the game and it was left to Lamelle Williams to replace injured team captain Adam Finch and straight away with his first touch scored for 4-0. The last 20 minutes for Dragons were full of problems. 3 players played with injuries with only 1 sub on the side already used. The inability to freshen things up on a heavy pitch saw a drop in concentration and the team conceded 2 almost identical goals from corners. 4-2 and the final whistle gave Dragons Reserves 3 points and 1st place in the league table with only 7 games remaining.

A great game and very hard work from the whole team gave us what we wanted to get from this game. Man of the match was El Habib Oumar who played fantastic! With games in hand, Dragons have to build on their great performance in search of the Club’s first Senior Division title.

Pitshanger Dynamo Reserves 1 v 1 Kensington Dragons Reserves

After a few weeks without a league game and with a great result in the last away match in mind, Dragons came to Pitshanger Dynamo FC. With a few new faces in the team. David Hills took his place in goal after a 3 month absence, Lamelle Williams started as an attacking-minded midfielder and Emmanuelle Alexander as a holding midfielder and Tom Madden and Jon Malone in from the First Team squad looking to regain some form.

Dragons started slowly and were surprised by their well organised opponents. The team continued to sit back and tried to attack on the break. It was not easy to beat Pitshanger’s organised positions at this stage of the game, however the team created a few chances for Andrew Scheck, Tom Madden and Elhabib Oumar. The Coach made a small adjustment after 25 minutes of the game with Andrew and Lamelle taking wider positions leaving Madden in the hole behind the striker. This movement gave Dragons more options up front. A soft foul in the middle area gave Dragons a free kick. Tom Madden crossed the ball into the box which dropped just in front of Elhabib who scored the first goal of the afternoon. The last 20 minutes of the 1st half save very little of interest and with Dragons defending well, they went in 0-1 at the break.

During the half time, all felt the next goal would be important in such a tight game. Pitshanger tried to score as quick as possible after the restart but the defending players did their job properly again. 25min before the final whistle and the ball was played to Elhabib who made an individual run. He stopped in the box where he was felled by one of the Pitshanger centre back and the ref blew for a penalty for Dragons. Unfortunately Tom  Madden who had not missed from the spot all season, saw his shot saved and that vital chance for the second goal, missed.

A few minutes later and the opponents won a corner kick. A cross straight into the box, soft touch by an attacker and the ball found its way into the net. 1-1 and 15 minutes to go. Dragons made two changes from the bench. Tom and Lamelle replaced by Jamanhi Henry and Matt Finch. Unfortunately the team lost its attacking pace but remained focused on counterattacking. 5 minutes to go and Dragons had 2 chances to win the game. Firstly Elhabib in a 3 v 1 situation kicked straight into the goalie instead of making the pass to a teammate and then after a cross into the box, he shot only for the opponent keeper to tip the ball onto the crossbar.

It was great to come back into the league competition and the team showed great attitude but unfortunately in this game, luck was against the Dragons. Great play from Elhabib Who scored the goal and won a penalty making him a Man of the Match.

Sporting Hackney Reserves 2 – 0 Kensington Dragons Reserves. Division Cup Semi-Final

When you play against the same opponents 2 weeks running it is clear that things might go wrong. However, when Kensington Dragons Reserves beat Sporting Hackney Reserves last week they were sure it is possible to do it again. Unfortunately over the weekend all things around the team went wrong. Dragons Res Manager couldn’t use all available players as MCFL rules dictate all must have played 5 games for the team and no 1st Team cup fixture.  All became even harder just before kick off when Ade Akeredolu and Ashley Akrahm the starting CB pairing didn’t turned up for the game. Now with only 1 available sub,  it took a great attitude from Matt Finch who had to start on the central position at the back. Dragons started in a 1-4-2-3-1 with Justas Krisciunas as a right midfielder and Ali Suossi as a left. The final third was the kingdom of El-Habib and with an offensive formation looking strong, the defence line wasn’t that good. Abdullah Hussein and Matt weren’t the strongest Reserves couple of CB’s but both of them tried their best.

Dragons starred very very slowly. Players couldn’t find a quick answer for well organised opponents. Hackney created 2 clear chances in the first 10 minutes of the game. They hit the post once and missed the goal with the second shot. Unfortunately the game didn’t change after that. Dragons sat deep and tried to play quickly on the counter after winning possession. This way of play brought the team one great opportunity. El-Habib made a fantastic run but missed the target. That was all the incidents of note in the first 45mins with Hackney trying to play all the balls through the central defence line but Dragons dealing with it admirably.

