We press on. It is that time of year that favours the resilient:

The Firsts beat Lancaster 3-1 Away. The week off did nothing to help the team’s rhythm where the tempo and quality in the opening exchanges were lower than expected. This was matched by limp attempts off the ball to regain possession with the inevitable consequence that ten minutes in a Lancaster counter attack split the defence to calmly open the scoring. The Dragons woke up and within 5 minutes a cross was fumbled by the keeper for the Dragons to score. Five minutes later a goal mouth scramble from a corner fell nicely to the Dragons to put them in the lead. This was to be the Dragons most productive spell up to the break. The second half began with the Dragons having the lion’s share of possession but a lack of quality and incisiveness meant no end product before eventually, with seven minutes to go, a good counter attack lead to the Dragons third goal.

The Reserves beat AFC Southall 3-1 away in the MCFL Cup. After the management shook things up the Reserves were able to cling on to some positivity after a poor run of 3 straight defeats. With players in new positions they started sloppily with an array of miss placed passes. The Dragons grew in confidence and began to move the ball around but again the final ball was lacking. After 30 minutes the Dragons won a corner and pounced on a poor clearance to clinically finish from 12 yards. The midfield was changed to 2 holders and one in front to give more solidity but a poor opening second half was compounded by a horror moment from the goalkeeper and it was 1-1. Instead of feeling sorry for themselves the Dragons responded with a resilient last 35 minutes which lead to the ball dropping conveniently for the veteran Dragon to prod past the static keeper. The game was now end to end. With 5 minutes left and under pressure, the ball was won by the Dragon striker who galloped on to score.

The U17’s defeated Celtic away 5-0. After a poor start to the season the Dragons needed to get points on the table having only 3 out of a possible 15. The game started with the Dragons playing the ball around well. It soon became evident that the Dragons were the better side as only near misses and good goalkeeping kept the score level. The Dragons midfield dominated, denying Celtic possession. Eventually the Dragons scored to put them ahead which made them thirsty for more before half time which they duly did to make it 3-0. Complacency at the start of the second half lead to the Dragons losing control and they were lucky not to concede after a disallowed goal from Celtic and a superb save by the goalie. This was a wake up call and the Dragons soon scored from a counter attack to leave the final score 5-0.

The U15’s had no game

The U14A Nighthawks  beat top of division Springfield 5-2 in an exciting match. The Dragons were 2-1 up at half time after having conceded a suspicious penalty. Springfield fought back to equalize 2-2 before the Dragons took the lead again at 3-2 only for Springfield to equalize again to make it 3-3. The Dragons refused to let the game slip away and scored to make it 4-3 before sealing the result in the last 3 minutes to make it 5-3.

The U14B Eagles had no game.

The U13’s just lost 3-4 away to Brentham Colts. On a warmish Autumn morning the Dragons found a tight pitch and 3 huge Brentham players whose size would have not have been out of place in a first team fixture. Brentham opened the scoring following a goal mouth scramble. The Dragons replied with a great run and rasping shot from their striker. Then Brentham scored with two of their strikers clearly offside. A discussion on the offside interference rule followed but the Ref was unmoved. Both teams battled to make way through the congested middle of the field but neither team could score. The Ref then overruled the Brentham linesman’s call of a Dragons throw in and awarded it to a delighted Brentham who quickly took it catching the Dragons short at the back and scored. The Dragons fought back to 3-2 as their midfielder jinked passed two defenders and slipped a great pass for the striker to score. Unfortunately Brentham regained their 2 goal advantage scoring from a great overhead kick from a corner. The Dragons replied to make it 4-3 and had a great chance to equalise late in the game but the shot went past the post and this is how this highly entertaining game finished.

The U11’s lost 3-5 away to established Gibbons Wreckers. The Dragons found themselves just behind at 2-3 after an exciting first half. Three minutes into the second half the Dragons pulled level with an amazing goal only to go behind with a blatant offside that the Ref chose to ignore, much to the anguish of the away Dragons supporters. The Ref then chose to award two penalties against the Dragons to put the game out of reach. The Dragons showed great strength of character under pressure with a Ref whose judgement on the day was very questionable.

