With the season drawing to a delayed end, with most matches played, the Dragons have done remarkably well. We have kept going, scoring tremendous victories whilst others wilted:

The U18s are crowned Premiership Champions! A fantastic achievement. Winning a league in any sport requires grit, resilience and determination. During a long season there are bound to be upsets and disappointments. The challenge is to bounce back and keep going – not easy to do, especially with Covid restrictions. The players, managers and coaches worked together to earn their success. The players are a great credit to the Dragons and the experience of battling through to create a winning team bodes well for their futures. For the statistically minded the Dragons drew level on  points with Hendon on 26 each but emerged clear winners with a goal difference of 17 versus Hendon’s 7.

The Seniors beat the Whistlers 3-2 in the Covid Cup to reach the Semi Finals.  The game started at a furious pace as both teams tried to gain a foothold. The Whistlers took the lead sparking the Dragons into another gear to equalise just before half time. With the hot weather effecting some players the Dragons brought on a couple of younger players who were chomping at their footballing bit to get involved. They made an instant impact and were both involved in pulling the Dragons 3-1 ahead. The Dragons then controlled the game to the end, albeit losing a bit of concentration at the back to let the Whistlers score a consolation goal.  

The U11 Boys played the U10 Boys in a well matched contest in the heat. All eyes are now on the U10s who are soon to graduate to be next season’s U11s and with it a season of competitive matches. The current U11s remain undefeated in their last 9 matches  and look forward to next Sunday’s final match of the season

The U12 Girls beat Most Wanted 2-1 at Wormwood Scrubs in a thriller. The Dragons had been soundly beaten in their last encounter so Most Wanted were understandably the bookies favourite. The Dragon are however a great bunch of players and when they went 0-1 down were not disheartened but rather knuckled down to draw level. It was then a nail-biting match until 20 seconds from the end the Dragons were awarded a free kick. Most Wanted formed an impregnable wall of players, which did not live up to its name, as the ball flew over them to dip down into Most Wanted’s goal. A fantastic win for the Dragons.  

The U12 Boys beat St Joseph’s 3-2 away to be crowned Divisional Champions. This was a crucial match which the Dragons had to win or draw to win the league – a tough challenge with St Joseph’s lying second in the table with their own hopes of securing the title. St Joseph’s had won 6-4 in in the last encounter and to intensify the challenge their coach refereed the match. The Dragons scored first only for St Joseph’s to equalise before taking the lead with 15 minutes to go. The Dragons coaches made some well-timed adjustments resulting in them scoring two volley screamers from long range. The Dragons had won!

The U13 Girls played in a six a side Tournament. The Dragons turned out in force with 12 players making rotating them on and off the pitch a challenge. Every Dragon got to play but the team did not win the Tournament. Next time.  

There were no other matches so the teams trained.

Well done our U18s – now equal top of the Premiership. The team are a tremendous tribute to the Dragons, football and indeed youths in general. 

The U18s convincingly beat Regents & Tufnell 4-0 at home. Had the Dragons lost this could have been their last game – a potentially sad day for the players who have been together through triumphs and tribulations, some since they were 10 years old. This was another great team achievement – a hattrick from the Dragons star striker summed up their performance. On this win the Dragons should face a  playoff with Hendon to determine which team is  crowned the Premiership champions.

The U17s had no match

The U15 Boys beat FC Starz 2-1 at home. The Dragons were faced with a pitch at St Marks that made it difficult to play the possession football they have trained for – which worked to the advantage of the weaker FC Starz.  The Dragons persevered with a fantastic touch and finish by the left winger to take the early lead and a winner by the Dragons leading goal scorer to scrape by with a 2 – 1 victory.   

The U15 Girls had no match

The U14s had no match

The U13 Boys lost 1-3 to league leaders Harrow United at home. This was a much better match then the previous week against the strong Harrow side. For much of the match the result could have gone either way.

The U13 Girls had no match

The U12 boys beat Headstone Manor 2-1 away. Every week is tough and every week questions are asked about the character and determination of the Dragons. This week was no different as they had to dig in for victory to now sit at the top of the table with one match to go.

The U12 Girls had no match

The U11 Boys drew with Wealdstone. This was a cracker of a match with both goalies earning their non-existent fee. There was absolutely no doubt however that the Dragons had  the most shots on goal and it was only the tremendous efforts of Wealdstone’s goalie  that prevented a thumping Dragons win.

