Kensington Dragons U14A 3 v 2 NW Rangers

We knew we had to raise our game for our clash against the league leaders and the players responded to the challenge producing a dominating first half display. From a game played earlier in the season Dean the coach had identified Rangers star player a 6ft 2 inch midfield player and decided to stick a man marker on him, Dean Jr and Josh were assigned this task and for the vast majority of the match were successful in keeping him subdued as we camped ourselves in the Rangers half. Moving the ball efficiently through the midfield and creating a number of chances, one such move put Bailey through and he finished clinically. Josh then made a great run through several defenders but could not beat their keeper. The only negative from the half was the narrow 1-0 lead we took into the break.

The second half we continued to dominate the early stages and this time we were rewarded with an early goal as Michael lashed a volley into the net. A 3rd followed again Dean had instructed the team at corners to either take it short or if that was covered to cross the ball to the far post and this worked like a dream as NW Rangers covered the short option so we hit the long corner and the perfect cross found Pablo unmarked at the far post who placed his header into the net.
NW Rangers reacted to this and came back with a deflected free kick getting them a foothold back in the game and then further eroded our lead with a second. A nervous final 20 minutes ensued but Ranger could not breach our defence for a 3rd time. A Special mention here to our centre half pairing of Noah and Danny who throughout the game / season have developed a great partnership with Noah’s tackling and strength and Danny’s reading and positional sense. They stood firm even as Rangers’ star player moved to the front line and we saw out the final minutes with ease.

Kensington Dragons U14A 4 v 2 Hanwell Town C

Dean (snr) the coach warned the team prior to the game not to take our bottom of the table opponents lightly and treat the game like any another and to be fair this message was carried onto the pitch and despite being well below our best we eased to a 2-0 halftime lead with firstly Dean (Jr) showing great strength in holding off the defender whilst driving into the penalty area to score with a composed finish. Our second proved the long ball can be a thing of beauty as our keeper Tom launched a good kick down field, straight to Dean who controlled the ball and slotted a through ball through to our midfielder (Corey) who timed his run perfectly and rifled the ball low past the Hanwell keeper.

We opened up the second half and increased our lead as our forward Emmanuel burst into the box and his shot passed the keeper via a bobble into the net. Then some of the team decided the job was done and appeared to endulge in some sunbathing as the sun streamed onto the LC pitch. Hanwell then took over and scored with a deflected shot and then the ref inorrectly awarded Hanwell an indirect free kick in the area as we tried a short goal kick but our defender touched the ball before it was outside the penalty area. The goal kick should have been retaken but instead the Hanwell free kick was lashed into our goal to make it 3-2 and a nervious period then ensued as we battled to regain control and it was only late in the game we got our fourth as Shaq put away a chance. We could have added to our lead but were wasteful in front of goal including putting a penalty well wide. We know we need to play a lot better next week as we play league leaders NW Rangers.

Kensington Dragons U14A 1 V 2 Yeading Wanderers

On a windswept Wormwood Scrubbs the U14s returned to competitive action from their 2 months enforced winter break and for the first ten minutes controlled the game and scored the opening goal following a good passing move which cut through the Yeading defence and created a chance for our forward Michael who converted the opportunity and with the wind at our backs we looked to increase our lead before the break. However we proceeded to become more concerned with the niggling opposition who seemed more content in playing the man instead of the ball and we lost our focus and allowed Yeading back in the game and they duly secured the equaliser.

The second half was a major disappointment as we struggled to get into the game with our midfielders and forwards guilty of continually giving the ball away, which lead to sustained pressure being put on our defence, who held out with a mixture of strong defending from Deon and Noah and solid keeping from Tom in our goal. But a string of corners led to us conceding as one lead to a goal mouth scramble which fell to a Yeading striker who managed to poke the ball past our goalie and defenders. Despite a last rally from the Dragon we failed to create any clear cut opportunities to get ourselves back into the game and left the pitch empty handed.

Old Actionians 2 vs 3 Kensington Dragons U14A

We don’t like small pitches, we don’t like muddy pitches, we don’t like the rain, so it was with trepidation that the team trooped over Gunnersbury Park to find 2 out of the 3 greeting us (the Rain at least held off until the second half).
The first part of the game was congested with OA playing 5 at the back and we found it hard to get into any sort rhythm. Our midfielder (Shaq) was our most dangerous player with some nice jinking runs into their box but was just unable to get off a shot as he was closed down. We looked susceptible to the counter-attack and this is how we fell behind as a through ball found an OA striker who timed his run to perfection and got in behind our defence and applied the finish. At this point we were struggling defensively. We looked vulnerable and we were running out of ideas going forward and players were becoming frustrated.
At half time our Coach (Dean) left the team with no doubt this performance was not up to the standard and changed formation to 3-2-3-2 (from 4-3-3) and asked the team to play more direct and at a higher tempo. The team responded and immediately put OA under pressure pinning them back in their half and we duly equalised as Michael drove in from right midfield and finished well. We took the lead after we won a succession of corners and a chance was converted by our striker (Emmanuel). We looked more composed in defence and we were looking well on course for the win as our centre back (Noah) playing up front hit a screamer of a shot from the edge of the area which whistled into the top corner. However we relaxed and got caught out when a quickly taken free kick found its way into our net whilst the Dragons defense was still being organised.  The Dragons withstood the last assaults OA mustered with some solid defending by Ilayas and Dean.