Variable weather saw various Dragons on various pitches on this Remembrance Sunday:

The U11’s lost to unbeaten London Athletic at St Marks in a better performance than the score line would suggest. A full squad, sporting their new look football kit, roared into action and after ten minutes were winning 2-0 with a Premier League quality goal that had the spectators roaring with delight.  Half time saw league leaders London Athletic draw level. In the first 15 minutes of the second half the Dragons lost concentration and conceded 5 goals including a blatant off-side. The Dragons came back but just could not quite find the net until they squeezed a late goal as they dominated the second half. A really strong performance to build on for a victory this coming weekend.

The U13’s drew 2-2 with Hayes and Yeading after a 4 week gap. The Dragons coach made a tactical adjustment playing a centre half in midfield to add height and two new players made their debuts. Following an impeccably observed minutes silence the game kicked off with the Dragons suffering from their recent lack of activity as they were caught cold when within 5 mins they conceded from a well worked corner. For the next 15 mins the Dragons were under siege and only resolute defending stopped the team falling further behind. The Dragons gradually shook off their rust to gain a foot hold as they began to look dangerous down the wings and from one of these raids they won a corner to score. The second half saw the Dragons begin to dominate and the pressure led to the second and almost a third goal. With 10 mins left and the Dragons again attacking they unfortunately lost the ball and H&Y counterattacked to level.

The U14 Eagles beat Pinstars FC 7-3. In the post match press conference the Manager said: “We dug deep, pulled together, never let our heads drop, and though the odds, at times, were against it – we finally made it to Pinner. But if the patient opposition were hoping our lack of pre-match preparation would give them the edge, they were sorely disappointed. In the opening twenty minutes we were, quite simply, devastating. Once more we had it all: movement, power, and passing so slick it made a mockery of the Montesole marshlands. By the time the fifth scorched the back of the net the home support were ruefully shaking their heads. Pinstars pulled one back, thanks to their (particularly) big man. Then another, courtesy of a curiously small one. But these Eagles refuse to take it easy and when the half-time whistle blew at 2-6 up, the game seemed already over. How wrong we were – for it was a different Pinstars that emerged for the final forty. With pace, strength, technique and commitment they made the second half a thrilling contest with each team scoring a fine goal apiece which told us two great things. Firstly, that our hearts refuse to sink when our boots most certainly do. Secondly, we were playing a really decent team. And that tells you just how good we were in that opening spell and what great heights we’re now reaching. So there was only ever going to be one winner in Pinner – and that was the whole great Eagles team.”

The U14 Nighthawks beat Hanwell Town 6-2. Finally the Dragons had a full team and a deserved victory!

The U15’s had no game

The U17’s lost 1-6 at Birbeck to London Tigers. The Dragons were hoping to put on a good show at home and squeeze a victory against this tough team.  However, with late arrivals and missing a couple of key players, the Dragons wobbled and with some mistakes in defence by half time the score stood at 0-4 to the Tigers. Back on the pitch the Dragons tried and tried but were unlucky with a number of attempts just outside the goalposts and a free kick hitting the right hand post. The Dragons only managed to pull back one goal to two further goals to the Tigers. Some players need to show more commitment and punctuality so as not to let down their team-mates.

The Reserves lost 0-2 away to British Airways in the League Cup. Looking to respond from back to back defeats, the Dragons arrived in good spirits but lacking one of their centre backs who went AWOL. Sadly this meant playing the returning striker in defence which cost them going forward with the team still lacking experience. The Dragons were on the back foot throughout but defended superbly until after 30 mins the linesman was distracted by an injury and missed two massively offside passes allowing BA’s little striker to stand in front of the goal on his own to score. The Dragons pleaded for the referee to see the situation but he simply stated “if your linesman does not flag what can I do?” It was the last thing the Dragons needed. It got worse as on half time a terrible throw found BA’s midfielder who played a first time ball over the top for the number 9 to gallop through and score. After a few home truths were issued and a “nothing to lose” shape change was implemented, the Dragons looked a different side. Just 3 minutes in and a delightful cross and flick was heading in until BA’s keeper back pedalled to finger it on to the bar. Belief had returned and the Dragons dominated the last 30 minutes. A disappointing result but there was an air of positivity with the feeling that better results are around the corner with players returning and youngsters realising their need for a cooler head at key times.