The U11 Girls  lost to Islington Borough away in a close & intense game.  The Dragons worked hard to match the very strong Islington side and, based upon the ovation they received on leaving the field, they achieved their objective. 

The Under 10s trained and played as they are poised to be registered as the new Dragons U11s Team.

The Seniors had no match as they look forward to their quarter final of the Covid Cup

With half term upon us, and the season nearing its end, matches were fewer with many oppositions defaulting because they could not raise a team. The brave Dragons teams who pressed on with depleted numbers  probably wished they hadn’t: The Under 10s played their first ever match  on the main pitch against the Dragons Under 11s. This was a tremendous first outing for the U10s who scored probably the best goal of the game. Fans were worried that that the rigours of a full match, in the hot glorious sunshine, against the veteran Under 11s would prove too much for the U10s. They were proved emphatically wrong.   The U11 Boys were awarded three points as FA UK London defaulted as they could not raise a team.  The Dragons instead played the Dragons U10s in a splendid match which the U11s won – but not overwhelmingly so . The U11 Girls home match was awarded to the Dragons as Pitshanger could not raise a team. The Dragons trained instead. The U12 Boys were awarded three points as Hillingdon could not raise a team The U12 Girls played a friendly away which resulted in a 2-2 draw. This was a useful exercise as some new players made their debut to general positive acclaim. The U13 Girls had no match so trained instead. The U13 Boys lost away against Hendon. The Dragons conceded an early penalty which did not bode well for the next 70 minutes. However, after being 0-3 down the Dragons bravely pulled one back before half time and things were looking up. Unfortunately their second half performance waned as another penalty against the Dragons was converted and a set piece from a corner saw their defence looking lost. The final score was harsh against an improving Dragons side. The U14s had no match The U15 Girls had no match The U15 Boys just lost 0-1 at home to Harrow St Marys. The Dragons lost the ball in the midfield, with too few players goal side, resulting in a simple pass on for Hendon to score. This was to prove the only goal in an otherwise entertaining match.   The U17s lost away against Wealdstone. Although the Dragons side was depleted, with players away over half term, they bravely agreed to play the match. As the Dragons Manager said “ Annoyingly we would have easily beaten Wealdstone with a reasonable turnout and the score line fails to reflect the quality of our play for much of the game.” The U18s had no game. If the Dragons win next week they will be on equal points with the Premier League leaders meaning an exciting Play Off to decide the division winners. The Seniors had no match as they look forward to their quarter final of the Covid Cup

A mixed week with some stupendous results:

Congratulations to Rose, our U12 Girls Coach, for being only the 3^rd person  in England to complete the new FA online coaching course.

The U11 Boys soundly beat LFF Frontiers 11-1 away in their seventh win in a row.  LLF were actually not a bad side and were certainly a pleasant group of parents and players. The Dragons played rather cramped, messy football at times with enthusiasts trying to dribble through banks of defenders in vain attempts to score a wonder goal. There were other times however when the slick, quick passing of the Dragons was simply too much for their opposition and as a result the goals piled up.   

The U11 Girls lost to Pitshanger away. The Dragons trekked all the way to Ealing at the crack of dawn to play an exciting, but ultimately losing, game against Pitshanger. The phrase “character building” was on the lips of many a Dragons fan.

The U12 Boys beat Football Samuri 4-3 at home in an absolute thriller to secure the division title. With 15 minutes to go the Dragons were leading 3-2 with Samuri pilling on endless pressure to draw level. The Dragons then scored to make it 4-2 and seemingly win. Samuri however had not given up and scored from a penalty to make 4-3. The whistle finally blew, to the relief  of the Dragons who had recorded a tremendous win.

The U12 Girls lost to FC Starz away. This was a challenging match with the Dragons missing key players and Starz having an extra player on the pitch.  It took the mathematically minded Dragons at least five minutes to finally make the referee aware of the disparity ! Starz are a strong team and they played well,  assisted, one would have to add,  by their referee – Starz’s first goal was clearly offside and numerous handballs and fouls  were ignored. The Dragons kept their spirits up however and almost scored numerous goals of their own.  It was a tough game but the Dragons had learnt a lot.

The U13 Boys trained but had no match.

The U13 Girls trained but had no match.

The U14 Boys trained but had no match.