At half time the manager was focused on correcting the team mistakes as well as inspiring them to adopt a winning attitude. Just after the restart  Hackney gave us a warning. They created a good chance but missed the goal. A few minutes later Hackney passed the ball into free space behind the central defenders leaving their striker to win the running competition with Matt Finch and pass unselfishly to his teammate who beat Dragons’ keeper. To compound matters,  just after that, injured Matt Finch had to leave the pitch. There were no subs available for his position so the team needed reorganisation. Hassan Osman went into the vacant CB position and Justas Krisciunas dropped into right back. The team tried to press higher and take control but it was not their day. Players were to slow in their play as well as some of the players not reaching their normal performance levels.

What is more in the 60th minute team captain Adam Finch got injured. Unfortunately Dragons Manager now without any available subs, was forced to leave his captain on the pitch. The players continued to try their best but a good scoring opportunity didn’t come. The team took a risk, went higher and opened the game. Our well performing opponents scored one more goal after a centre back mistake. A lack of pressure allowed a shot from distance and keeper Ryan Moore couldn’t do anything. The last 10 minutes Dragons played with 2 injured players as El-Habib couldn’t make any runs with a muscle injury.

It was one of the most difficult games for Dragons Reserves this campaign. Players didn’t perform well in opposition to their opponents and off the pitch things were also far away from the expected commitment levels.  Despite the result Ali Soussi showed good performance and he was Kensington Dragons Reserves Man of the Match. There is nothing more to dwell on but to look ahead to the league and play a great match next week and come back in the right way.

Regards

Coach Marcin Rusiecki

Sporting Hackney Reserves 1  – 2 Kensington Dragons Reserves

Link below for Kensington and Chelsea Chroncile courtesy of Paul Warburton.

KDFC Reserves v Sporting Hackney 18-01-14

It was clear straight away even before kick-off that Dragons would be playing one of the most difficult games of their season away in Hackney. With the grass pitch called off due to heavy rain the game was rescheduled last minute to a nearby 3G astro pitch. Hackney sat at the division summit 3 points ahead of the visiting Dragons. The coach Marcin had opted to bring a 15 strong squad with club captain Luke O’Donoghue included for his first game in 5 weeks coming back from injury adding experience to the youthful academy graduates of Hassan Osman, Andrew Scheck, Will Conway, Ali Soussi and Justas Krisciunas.

The team started as they are used to with 1-4-2-3-1 formation which provided a lot of options in the middle area of the pitch but left the wings open. Dragons started slowly and let Hackney create shooting chances. It was nothing dangerous but it made the team sure they had to all show their best performance. In the 5th minute of the game RB Hassan Osman made a fantastic individual run, passed 3 opponents and hit towards the goal. The ball hit crossbar then post and came out into the box. Although the team looked strong, they were not always sure how to deal with a physically strong hackney attacking game in the most effective way.

The 1st goal for Dragons came at the best possible time. Both teams tried to score and created ‘small chances’. After one of these plays, Dragons won a free-kick in the attacking third. Captain Adam Finch stoked a beautiful pass over the hackney fullback and the ball landed in front of the onrushing CM Luke O’Donoughe who stayed calm to bring the ball down with his left and finish with his right and beat the keeper, placing the ball in the bottom corner of the goal. This score made Dragons calm and put our opponents under big pressure. Just before half time the boys put themselves in big trouble and gave keeper Ryan Moore a chance to show all his skill. Fantastic throughout the game, Moore made two point blank saves for Dragons in two incredibly bad situations. His saves maintained the clean sheet in the first half and helped build up the team’s confidence.

At half time Matt Finch replaced the injured Ali Soussi. Also a short tactical analysis of the game from the coach made the team sure about what was expected from them. The players were sure they would have to be as strong and united as they have all season.  After the restart Hackney tried to score a quick goal. They put a lot of pressure on every player with the ball and it was clear that they would create situations particularly at set pieces but Dragons’ goal remained un-breached. Tough tackling Hassan, the smallest player on the pitch had to remember about an early yellow card on his account. It was an absolute pleasure to watch Dragons second half as they played like a real team!

