This was rather a wet weekend as we wade through to the Christmas break:

The Firsts and the Blues League games to Hayes and Hillingdon and London Europeans respectively were postponed due to waterlogged pitches.

The Old Dragonians lost to CB Hounslow away. The Dragons were good in the first half and were very much in the game being only 1 nil down. Again, the Old Ds were superb for the opening 25 mins of the second half and should have been ahead. However, the Dragons paid the price of not converting their chances and losing concentration which resulted in conceding a number of sloppy goals in the final 20 minutes. Overall a good display for most of the game.

The U17 Boys beat Pitshanger Red 7-1 away. The Dragons played below par in the first half whilst Pitshanger played a bit above, resulting in a closely fought first period. The second half was altogether a different affair as the Dragons capitalised on their superior flair, speed, and tactical awareness. Pitshanger are a pleasant side but were just not up to the Dragons standard.

The U14 Boys will be awarded three points as Hanwell Town White could not raise a team.

The U13 Boys beat Wealdstone 7-4 away. A remarkable game from the Dragons who had lost at home against the very same side. The result shows the Dragons’ willingness to win and prove themselves against a Wealdstone that at one time got the better of them in their own backyard. 

The U12 Boys Red beat London Eagles 5-1 away. A calm and composed defence gave the Dragons the foundation to dominate the opposition and rack up the goal tally with top-class goals. The Manager credited the Dragons’ Coach for his vision in deploying a slightly altered line up that worked fantastically – a tactical masterpiece.

The U12 Boys White beat the previously undefeated Bessingby Park Rangers 2-1 away. Lo and behold, with solid defending and clinical finishing, coupled with great commitment from the whole team, the Dragons inflicted the first defeat on Bessingby Park to the away fans’ uproar.

The U11 Boys lost 2-4 away to Chiswick FFF in an interesting match. Most referees find a whistle a useful accessory when officiating – apparently not in Chiswick. The Dragons have an interesting approach to penalties – the taker is decided at the preceding training session. This week the anointed Dragon was given three opportunities – he duly missed the first two. Dragons everywhere could see how nervous he was walking up to take his third – he would have happily stood aside. It showed great character to go through with it and great team spirit for urging him on. In the event his shot was magnificent and no goalie could have saved it.

The U18 Boys home game to Brazil Development was postponed due to an unplayable pitch

The U15 Boys home game with The Eight was also postponed due to unplayable pitch

The U16 Boys had no game.

The U14 Girls game to Islington away and the U13 Girls home game to Denham United were both postponed due to waterlogged pitches.

The U11 Girls, U15 Girls, U16 Girls and U18 Girls had no games.

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What a weekend! As Dragon veterans know it takes a huge amount work each week getting the pitches, fixtures, referees appointed etc sorted out.  For a whole host of unrelated reasons this last weekend turned out to be a bit of a shocker but all obstacles were eventually overcome and the matches played:  

The Firsts lost 1-2 away at Camden Youth. A hard fought game for the Dragons against a good Camden team in the top three. Unfortunately, the Dragons took too long to get started and then spent most of the second half trying to get the equaliser.

The Blues were beaten by Hillingdon Abbots 1-4 at home. It was not a good day for the Blues although not entirely their own fault. After waiting for the referee to arrive, the players got chilly, despite their best efforts to keep warm, and didn’t get into the game once the whistle finally sounded to begin.

The Old Dragonians lost 2-6 to Brentford Town at home. The game was in the balance for most of the first half. However, having just equalised an early Brentford goal, the game was decided in the 10 minutes before halftime with the Old Ds conceding twice from a pen and free kick. The Dragons battled in the second period but struggled to control the game. Despite the loss, the moment of the match was produced by an ODs sub who dribbled from the half line to unleash a blistering shot from 25 yards.

The U15 Girls beat Ealing Trailfinders 9-0 away in the Quarter Final of the Cup. They came, they saw, they conquered. Goal after goal hit the Trailfinders net and by half time they led 7-0 with progression to the Semi Finals guaranteed. A drop in intensity only saw 2 further goals to complete the win. This was a truly fantastic performance from the squad and certainly warmed the very happy Dragons support on a freezing day.

The U13 Girls drew 3-3 at home to Alexandra Park. A great game for the Dragons on home turf where they could have grabbed all three points but will be satisfied enough with the one. The squad is showing improvement every week.

The U11 Girls lost to Whetstone Wanderers away in the Cup. The Dragons played very well considering it was the first time they had played 30 minute halves. WW went three goals up and refused to relent. The Dragons fought on to the valiant end.

The U14 Girls, U16 Girls and U18 Girls had no games.

The U18 Boys lost 1-4 to Ickenham away. The Dragons made the long journey to Buckinghamshire for the second consecutive week. An unsympathetic referee made the team play without warming up, with their keeper still stuck on a delayed train. The Dragons were two nil down by the time the keeper arrived and then immediately pulled a goal back. The second half was end to end and the Dragons just could not breach the Ickenham defence. With 10 minutes to go, the Dragons were undone by 2 set piece goals when their centre back was off the pitch.

The U17 Boys lost 1-4 at home to North London Stars. NLS are a good team but the Dragons are more than capable of matching them on a good day. On this particular Sunday, injuries and illness combined to blunt the Dragons attacking moves which were then handled by the very capable NLS defence.  The set backs nibbled away at the Dragons confidence and the match slipped away. There will be many twists to come this season so there will be more opportunities ahead.

The U16 Boys were awarded an automatic away win to Pinnstars who forfeited the game.

The U15 Boys lost at home to St Lawrence. In a difficult fixture for the Dragons, there was much to take away from the game for the Dragons to keep learning from. It has been a hard season so far but, as with the nature of football, tides can turn in a single moment.