The U15 Boys just lost 2-3 against Hanwell Town away. This was an intense match, not help by the appointed referee pulling out. It was agreed that Hanwell referee the first half and the Dragons the second. The post-match discussions were rather marred by Hanwell getting over excited and not showing the maturity that parents are expected to display.

The U15 Girls trained but had no match.

The U17 boys lost against Headstone Manor away. The Dragons Manager said after the match: “I can’t really say much about the match to be honest. It went against the run of play in the first half but our defenders  welcomed the ball into our net with alacrity.” 

The U18s just lost at home 1-2 to Magix. The Dragons took the lead with a penalty but were missing a few players through injury, Magix equalised and then took the lead. The Dragons tried to find the equaliser but it failed to come. The Dragons need to win last game to match the league leaders in points

The U10s trained before playing a friendly against the U11 Boys. Rather than crowding the pitch substitutes were used for the first time to create more space on the pitch and to accustom players to the concept of substitutions.  

The Seniors had no match

Another cracker of a weekend:

The Seniors beat Rajputs del Mundo 3-2 away in the group stages of the Covid Cup. This was yet another great win to take the Dragons into the quarter finals, with a game in hand

The U18s beat Pitshanger 4 – 1 at home in the Premiership. The Dragons  were shaky for the first 15 minutes before they found their rhythm to go 2-0 up by half time. In the second half the Dragons kept control to be awarded the deserved victory.  They need to stay focused as there is the potential to win the league

The U17’s beat Acton and Ealing Whistlers 1-0 at home. This should have been an easy stroll for the resurgent Dragons but it turned out to be a brutal test of grim determination.  At half time it was 0 – 0 with the wind and heavy rain showers making ball control unpredictable. Finally deep into the second half the stalemate was broken with a beautiful Dragons winning goal, laden with teamwork. It wasn’t pretty but, as the Coach said after the match, “A win’s a win whichever way you look at it.”

The U15 Boys just lost 2-1 away against Forest United. The Dragons made things difficult for themselves by only fielding 10 players.  After letting in two early goals, they bounced back with a goal to provide some hope of at least a draw, but ultimately being a man down for the entire match was too much.  A simple reminder that showing up is still a crucial part of the game!

The U15 Girls just lost 1-2 at home in a friendly again Actonians

The U14s had no match

The U13 Boys lost 0-3 away Celtic. There were no reports of cars breaking down so it could have been worse.

The U13 Girls had no match

The U12 boys beat Hanwell Town 2-1 at home.  Hanwell had come out on top in their first face-off in the autumn. Although  the Dragons conceded in the first 2 minutes they kept their heads up and worked as a team. After scoring a brilliant left-footed goal to tie they gained momentum and pulled ahead 2-1 with a bottom left corner goal. From there it was a tense and scrappy battle to the end, with Dragons hanging on to win.

The U12 Girls deservedly beat Hanwell Town 4-2 away. This was a rough, tough game. Hanwell’s shockingly biased coach refereed the match. Hanwell handballed so often you could have been at a basketball game with the ref coaching more then reffing, as he watched his team play what many would call Rugby/Football! The Dragons stayed firm and scored a great goal in the first 15 minutes and then held the lead well into the first half. Hanwell scored but the Dragons were determined not to let Hanwell’s dirty tricks discombobulate them and they  came back with a vengeance in the second half with a fantastic hat-trick!  The Dragons had made their seething fans proud.

The U11 Girls lost 2-5 in a thrilling encounter at home to Limehouse. The Dragons  battled throughout and scored two wonderful goals. However Limehouse had a genuine superstar who scored all 5 goals for Limehouse and she was just too good on the day.

The U11 Boys beat Acton Ealing Whistlers 6-1 at home in their sixth straight win. This was a much tighter match that the score would suggest. The Whistlers were a pleasant side who played well but just could not hold the Dragons in the vital moments. For the Dragons they need to pass and find space more to really capitalise on their increasing confidence.

The U10s trained before playing a friendly against the U11 Boys. The format of the end of training matches will now change. The U10s have learned to cope with the hustle and bustle of matches. Now they need to refine their positioning and passing.

Yet another solid weekend:

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The U18s beat Hendon 4-1 at home. This was the performance of the season with some Dragons having to play in different positions. They took the lead with a 25 yard screamer and were 2 – 0 up by half time. Two goals in the 2nd  half, with one that nearly broke the net, completed the win.  This was a great Dragons performance with every player contributing to a well-deserved victory.