Hackney were pressing hard for the equaliser. A 25 yard thunderbolt from the right back brought another top save from Moore, tipping the ball onto the bar but it needed CB Will Conway to make a last ditch clearance to deny the Hackney striker an easy tap in. Hackney hit the bar again moments later and missed an open goal with the midfielder putting over from 2 yards. It was under pressure, that Dragons broke to extend their lead. A cleared ball found its way to the excellent lone striker Jamanhi Henry who secured the ball, laid it back to O’Donoghue who lifted a ball in behind for the winger Andrew Scheck. Scheck crossed from the left to reach Osman who had made an underlap the length of the field to get the ball and beat Hackneys goalkeeper. 0-2 and Dragons thought that the game was over. Unfortunately it was not a reality as Hackney scored straight away after the restart. Their winger crossed the ball across the goal which hit the crossbar and landed two yards in front of the empty goal for an easy tap in.

Unfortunately the physical battle was starting to take its toll. Adam Finch and Will Conway had to be replaced by Justas Krisciunas and Mohammed Al Faisal because of injury. This pushed O’Donoghue back to partner John Hammond at centre back and the last 10 minutes Dragons were focused on defence and winding down the clock. The team worked very hard. Opponents created 3 clear situations but Moore was unbeatable this game! His performance was absolutely amazing! When 4 added minutes passed and the ref made the final whistle the score on the board still was 1-2.

It was a fantastic performance by the group. Players showed brilliant performance and commitment. They were a unit, they were a team, they were Dragons!!

A nice moment for the Dragons family with a special bond between the two goal scorers. O’Donoghue who scored the first has been at the club for 8 years and began coaching the U13s when Hassan Osman was a 12 year old central midfielder. Hassan scoring the second goal with former youth player and coach now in the same team. Strong individual performances from debutant Jonathan Kasongo and Andrew Scheck but man of the match went to the keeper Ryan Moore for a near perfect display. The win puts Dragons joint top with Hackney but also with 2 games in hand.

Kensington Dragons Reserves 7 v 3 Wembley Park Reserves –  Divisional Cup

Cup games are always very interesting as you have to put maximum effort to go into the next round. Today’s opponents had problems with completing a full squad so the referee decided to delay the game for 15 minutes. Dragons with their attacking mindset didn’t look at their opponents and were purely focused on their job. The team started with a 1-4-2-3-1 with 3 midfielders very narrow just behind the strikers. Unfortunately the boys couldn’t take advantage from their approaches for the first 35 minutes of the 1st half. What is more, Wembley made use of their free kicks and from one, headed the ball straight into the net. Dragons had to work harder but they have showed before that they are able to come back quickly. A few minutes after conceding,  Dragons striker Jermenhi nipped in to steal a back pass and placed the ball into the right bottom corner of the goal. This reaction pushed the team on to get their reward for the majority of ball possession. Just before the half time, Ali Soussi made a great run from the middle of the pitch, passed through the defense line, straight to Andrew Scheck who put the team in the lead.

After the half time break, the  team brought more quality into the game. This led to better and more enjoyable football for all, as well as more chances to score for Dragons. The Manager was sure that more goals had to be scored soon and a few minutes after the restart Dragons took a corner kick. The  ball was placed just in front of the goal, where unmarked Jerminhy scored his 2nd goal of the game. Dragons domination from there couldn’t be  questioned. The team wanted to score more goals and they did it. A few minutes later, another chance for Dragons, and Ali Soussi, scored another goal. This was a really good piece of football. Unfortunately Dragons made a terrible mistake at the back and conceded once. After 2 mistakes of CB and keeper the ball dropped 2yrds in front of the goal just in front of Wembley’s striker. This goal didn’t disturb the boys’ attacking mindset. Few minutes later beat the keeper and scored his 2nd goal this afternoon. Dragons wanted to score more but this game they haven’t got luck with them. Few absolutely lucky saves of Wembleys keeper saved the team couple of times. The last goal for Dragons came from big cross from left side and long sprint of Hassan Osman who closed the action on the opposite wing and placed the ball into the net.

Overall Kensington Dragons Reserves played very good football in the cup game against Wembley Park Reserves. The team achieved their aim and progressed into the next round of the cup. The player of the game was CB Will Conway, a 19 year old who cam through the youth system and who showed real quality into the defensive team game allowing others to attack with freedom.