The Firsts had no game

Winter hit with a vengeance. After constant rain all Saturday night your correspondent was not the only Dragon whose twinge of regret at his game being called off was less pronounced than it should have been. The only games played were:

The Firsts beat Hillingdon Abbots 4-0 away in the second round of the Middlesex County FA Cup. This was the third of four away games on the run for the Dragons and the second cup game before returning to league action next week. The conditions were not the best and on a heavy sloping pitch the Dragons struggled to settled into their rhythm. The break-through came with half an hour gone when a nice pass lead to a clinical finish. Substitutions at half time refreshed the team and an in-swinging corner found an un-marked Dragon for the second goal before a good passing move resulted in yet another. The Dragons were now causing havoc and went on to score again before the end.

The Reserves lost 1-4 at home to Brentham. With what looked like their strongest squad this season the Dragons fired themselves up prior to kick off looking to reignite their league campaign. However it felt like groundhog day with an early individual error at the back gifting Brentham the lead. Slowly the Dragons improved but still poor decision making and inaccurate passing prevented the threatening of Brentham’s goal with their immobile manager stand in goalkeeper. The second half started more brightly after strong words from the bench and the Dragons equalised. It seemed they would be reignited and with strong substitutions surely a victory was now on the cards. It was not to be, for the 4th time this season the Dragons conceded immediately after scoring and the impetus was lost. The final 30 minutes were frantic with opportunities for each side but it was only Brentham who scored with the Dragons failing to even hit the target. There are two tough cup matches to follow and a serious reshuffle required.

The U11’s lost 2-5 away to hard hearted Harlington. An ice cold Sunday by Heathrow saw the Dragons, with a player short from the squad, put on a really strong performance against a Harlington team seeking revenge with a player wearing the number 24 shirt looking more like a 15 year old rather than an U11. The Dragons showed character but found themselves having conceded 4 goals at half time. The Dragons started the second half believing they could score and quickly fired in 2 brilliantly worked goals to get them right back in the game. Harlington’s heads had dropped and the Dragons kept pushing but they could not find the net and conceded one more goal before the end. With a full squad the Dragons would surely have won.

With winter fast approaching it is the U14 Eagles who are vying with the Adults to be team of the season:

The Firsts beat West End 5-3 in the Middlesex County Football League Cup. The Firsts have now won every game this season bar one

The Reserves beat AFC Angel Hayes 2-1 in Extra Time in the Middlesex County FA Cup. In truth this was a poor display from the Dragons against limited opposition but for a super free kick by the young Dragon midfielder. The Dragons spurned multiple guilt edge chances to finish the game and were punished with the last kick in 90 minutes, conceding a scrappy equaliser. The rain then came down and the Dragons looked downhearted as they started Extra Time. As the game inexorably moved towards penalties, the Dragons substitute winger saved the day by spinning in the box to find the winner.

The U17’s lost to Pitshanger 2-3 at Birbeck. With the Dragons the underdogs against a strong Pitshanger it seemed that they were not prepared as within minutes they were down 0-1 through sloppy defending and a good Pitshanger finish. Instead of letting their heads drop the Dragons started to wake up and played the ball around more and were looking like the better side as they catalyzed on a defensive error to equalize. Pitshanger pressed and the Dragons could not quite cope as a defensive unit and conceded another 2 goals before half time. After the break the Dragons refused to give up and by defending well stopped Pitshanger from scoring for the whole of the second half. A delightful free kick was just out of Pitshanger’s reach and it was 2-3. Despite dominating the whole of the second half however the Dragons just could not get the last goal they needed to draw.