The U17s  beat Pinnstars 4-2 away. The newly resurgent Dragons took another step up the table this weekend with a convincing win. The Coach was quoted as saying after the match “The lads really played like a team and transferred all their hard work in training onto the pitch.”

The U15 Boys drew 4-4 away with Wealdstone. The Dragons conceded an initial goal but then quickly took a 3 – 1 lead into halftime.  This week the Dragons game management was lacking and they allowed 3 second half goals to trail 3 – 4  going into the final minutes.  The Dragons then followed their typical pattern of last minute theatrics to keep fans on their toes and fought back to earn a free kick to equalise in the final minutes.  

The U15 Girls did not play

The U14 Boys again had no match

The U13 Boys beat Superskills 2-1 at home. This was a hard-fought win for the Dragons who scored an early goal, only to have it cancelled out moments later by a Super Skills quick equaliser. The Dragons’ second goal was a spectacular effort which deserves a nomination for goal of the season – a skilful flick, quick feet and accurate passing was finished off with a half volley into the top corner. The second half was goalless as the Dragons’ solid defence held off the Super Skills’ dogged attack. It was a close game which ended with a deserved 2-1 Dragons’ victory.

The U13 Girls just lost 2-3 to Ruislip Rangers at home. It was an evenly fought contest in the first half leaving it 1-1 at the break.  In the second half Ruislip scored 2 almost identical goals with looping shots over the Dragons keeper. The Dragons continued to fight and clawed the score back to 2-3 and also hit the crossbar twice. Ruislip managed to hang, on making substitutions to keep fresh legs which the Dragons were unable to do. This was a fantastic effort from the Dragons nonetheless.

The U12 Boys beat Hillingdon Youth 2-1 away. The Dragons came back from being a goal down to defeat Hillingdon 2-1 away.  The Dragons had great momentum and created several other chances in the second half.

The  U12 Girls had no match

The U11 Girls  lost 1-3 to Alexandra Youth Park at home. Alexandra took the lead and then scored again before the Dragons pulled back to 1-2 before conceding again. A good competitive match.  

The U11 Boys beat Hanwell Town 4-0 at home in their 5th successive win. Hanwell were a good side and this was a competitive match from start to finish. The Dragons were just that little bit better on the day and as we all know how small differences in performance  lead to goals which only take a second to score    

The U10s trained before playing a friendly against the U11 Boys.

The Seniors  lost 1 – 3 away to C B Hounslow. The Dragons started slowly and did not get into the game. At half time they were 0-2 down!!  At the half time review it was agreed that the Dragons  needed to be a bit more aggressive and maintain possession for longer periods to try to get something out of the game. The Dragons responded  and there was an improvement,  but just not enough to pull the game back.

Another tremendous weekend with more Dragon goals (31 to 7) than rain showers in April.

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The Seniors beat London Titans 10-0 at home in a fine display from the start. The Dragons played beautifully and were clinical in front of goal to lead 3-0 at half time. The team was then “freshened up” as players had given 100% in the first half. With the changes the Dragons looked sharp again and re started with the bit between their goalscoring teeth to score another 7 goals. The Dragons are gelling and getting more confident by the week.

The U18s won without kicking a ball as Belmont forfeited the game as they did not have enough players.

The U17s walloped Pro FA 6-1 at home. The Dragons have been working hard to put the team together and it is now paying off. The match got underway in predictable form as Pro FA scored within a couple of minutes before the Dragons started to play. By half time the Dragons were 2-1 up and at the final whistle the score was 6-1 coming from two respective hat-tricks. The team has found its form and looks forward to a successful end of season.

The U15s Boys beat Celtic 4-1 away, as they took revenge after a bruising early season defeat. The first half was incredibly tense with three yellow cards issued in the first 15 minutes. The Dragons set the footballing tone with two early goals and then kept the pressure on to lead 4 – 1 at half time, powered by a hat trick by the number 10 which included two calmy taken penalties. The second half followed some intense ‘game management’ instructions by the Dragons coaching staff which were executed perfectly with no additional goals allowed.

