Acton & Ealing Whistlers B 3 v 7 Kensington Dragons U12s. League Cup

Our mission this weekend was to overcome Acton & Ealing Whistlers B, a team on top of their league and in a whole division above us, with a patched-up Dragons team ravaged by half term absentees. Like the famous scene in the Tom Hanks movie, Apollo 13, we had no choice but to make do with the limited resources at our disposal to get us home safely. Strikers had to be reinvented as goalkeepers, wingers had to be re-imagined as defenders and fringe players had step up and become target men. Every player had to play their part if we were to make the short journey back down the A40 with pride intact.

Yet despite the enforced team selection issues the Dragons got off to a flyer. Felix, playing in a deeper midfield role, picked up the ball and put the Dragons ahead with a superbly executed, right foot finish. And it wasn’t long before he’d made it 2 nil with an equally well-taken strike. The Whistlers responded with a ‘hit and hope’ shot that held up in the gusting wind and made it 1-2. But a great debut goal from Jamal made it 1-3 at the break. The Dragons were putting into practice what they had learned in their previous day’s training session: Shielding the ball and imposing themselves physically on the game. This added steel meant they were winning the midfield battles and were not allowing themselves to be bullied in key areas. They were breaking in numbers from deep and not merely relying on the solo break-away goal.

The second half started with a nasty injury to Sidney, the Dragons’ stand-in right back. A bloody nose meant he left the field of play and we had to re-organize at the back again. The Whistlers took advantage and won a free-kick on the edge of the area. With the strong wind now behind them, they hoofed it into net. 2-3, the game was now in the balance. But if today had begun as an exercise in damage limitation no one had read the script to these young Dragons. Sidney, now back on the field in his more usual right wing position collected the ball and unleashed a rocket from the right-hand corner of the box. Minutes later he found himself in an almost identical position and curled in his second. And it wasn’t long before he completed his right-footed hat trick, this time slotting home low past the advancing keeper.

Enrique made an excellent save before the Whistlers scored another wind-assisted free kick.  As the clock ticked down Felix had the chance to register a hat trick of his own but his shot was blocked and the rebound was calmly stroked into the net by Aziz to make it 3-7.

So just like Jim Lovell’s ill-fated lunar mission made it back to earth, the Dragons made it safely through to the next round of the Cup. And as Commander Lovell famously said “You never know what events are going to transpire to get you home.” I guess that’s the magic of the Cup.

Kensington Dragons U12 0  V  3 Parkview Rangers. Middlesex County Cup

A depleted Dragons team missing their top scorer and regular goalkeeper took on a Parkview side sitting at the top of their league and brimming with confidence. There were doubts whether the game would actually take place after an early morning deluge but the sun came out bang on time for the noon kick off, making ideal conditions for the cup tie.

The early exchanges were high-energy with most of the action taking place in the Dragons half. It wasn’t long before the visitors took advantage of their superior possession and broke through to take the lead. The Dragons battled hard after going behind and went into the break just the one goal down. They were definitely holding their own against the team from the higher division. In the second half the Dragons’ midfield showed flashes of composure and class as they tried to impose themselves on the game and work the ball to Felix, up front. But the final pass just couldn’t find it’s way through and the lone striker found himself feeding on scraps for most of the match. Enrique, more used to bearing down on goal than standing in one, put in an accomplished performance to deny Parkview a handful of times. And it was the Dragons’ defence, normally so rock solid, who weren’t quite on song this week. They switched off for a well delivered corner and got pulled out of position from a throw in and were punished both times. With a three nil lead you would have thought that the team from Tottenham would have been happy with their performance but unfortunately it just revealed their nastier side. They resorted to some totally unnecessary rough stuff and inappropriate banter which the referee chose to ignore. Did he actually have a whistle? He didn’t seem use it much if he did.

The home team did have a chance to register a goal in an attack that ended up in a spell of goalmouth pinball but Parkview somehow managed to keep the ball out of the net.

So a three nil home defeat and no fairytale cup run for the under 12s this year. But there were plenty of positives to take out of this match. The boys played with real purpose and endeavour and they should be proud that they held their own against a team who went the whole of last season undefeated. Well done Dragons.

St. Joseph’s A  2  V  0  Kensington Dragons U12s.

The horrendous conditions and torrential rain this Sunday morning might have been the ideal weather for ducks but they certainly weren’t for Dragons. The ball skidded off the greasy surface and made it impossible for the away team to play their normal passing game that has served them so well this season. St. Joseph’s more physical and direct style seemed better suited to the swamp-like conditions. Could it be that St. Joseph was actually the patron Saint of amphibious creatures and not unborn children, workers and immigrants as previously thought? It certainly seemed that way as the team in orange tested our keeper with alarming regularity. One such attack was cleared off the line by Kass who swiftly mounted a counter-attack resulting in a rare Dragons attempt on goal by Felix from a through-ball by Enrique. Towards the end of the half the Dragons started to find their (webbed) feet and there were signs that they might turn the tide but St. Joe’s started the second half brighter and quickly had the ball in the back of the net, only for it to be ruled offside. This seemed to spur the home side on and now kicking downhill, they rained in shots on Arthur’s goal, warming his hands on numerous occasions (at least someone in the park had warm hands). It wasn’t long before they broke the deadlock and quickly added a second. The Dragons rallied but to no avail, it was like pushing water uphill and the final whistle ended their 4 match unbeaten run.