The U15’s beat Ruislip Town 5-2 in a good natured rather uninspiring game. The Dragons had a full squad and put in a workmanlike effort to secure a win in a game that that they never looked like losing. 2 wins out of 2 in the League –  could be worse.

The U14 Nighthawks lost 0-7 to Forrest United  with a reduced squad in this half term week.

The U14 Eagles beat TSA Totteridge 16-2 at St Marks. To quote the Dragons Manager “When your new winger scores a hat-trick you’re always going to smile. When your trusty centre-half scores one too, you’ll be excused a mighty grin. But when your star striker gets two of them and walks away with eight goals of his own, something strange happens: you end up scratching your head. Because 16-2 is, of course, no ordinary score – and our team is no ordinary team, with the forwards unstoppable, midfield uncatchable and defence so solid Totteridge found the game unplayable. With five names on the score sheet, this remained a team performance – the two conceded goals were scored when our commendably adventurous coach seized the chance for some welcome experimentation. But as the dust settles on another record-breaking performance, the questions remain. We have spirit, technique and organisation – but where do we go from here? Robbed of cup competition, will we get the challenges we need? The Eagles swooped, Totteridge tottered, but still we played below our best. How much higher can we fly?”

U13’s had no game

The U11’s lost 0-7 at St Marks. A nearly back to full strength Dragons team failed to switch into gear to take home advantage against AFC Wembley, a shaky start at the back lead to three soft goals before half time. After a tough talking to, the Dragons seemed to start playing some football but heads were down, there was a lack of
discipline and team effort which resulted in a further four goals being conceded. A disappointing Sunday morning at St Marks Park and a lesson for the Dragons who seemed to be living off their 14 goal victory a few weeks ago.

Winter is creeping up on us with our Firsts continuing to power ahead:

The First beat Horseed 3-1 away. This promised to be a straightforward win with Horseed drawing their last game against the bottom side 5-5. This proved to be far from the case as the Dragons did little to get any rhythm in their play and their lack of authority was sensed by Horseed who looked the more dangerous and indeed scored first from a free-kick. With twenty minutes gone in the second half and substitutions made the Dragons continued to search for a way back into the game with penalty claims and near misses at one end and their goalie keeping Horseed at bay at the other. Finally another corner was met sweetly by a Dragons head to equalise. A well timed run was found by a nice reverse pass and a sweet finish put the Dragons in front.  Horseed were now in disarray and a delightful display of Dragons skill lead to a third to possibly flatter the Dragons performance.

The Reserves lost 1-6 to Broadfields at home in a plane crash type day. With the Dragons missing players, players late and an unprepared young team they were punished heavily for doing the simple things wrong. That said the Dragons played the better football throughout but failed to capitalise on numerous chances and defensive errors cost them as Broadfields counterattacked. Much was learned and it is now a return to cup football.

The U17’s were cruelly beaten 1-2 away in the last 30 seconds by Pinnstars. The pitted and water-logged pitch was determined fit to play and the struggle began.  Both teams were evenly matched and the score stood nil all at half time despite opportunities which were not converted on both sides. Back on the pitch the Dragons scored almost immediately from a lovely headed home cross. Pinnstars pressed and pressed but were thwarted by skilful Dragons goalkeeping. 15 mins from the end Pinnstars had a lucky run which was judged not to be offside and it was a draw. Both sides battled for the winner. Finally with 30 seconds to go Pinstars attempted a high looping cross from the left but sliced the ball to see it float over the finger tips of the Dragons goalie to win the game. Phew!!!

The U15’s had no game

The U14A’s lost 2-4 away to Pinner United in the Middlesex Cup. With many players away for half term the Dragons were reduced to 10 but did a great job at containing the numerically superior Pinner and scoring twice. Pinner were awarded two penalty kicks one of which was saved by the Dragons goalie who staged a confident tease & scare show before it was taken. All in all a very good match considering the circumstances.