The U15 Girls just lost 3-4 away to League Leaders Hampstead. The Dragons lined up with a 3-5-1 formation whilst Hampstead took the majority of the opening possession but missed their opportunities with countless offsides. Against the run of play the Dragons went 1-0 up 10 minutes before half time but only held the lead for a miserly 3 minutes before Hampstead scored to make it 1-1 on half time. Straight from the re-start a dipping shot from the Dragon’s leading scorer gave them a 2-1 lead. It would have been wise for the Dragons to then shut-up-shop with their shock lead but they went on to score yet again to lead 3-1. You could hear a pin drop as Hampstead were on the brink of collapsing but they were not going down without a fight as they picked the ball up in midfield to score from 15 yards out. The Dragons lacked the fitness to push Hampstead out of the encounter and allowed them to equalise before a weak effort rolled invitingly into the Dragons goal to win with 7 minutes left.

The U14 Boys had no game

The U13 Boys had no game

The U13 Girls had no game

The U12 Boys defeated Parkfield Youth Blue at home 1-0. The Dragons enjoyed good momentum in the first half and kept the opponent’s keeper busy stopping numerous goal efforts. The second half started off similarly, with the match becoming uncomfortably tense in the final minutes, as the Dragons triumphantly held on for the win.

The U12 Girls had no game so had a training session followed by a picnic in the park instead.

The U11 Boys beat Hanwell Town 5-0 at home. This was a tremendous performance from the Dragons who have gone from a group of excitable boys running around like ants chasing the ball to a disciplined, mature footballing team in a few short months.

The U11 Girls beat Limehouse Laces 2-1 away in back to back wins. The Dragons took an early lead which was lost just before half time when Limehouse equalised with the last kick of the half. The Dragons were so determined to get the next goal that they did so early into the second half. They were resolute throughout and held on to a 2-1 win.

The U10s trained before playing a friendly against the U11 Boys. Over the next couple of weeks they will be split into two groups so that we can begin to build the new U11s to be entered into the League next season.

What a tremendous weekend – almost undefeated from top to bottom! That old adage “A Resilient Dragon is a Good Dragon” certainly held true as teams who were battered last week walloped their oppositions this week!

The Seniors beat Rajput Del-Mundo 4-1 at home. Most of the match was played in the Del-Mundo’s half, with the Dragons keeping the ball and waiting patiently for an opening. This approach saw them 2-0 up at half time at which the coaches’ instructions were to continue pressing high and keeping possession until there was an opening to attack.  The Dragons were rewarded with another two goals but late in the game they switched off and allowed Del-Mundo a consolidation goal.  

The U11 Girls beat Acton Ealing Whistlers 2-1 away.  This was a Great performance from the Dragons and a well-deserved victory. Scoring in the first minute helped to give the Dragons the confidence they needed to go on and secure the win. 

The U11 Boys beat Polonia 4-1 away on Wormwood Scrubs. If truth be told the Dragons never looked like losing the match which was a surprise to many. Leading at half time, some feared that battling up hill in the second half would undo the Dragons but in the event they romped up and down like antelopes needing exercise.

The  U12 Girls just lost 2-3 to Barnet Nightingales at home. Dragon fans were reminded of their 0-6 drubbing at the hands of Barnet in their first match as they got off to the worst possible start to go 0-1 down after 20 seconds.  Undeterred the Dragons settled down to play great football, on even terms with Barnet, leaving it still  0-1 to Barnet at half time. After the coach’s pep talk the Dragons came back on invigorated before a breakaway goal led to Barnet taking a 0-2 lead and then, before the Dragons knew, it was 0 – 3. The galvanized Dragons picked up their game, and in the last 15 minutes scored twice which lead to a very tense final 5 minutes in which Barnet just managed to hold on for the win

The Boys U12s Boys beat Celtic 6-0 at home. This was an absolutely tremendous result for the Dragons after their uncomfortable match last week. They played consistently well, with each player contributing to the resounding win. 

The U13 Boys  walloped London Eagles 10-2 at home. The Dragons had a full squad and were in a relaxed, optimistic mood from the start.  An early Dragons goal set the scene. Some good passing down the line and crosses into the middle, as practised at Saturday’s training, resulted in a 5-2 lead at half time. But the Dragons weren’t complacent, as the second half has often been their downfall. With the Dragons goalie saving a penalty they  knew that it was to be their day as more goals came from six different players, with a hat-trick somewhere in the goal mix.

The U13 Girls had no game

The U14 Boys no game

The U15 Girls  did not play

The U15 Boys beat Forest Utd 7-3 at home.  Two Dragons players scored their first goals of the season but the goal of the day was an incredible length of the pitch assist from their goalie which was put away by a header (yes, header off a bouncing ball ) by the Dragons striker.  To give Forest credit, they did not totally wilt under the pressure and put through 3 goals, including from their exceptional number 10.  