A soggy car journey back to North Kensington gave the young dragons time to reflect on what it feels like to lose. Not good. So it’s back to the basics in training on Saturday and stern word with the weatherman for next Sunday. Hopefully we’ll all have dried off by then.

BESSINGBY PARK RANGERS ‘B’  0  V  6  KENSINGTON DRAGONS U12s

The League Cup started more like an episode of Wacky Races than Match of the Day, with the convoy of cars transporting the Under 12s choosing a scenic route, taking in some of the finer Cul-de-sacs of leafy Ruislip before eventually arriving at the away ground with minutes to spare.

When the game started the Dragons looked like they could have done with a more thorough warm up and team talk than the six and half minutes they were afforded. It took them a while to settle into their rhythm and put into practice what they had learned in the previous day’s training.

Earlier jitters were quickly settled with a composed passing move through midfield that released Ilya on goal. His initial shot was parried by the keeper but he was alive to the rebound and buried it into the net. The Dragons were now growing in confidence and tested Bessingby’s keeper from every angle. Just before half time a slide rule pass put Felix clear and with great composure, he opened up his body, picked his spot and slotted home for a two nil lead at the break. The second half picked up where the first had ended. The Dragons were now over-running the opposition in midfield and Enrique who’d been switched to play up front from out on the wing made it 3 with a fantastic finish. Relishing his new central position Enrique quickly followed up with another well-taken goal. The Dragons were purring like Peter Perfect’s Turbo Terrific (Wacky Races reference for those of you too young to remember) and there was no Dick Dastardly to spoil their day. Two more goals ensured the Dragons go in to the hat for the next round of the Cup.

A six nil result is great for confidence but what is more pleasing is the manner of the performance. The boys played some lovely passing football that worked the ball from the back through midfield to attack and invariably found the back of the net. All we need now is to be able to find the next away ground.

Next Sunday it’s back to the serious business of the League.

Thanks for all your support,

Rob.

Prince’s Park B 2 V 3 Kensington Dragons Under 12s

The first league game of the season pitted our under twelve team away against newly promoted Prince’s Park B on the edge of the Welsh Harp reservoir. (Said to contain enough water to fill 3 million baths).

It was back to 11 aside and the Dragons, playing against the wind, found themselves pinned in their own half for long spells. But the Dragons stuck to the passing game that is being drilled into them by the new coaches and they moved the ball quickly through midfield time and again until they eventually got the breakthrough they deserved and took the lead. Prince’s Park replied quickly with a well-taken goal to level the scores at half time.

The Dragons started the second half brightly and with the wind behind them they piled on the pressure, so it was disappointing to go behind against the run of play. But these Dragons are made of tough stuff and they didn’t let their heads go down. They kept soaking up the pressure and hitting their opponents on the break. The coaches changed the formation, going to 3 at the back as they looked for an equaliser. The change had an immediate effect and a lightning break down the left wing resulted in a penalty for the Dragons which was cooly converted by Aziz.

The game looked destined for a draw until Aziz put the Dragons in front with an excellent looping header after a corner and a goalmouth scramble to make it 2-3. As the clock ticked away the two-goal hero had the chance to claim a hat-trick but was denied by some excellent defending. So that’s how it finished, 2-3. A great away result and an excellent performance that showed skill, discipline and heart. Even the opposing manager commented that we had a ‘good passing team’.

So played one, won one. 

We’ll enjoy this result and get back to training hard next Saturday at 10am at St. Mark’s, in preparation for another away match in the cup on Sunday 22nd Sept, against Bessingby Park Rangers.

Well done, Dragons.

Thanks for all your support.

Rob.

Kensington Dragons U11s 2 v 4 Wealdstone

A full squad of Dragons were raring to go on a beautiful Sunday morning at St Marks Park.

The game started at a fast pace with Wealdstone on the attack with the Dragons on the back foot for the first 10 minutes which resulted in an early Wealdstone goal.  The Dragons regained their competitiveness and started to play some exciting football moving the ball around the pitch with some precision passing only to be caught by a Wealdstone attack to go down 2 -0.  They had two goals disallowed, one being a poor refereeing decision but the boys kept on the pressure to the end of the first half which ended 2-1.

Wealdstone scored a further two early goals which prompted the coaches to make three substitutions which had an immediate impact with a superbly executed goal. The Dragons were finding their feet only to be caught by the final whistle, the game ended 2-4.