The U14B’s lost 5-6 to Yeading at St Marks in the Middlesex Cup after extra time. The omens were not good. Brooding clouds, a no-show from the ref and a tetchy Hayes and Yeading turning out in faded tangerine – leading our red-blooded Eagles playing in blue and white hoops. But while they may have looked liked the floundering strangers of Loftus Road, the Dragons played like ….Dragons. With two goals down against the run of play they made their trademark class delivery – and after a fine cheeky looping chip from the increasingly influential new winger took the Dragons into a tantalising lead. But beware the Ides of St Marks. The treacherous London clay began to weigh heavily on the Dragons defenders’ feet and a late equaliser from Yeading’s bright number 9 brought a sombre sense of Cup-tie déjà vu: 3-3 and extra time. There would be no ‘Willesden wilt’ this time, though, and a furious 30 minutes brought five more well-fought goals. That not enough of those were ours to seal a highly deserved victory is of interest to statisticians and Middlesex Cup bureaucrats alone. To those intent on greater things, here was another performance to savour: style in adversity, grace under pressure. To Yeading a 5-6 win in a Sunday football match. To these still-golden Eagles, so much more.

The U13’s had no game

The U11’s lost 2-5 to Crouch End away. After 15 minutes of tense negotiations Crouch End Coach were persuaded to play after the Dragons Coaches came to the rescue by sweeping the puddles off the pitch. After another inspection the match finally kicked off 15 minutes late. By 11.05 the Dragons were losing by 5-0 and seemed to be asleep, the half time whistle could not come quick enough.  A solid second half by the Dragons gave them 2 early goals and a stable performance resulted in a second half clean sheet. A footballing lesson after the previous week’s victory!

A fine weekend saw the Firsts continue to power ahead, the diminutive U11’s demolish Harlington and the U17’s beat arch rivals FC Kensington:

The U11’s beat Harlington 14-4 at St Marks in their third game of the season. The Dragons settled down quickly and held their positions whilst demonstrating their technical ability to pass quickly before pulling the trigger in front of goal – at the one point the strikers were queuing to score. By the time the referee blew the final whistle the Dragons had scored 14 goals as all the hard pre-season work finally came together. A tremendous result

U13’s were awarded 3 points when Brentham defaulted.

Neither of the U14’s had a game

The U15’s lost 1-3 away against St Josephs in the League Cup. To put it bluntly the Dragons were asleep for the first 20 minutes and gave away an own goal before then compounding the error by conceding a sloppy goal. All at that stage was not lost and the Dragons woke up to score the most amazing of goals from midfield. There was now a game on hand but unfortunately St Josephs scored again and the game was over. This was actually rather a silly game to lose and was not representative of the talented squad who will go on to win promotion this season.

The U17’s beat FC Kensington 3-2 at Birkbeck. The Dragons were eager to get underway and scored an early goal from just outside the box. They continued to dominate throughout the first half without actually scoring. In the final minutes before the half time whistle FC Kensington scored from a mix-up in the Dragons defence to make it 1-1. Back on the pitch FC Kensington scored again and then proceeded to slow the game down with time wasting in a desperate attempt to hold onto their slender lead. The Dragons pressed and pressed to eventually equalise from a series of clean passes. FC Kensington changed tone to become more aggressive but could not score. Finally a fantastic winning goal for the Dragons came when a corner was headed out by FC Kensington only to be volleyed home. A richly deserved Dragons win.

The Firsts beat Pitshanger Dynamos 3-1 at home. The Dragons start could not have been better as they raced to a two goal lead. Pitshanger were not going to lie down however and gave the impression that the first goal after the interval was going to decide the match. They really went after a goal to get back into the game but the well organised Dragons held strong, and indeed looked the most likely to score on the counter attack, which indeed they did from a well executed pin point free-kick over the wall. Pitshanger refused to give up and were finally rewarded with a dubious spot to rob the Dragons of a deserved but illusive clean sheet. Another great Dragons win.