The U17 Boys drew 3-3 against Premier League Leaders Hendon at home. The Dragons went 2-0 up very quickly as the effects of their new coaching became apparent. The match remained tight and the Dragons came very close to winning but in the end settled for a 3-3 draw. A great match. 

The U18s drew 1-1 with Regents & Tufnell Park away. Regent took the lead in the first half but the Dragons equalised with a 25 yard screamer from a player’s first ever goal for the team. In the second half it was all the Dragons with Regents clearing off the line and their keeper under pressure. Alas that illusive winning goal never came for the Dragons as they so richly deserved.

The U10s trained before playing a friendly against the U11 Boys. They get better each week.

The gnarled Seniors and diminutive U11 Boys led the way with wins but, if truth be told, there were a few wobbles in between: The combined Seniors squad beat Sporting Duet 3-2 in a friendly at home. The Dragons were sharp from the off to score twice in the first twenty minutes.  The players are starting to gel and understand the coaching strategy.  Alas after 30 minutes they became complacent,  starting to over play and then losing possession. By half time Sporting Duet had managed to pull back two goals. The Dragons were as one as they agreed that they needed to go back to controlling the game which they did to dominate the second half. Twenty minutes in the Dragons took the lead again, but this time held on to win 3-2. A good performance, which will raise players’ confidence in preparation for this coming weekend’s home cup fixture.  The U18s lost 2-4 to Belmont away. The Dragons took the lead as they played for the first time on a 4G pitch. Belmont equalised just before half time and then took the lead in the 2nd half  before the Dragons equalised with a great goal. As can be the case, as the Dragons pressed  for a win Belmont scored twice from breakaways. The U17s lost to Brentham 2-7 away. The Dragons played to the end but were outclassed by a very strong team.  It is on to next week.  The U15 Boys just lost 1-2 to Elite London away. This was a frustrating match for the Dragons as Elite’s goals came from a handball in the box (maybe ! ) and a defensive mistake.  The Dragons converted a penalty for their only goal. This was a good reminder of how fitness will be crucial for the rest of the season.  Heat plus only 2 subs on the day took their toll. The U15 Girls were awarded a win as their opposition could not field a team. Instead they played the U13 Boys in a friendly during the Saturday training session. Despite the girls being two years older the U13 boys gave them a good match, with the Girls just winning by a one off wonder goal. U14 Boys had no match The U13 Boys lost to Wealdstone away.  This was a difficult morning with the ref arriving late, giving time for the Dragons key defender to injure himself in the warm up! An unfortunate fall on the hard surface, whilst practising a tackle, left him with an urgent visit to St Mary’s and two broken bones in his wrist! Eventually the match started with the Dragons defending gallantly from an attacking onslaught. It was a relief to be only 0-1 down at half time. Unfortunately, an early goal in the second half, followed by a quick penalty against the Dragons, saw their heads drop to Wealdstone’s rather wicked advantage. The normally chipper Dragons Manager was relieved to eventually get home after her car would not start. Never was a cup of tea more deserved. The U13 Girls lost at home to Broomwood.  The Dragons had the bare minimum amount of players which included the absence of the first choice goalkeeper. The game started encouragingly enough with the Dragons keeping good possession and hitting the woodwork early on. However as the hidden score line suggests that was as good as it got. The U12 Boys lost away against Harrow St Mary’s,  who proved to be a well developed and organised team. There were a lot of lessons for the Dragons to learn in this loss, which should be a positive going forward. The U12 Girls game was called off as the opposition could not field a team. The U11 Boys beat Hanwell Town 3-2 at home in a tremendous show of resilience. The Dragons went 0-2 down and so easily could have lost heart but they are made of sterner stiff and pulled back to 2-2 before scoring the important winner near the end. The U11 Girls drew 1-1 with Broomwood at home.  The Dragons  were outstanding as  they gave everything. The concentration & work rate from the first whistle to the last was phenomenal.  Every Dragon had to dig deep & fight for one another as they refused to be beaten whilst never giving up trying to win.   The U10s trained before playing a friendly against the U11 Boys. It will soon be time to start splitting the players into two squads by age in preparation for entering the League as Under 11s .