Kensington Dragons U14A 4 v 2 Willesden Constantine

It appeared the team had not recovered from last Sunday’s physical encounter against the same opposition as we went behind in the 3^rd minute as a cleared corner fell to a WC midfielder outside our penalty area who hit a screamer of a volley straight into the back of our net. The equaliser came midway through the half, a great long throw which put in our midfielder behind the WC defence and although his shot was saved, the ball deflected to our striker (Dean) who placed the ball into the empty net.

The second half started with the Dragons playing some good football and countering WC’s physicality with some robust challenges of our own (we picked up 2 yellows, where previously we had 1 yellow in the past 2 and half years). We took the lead following a goal mouth scramble which finally fell to our striker (Dean again) who punished them. WC equalised in similar circumstances.  Then we created the move of the match. A great pass from our centre half (Danny) found our right midfielder (Bailey) on the wing he drove into the box and unleashed a shot which again the keeper saved and again the ball deflected to Dean who completed his hat-trick. We completed the scoring when our other Striker (Emmanuel) was rewarded for his persistence in closing down and forcing an error from a WC defender winning the ball and slotting passed their keeper to seal a hard fought victory.

Willesden Constantine 4 v 2 Kensington Dragons U14A

On a large, stodgy, long grassed pitch the Dragons met a physical Willesden C. team and were afforded little protection from the ref who let a number of shall we say over zealous challenges go by.

The Dragons started slowly and found themselves behind after 10 mins following a surging run and finish by WC’s powerful striker,  We gifted them the 2^nd when we failed to clear the ball which fell to an unmarked played who scored with ease. The Dragons at this point were struggling to put their passing game into gear but fought their way into the game and got back in the game following a penalty as our strike was bundled over and our midfielder calmly converted from the spot. We drew level in 2^nd half as our striker converter a good move.

Then the turning point of the match as the team were punished for not converting some good opportunities. WC won a corner and as the ball was crossed into the penalty area our keeper was bundled into the goal leaving a clear header for the player to score. Despite protests the ref said the challenge was fair.  The Dragons responded to this injustice and our striker drove into the box and got dragged down but the penalty appeals where turned down. The Dragons kept on pressing but eventually got caught on the counter attack and conceded a fourth late in the game.

Ruislip Rangers 1 v 3 Kensington Dragons U14A

This Sunday KDFC had a tough challenge as they faced top of the league, unbeaten Ruislip Rangers who had previously beaten us 3 nil 2 weeks ago at St Marks. It looked like it was going to be the same story when 10 minutes into the game Ruislip took the lead. The young Dragons however didn’t let this faze them and continued to play some great football with such hunger & determination which resulted in the left midfielder (Cory) finding himself in the box to place it in the bottom corner for the equaliser. With KDFC in high spirits they took the lead just 2 minutes later with an amazing goal that saw the striker (Emanuel) all of 35 yards from goal to take on 2 players and take a shot using his left foot and the ball curled into the top left hand corner of the goal.

The 2nd half, Dragons continued to battle on every inch of the pitch but with 1 minute to go the substitute defender turned striker made an almighty run and found himself heading towards goal with the opposition chasing him from the half way line, all that was left for him to do was to get the shot away which he did and the keeper had no chance. 3-1 Dragons and a well deserved 3 points.

Kodak FC 1 v 2 Kensington Dragons U14A

Dragons started the game in high spirits and this showed on the pitch and within 10 minutes should have been 3-0 up. Kodak picked up their game and it looked like it was going into half time 0-0 but with 2 minutes to go and a mistake by their keeper (ball fell from his hands), the Dragons responded quickly and the left midfielder (Dion) got possession of the ball and passed it to the striker (Emmanuel) who placed the ball in the back of the net.

The 2nd half seemed like time was at a stand still with both teams creating equal amount of chances and the referee making some very controversial decisions. The big home support was quite intimidating and with 6 minutes to go Kodak found the equaliser. The Dragons never gave up and continued to play to the final whistle and with 30 seconds to spare the striker (Dean) managed to nick the winner and Dragons were awarded all 3 points after a hard fought battle which should have been put to bed in the first half.

Kensington Dragons U14A 0 v 3 Ruislip Rangers
The Dragons troops marched on to the St Marks pitch that is starting to resemble the fields of Flanders to face our top of the table opposition.  The early exchanges were mainly spent in the Dragons half as we struggled to gain a foothold in the game but we held out and begun probing the opposition and the game become more even. Midway through the half the midfielder found himself in space in our area and a good pass found him and he clinically finished. The Dragons counter attacked but the assistant’s offside flag was too regularly used to halt our attacks, A near miss following a goal mouth scramble was our best chance of the half but somehow failed to apply the finish. Just as we looked to go into half time just the goal down a speculative long shot found its way into the roof of our net as it squeezed through our keeper’s hands just under the crossbar.
After a rallying call from Dean the coach at halftime we sent the team back into battle and they responded and we looked more dangerous but we found Rangers defence was as solid as the Hindenburg line and despite more chances we over-elaborated our play and the attack lost momentum at the crucial moment. We then conceded the killer third goal similar to their first goal.