The Reserves lost 1-3 to Hillingdon with a depleted side due to 1st team call ups and injuries. They ignored the coach’s pre match talk stressing the importance of the start and conceded within the first 5 minutes from a 40 yard shot. For the next 10 minutes the Dragons were under intense pressure as they lost shape and discipline and were fortunate not to concede a penalty on 15 minutes. The Dragons began to get a foot hold in the game and created opportunities to draw level but spurned them all. The Dragons finished the half strongly with confidence restored. Two early substitutions and a more offensive formation saw the Dragons in complete control but chance after chance went missing until the clock ticked onto 60 minutes. A betting man would have said that this was to be a Dragons win but unfortunately they became complacent and found themselves 1-2 down with 15 mins to play. The Dragons continued to push for the equaliser but were undone by a Hillingdon counter attack which resulted in a third goal 5 minutes from time. The young Dragons team battled until the bitter end again missing 2 guilt edged opportunities.

A wet week gave way to a glorious weekend:

The Firsts beat Imperial College 3-1 away. A poor start was disturbing with poor passing, movement and communication leading to two players going for the same ball to give Imperial a simple lead which is where it stood at half time. With the Coach’s stern message still ringing in the Dragons collective ears a good move on the left lead to a converted penalty. A couple of Dragons subs freshened things up and a slick six man passing move down the right lead to another goal. The next score would be all important and a rare chance for Imperial from a corner had their header crash off the bar. With warning bells sounding yet another corner suggested Imperial might break through but brave goalkeeping set off a counter attack and in seconds the Dragons were playing the ball across the six yard box to grab a third goal and 3 points.

The Reserves narrowly lost 0-1 to Indian Gymkhana. The lack of coach or manager made a vital difference at the margin for the Dragons. With an indecisive referee the tough competitive game was still 0-0 seconds from the final whistle when Gymkhana scored to win the match. Irritating.

The U17’s lost to London Tigers away in their first league match. Travel problems lead to key members of the squad arriving within minutes of kick off. The Tigers pounced on the ill prepared Dragons to score twice in the first 10 minutes – one in dubious circumstances with 5 Tigers being offside when the ball was kicked. Undaunted the Dragons faced up and dominated the remainder of the first half, scoring a lovely goal from the 25 yard line; followed by a nice slot in from a corner which was disallowed when the ref decided there had been some pushing involved. It was 2-1 at half time and the Dragons were sure that this was to be their day. Back on the field, despite some brilliant play from some Dragons, the nifty Tigers footwork won the day and the final score stood at 7:1 – a perplexing result for the spectators. With more attention to fitness and training, being properly prepared and arriving at the pitch in time would have lead to a different result.

The U15’s beat Kentish Town 2-1 at St Marks in the League Cup. This was a fast, furious game probably not entirely suited to the referee who was on his third match of the day. During a refreshing smoke between games the referee explained that his philosophy was to not use linesmen. Trouble was potentially afoot. The game proved to be a cracker with the huge crowd enthralled from start to climatic finish. As the ref started to hand out cards the Dragons clung to their 2-1 lead when a minute from the end disaster almost struck – Kentish Town scored and to celebrate a loose Kentish player kicked the ball as it crossed the line. The referee blew for offside. Kentish Town erupted with their managers dashing onto the pitch The referee was shaken but not stirred and the Dragons had won.

The U14 Nighthawks lost 2-4 at St Marks to Ruislip Rangers. This was not a great display by the Dragons but they were unlucky to miss converting numerous goal scoring opportunities.

The U14 Eagles demolished Manor Youth 9-1. Flicks and chips, passes spread far and wide, neat touches, deep crosses were all bread and butter to an Eagles team beginning to feast on fifth-tier football. The game was a delight to watch with the lethal penetration of the Dragons hard running forwards; the delicate artistry of their near-perfect number 10 as he delicately decided where to place the ball; The cool finishing for goals 3 and 4; the subtle assists that split Manor’s high back line time after time for goals 5 and 6 and 7. No wonder the Dragons are drawing bigger support each game and their vocal crew must think it’s like this every week; and as the game reached 8-1 it seemed for a moment they might be right. But then a final, emphatic finish made it 9-1, and the older heads could wisely nod: it’s not like this every week you know, it just gets even better. These Eagles can dare to dream.