We are on an upward trend:

The combined Seniors Team drew 1-1 away in the COVID cup against CB Hounslow. For the first 20 minutes it was clear that the Dragons were rusty after their break. The shock of going 0-1 down however galvanised the Dragons to pull up their footballing socks. At half time the coaches had an open discussion with the Dragons which lead to a much improved second half with the deserved equaliser coming after 60 minutes.  From then on it was the Dragons who were the better side, creating chances but just not converting them. All in all a credible away result.  

The U18s drew 2 – 2 with Forest FC at home. This was a tough match with Forrest playing 11 players behind the ball making them hard to break down. It was against the run of play that the Dragons went 0-2 down from two set pieces. The Dragons then staged a tremendous turnaround – with 5 minutes to go they scored twice in quick succession before almost then winning with the last kick of the game. The Dragons had again demonstrated their great attitude – they never gave up.

The U17s just lost 3-4 at home to Football Samuri, the Premier League leaders. The Dragons started well and took control to post a 2-0 lead at half time. But, as they say, football is a game of two halves and the Dragons were reduced to ten men through injury and short handedness which lead to a narrow final loss.

The U15 Boys beat Hanwell 4 – 3 at home; a thriller for the second week in a row.  After a dismal first 10 minutes leading to a 0-1 deficit, the Dragons took control and dominated possession to earn a 3 – 1 lead.   The Dragons goalie then made two impressive stops at point blank range to maintain the lead into the last 10 minutes.   Hanwell’s impressive striker put in his second goal to draw even with only 5 mins to play only for the Dragons number 10 to soar through the North Kensington sky for a winning header.  A fantastic win!!

The U15 Girls beat Limehouse 2-1 at home after a 17 week break between matches.  Both teams produce meaningful attacks but it was the Dragons who broke the deadlock after only 5 minutes. Limehouse were not to be underestimated however and it took them only 3 minutes to equalise.  Both teams then pressed for a win but at half time it was still 1-1.  Limehouse believed that they would win but the third goal nearly came from the Dragons with a 20-yard shot that hit the post. Although Limehouse had more subs to keep their squad lively their weakness was their goal kicking and a particularly tepid one fell to the Dragons who scored to win with 7 minutes left on the clock.

The U14 Boys had no match

The U13 Boys lost against Pinnstars at home. The home defeat did not reflect the brave commitment of the Dragons and their new goalkeeper, returning after a year away from football.  Still embedding in a relatively new team, with a few injuries, the Dragons played well against the second placed Pinnstars in the League. As the resilient Dragons Manager said at the post match press conference “This was an encouraging second outing after Lockdown”. 

The U13 Girls had no match

The U12 boys defeated Venceremos 3-1 away. Venceremos  neglected to tell the Dragons that the match was to be played, against the rules, on a full sized pitch. The Dragons spurned the opportunity to be awarded the match, choosing rather to beat Venceremos.   They started strongly to go 1-0 up in the first 10 minutes – with a second shot then beating Venceremos’s keeper only to be questionably saved by their centre back. Venceremos made it 1-1 with 30 seconds left in the first half. The Dragons dominated the second half with their striker completing a hat trick to win 3-1.

The U12 Girls beat Kinja 2-0 at home in an evenly matched defensive struggle. The Dragons’ keeper made big saves to keep the home advantage with their defence and midfield consistently stopping Kinja in their tracks. Finally the Dragons striker broke the deadlock to convert late in the half. The second half was again very competitive with neither team dominating.  The Dragons struck midway with a highlight reel shot from the right wing to gain an  insurmountable 2-0 lead.  This was the Dragons second consecutive clean sheet – a sign not only of the team’s hard work, but of great coaching and a fitness regime that gave the girls that extra edge in a fast pace match with no substitutes.

The U11 Boys drew 0-0 against Boreham Wood away in a spectacular demonstration of grit and determination. Boreham Wood had beaten the Dragons soundly earlier in the season so this was a tough match for the Dragons – playing away in their first match after the lockdown with key players missing. On a confidential basis your correspondent was steeling himself for a thumping defeat. The Dragons had no such qualms and played with steely determination and were in fact unlucky not to win.

The U11 Girls lost at home to Vicky Park Rangers in a spirited match. The Dragons had a big squad and would rather play 9 a side to give all the players more game time.  

The U10s trained before playing a friendly against the U11 Boys as they prepare to be entered in the League. There remains some catching up to do.