The U13’s lost 1-5 against Hayes and Yeading away in the League Cup. The Dragons arrived to find the pitch covered in mist – more appropriate to a Sherlock Holmes mystery than a football match. The referee determined it was ok to play and, despite the one sided score line, the match was fairly even. The only real difference between the teams was the quality of the final ball. H&Ys first goal came as the ball was played between the Dragons centre half and keeper to allow their striker to push the ball just inside the far post. The Dragons fought back and launched a series of attacks but the final ball always seemed to end up in the keeper’s arms. A second shortly after half time for H&Y forced the Dragons to chase the game and in so doing opening the way for H&Y to counter attack and score. The Dragons eventually grabbed a consolation goal.

The U11’s had no match as Mill Hill FC had heard about their tremendous victory last week and had folded.

The new U11’s beat Acton Ealing Whistlers 5-1 at St Marks. With both diminutive teams darting around the huge pitch between blades of grass it was not always easy to distinguish play. The Whistlers started well with an opening goal momentarily deflating the Dragons. The game then ebbed and flowed before a tremendous Dragons run ended with the ball being slammed into the Whistlers’ net. The Dragons then never looked back and controlled the game to the end, scoring as they went, to secure their first win.

The U13’s drew 1-1 with Ruislip Rangers at St Marks. After conceding 14 goals in their last two matches the Dragons Coach had worked on their defensive organisation to good effect. The first 50 mins was dominated by both defences snuffing out scoring opportunities. As the teams tired the opportunities became more frequent and eventually some neat passing lead to an opening Dragons goal. Ruislip pressed and were rewarded with a looping header just going over the Dragons keeper to level the scores. Frustrating but possibly a fair result

The U14 Eagles walloped Pitshanger 8-1 away as a just reward after a tough season in which their commitment to style and imagination had too often been bludgeoned by the opposition’s dedication to the aerial game. The Dragons started well, passing, moving, thinking their way forward but it was some time before their first sure shot found Pitshanger’s net and the Eagles could spread their wings. The Dragons coach experimented with three at the back and when Pitshanger scored at 5-0 down it was a reminder to keep ones collective football head when things seem, unusually, to be going so well. This was a second great well deserved League win, built on a fresh centre-back pairing that is surely the finest this side of the Hanger Gyratory. There will be tougher tests but something else is certain: there’s a sense in the Eagle’s camp that we might just be starting to fly.

The U14 Nighthawks had no game

The U15’s beat CB Hounslow 4-3 in a thrilling game at home. With a full squad and most players on their best behaviour the Dragons were the equal of a large, tough Hounslow side. Goal followed goal and as the Dragons tired Hounslow pulled ahead in the last 15 minutes to lead 2-3. The Dragons dug deep and did what they do best – play fast, competitive football to overwhelm Hounslow in the final few minutes to score again to then to lodge a magnificent winning goal.

The U17’s had no game

The Reserves beat British Airways 3-2 away to remain unbeaten. BA started well via a long ball catching out the centre halves for their striker to score. The Dragons woke up and controlled possession in midfield but struggled to create chances against and well marshalled BA back 4. The second half was dominated by the referee who constantly punished the Dragons by awarding dangerous free kicks which had to be well handled by the keeper. Eventually the Dragons fell behind again on 65 minutes. The coaches replaced the Dragons front two and suddenly the West London boys were dominant and a terrific pass lead to a calm finish. With 5 minutes left the Dragons pressed for victory but smashed the ball over the cross bar before the BA goalie fluffed a scuffed shot to let it trickle home. This was a really well earned, hard fought victory.

The First Team beat Hounslow Wanderers 2-1 at Birbeck in the first round of the Cup. Early pressure created chances and it seemed only a matter of time before a goal came. An attack down the left resulted in a Dragons free kick and the delivery was kept alive to be finished beating the keeper. Another free kick extended the Dragons lead. The Wanderers found a way back into the game with yet another free kick and a possible epic second half battle was on the cards except that such was the Dragons dominance that it was they who went thorough to the second round.