The U14 Boys romped to an 8-1 win against London Athletic away. The LAs are a pleasant team and their appointed referee was balanced and fair. On this occasion however the Dragons were just very much better. What really killed it for the LAs was that the Dragons defence was impermeable. Every time the LAs made a break towards the Dragons goal they were stopped in their tracks. The Dragons’ goalie was hardly troubled and, when he was, he did superbly. It is not so difficult scoring goals when one’s attackers are sitting on a rocklike defence and that is what happened – eight times.

The U13 Boys had no game.

The U12 Boys Red lost 2-4 to Panthera away in the Middlesex FA Trophy. The Dragons gained the lead early from a wonderful strike and finished the first half up 2-1. The Cup tie was theirs to lose which sadly, due to a very determined Panthera side, is what happened.

The U12 Boys Whites lost 2-3 at home to Larkspur Rovers. It was an important home game to try not to lose for the Dragons. Despite playing well in periods, scoring and keeping in the contest, Larkspur left triumphant. With a couple of games in hand, the Dragons know that converting these into wins will see them regain their title fight.

The U11 Boys drew 1-1 to North London Stars at home. The Dragons faced off against the NLS for an extremely evenly matched game. After scoring first early in the first half, the Dragons then lost the lead to a, perhaps undeserved, penalty awarded to their opponents. The Dragons fought to recover the lead in the second half, but the final whistle came too soon. Still a much improved performance against NLS where the prior meeting ended in a 2-5 loss. The team is making progress!

The U10 Boys trained.

There is a chilly bite to the air as we hurtle towards the Christmas break:

The Firsts were narrowly beaten 2-3 at home by Catholic United in the Anagram Records Trophy. A hard fought game from the Dragons who took the lead after 20 mins with CU equalising just before half time. In the second half CU demonstrated their underlying quality by scoring two quick goals to stun the home fans. The Dragons rallied to pull one back and their continual pushing was rewarded with a penalty. Linford Christie stadium held its collective breath – but alas the ball missed the goal and the Cup tie ended in CU’s favour.

The Blues lost 1-3 to NPL away in Round 2 of the Middlesex County FA Junior Cup. The Dragons contested well on foreign soil and were unfortunate to come out on the losing end. A bitter pill to swallow but the Seniors training camp will look over the game and look to reduce the margins. 

The Old Dragonians lost 2-4 away to Egham Stags. After the match, the Dragons agreed that this was a wasted opportunity to play their brand of football on an excellent pitch. Whilst competitive throughout the Dragons only on occasions played with composure they are capable of and on the day the Stags were the better team.

The U11 Girls beat Whetstone Wanderers 2-0 away. In all, this was a fantastic footballing display and the attitude from the Dragons from start to finish would rival the most mature of squads: composed, supportive and hungry.

The U14 Girls beat Actonians 2-0 away. On a bright and sunny Saturday the Dragons played some fantastic football and decisively beat local rivals on their home turf. A good day’s work.

The U13, U15, U16 and U18 Girls had no games.

The U18 Boys drew 1-1 to Ickenham at home. This was a hard fought encounter with neither team taking a back foot. A huge Ickenham team tested the Dragons in every aspect of the game, physicality in particular. Although going behind from a set piece, the Dragons are a resilient bunch and equalised 15 minutes before the end and then gave everything to push on for the win. It was not to be and credit must be given to Ickenham for repelling the Dragons in the closing stages.

The U17 Boys beat Harrow St Marys 3-2 away. The Dragons hate to lose and so it eventually proved again, with scant regard for their massed fans blood pressure. The Dragons dawdled and drifted to the early morning match with complacency pushing aside urgency. The coach warned they were heading for a loss and challenged them to “Prove Me Wrong”. In contrast Harrow were keyed up, with a full bench, and stormed onto the pitch determined to win. Before the average Dragon could shout “Wake Up” Harrow had scored. The Dragons clawed back to 1-1 then to 2-1 ahead before Harrow pulled back to 2-2. The seconds ticked by. Harrow pressed but it was the Dragons who shrugged off weariness and pulverised their way to win  – 2 minutes from the end.

The U16 Boys lost to Singh Sabha away. The Dragons were playing against the top of the division which called for a big performance. The Dragons stepped up and were only 0-1 down at half time, yet playing well and holding their own – they were still in it. SS scored early on in the second half and from then on seemed to convert all their chances, being particularly strong from corner kicks.

The U15 Boys lost 1- 4 at home to 360 Talent. Once again the Dragons dominated the play for the full 80 mins but are just not having anything go their way this season. The Dragons will lift their heads and go again, keeping faith in their hard work, knowing that a win is coming.

The U14 Boys were awarded an automatic home win to Princes Park who could not field a team

The U13 Boys lost to Wealdstone at home. A big game against the league leaders that didn’t go to plan. On a freezing cold morning it was a combination of some late drop outs and a catalogue of individual errors that proved fatal. A reality check for the team of where they are currently at, as the Manager remarked “The boys will have to up their game.”

The U12 Boys Red beat Forest United 5-0 away. A great performance from the Dragons on a cold morning who were only fully warmed up by the second half and from then on completely dominated the play.

The U12 Boys White had no game scheduled so played a friendly away at Pitshanger.

The U11 Boys beat Titans 3-2 away. The Dragons found themselves behind on two occasions and had to dig deep to find the resolve to keep battling. By the full time whistle they had not just levelled but found a third, claiming a deserved win.

The U10 Boys trained.

This weekend’s matches were livened up by playing a number of competitive International Friendlies against Crystal Lake Illinois, USA: The Firsts beat Enfield Borough 0-2 away in the Second Round of the Middlesex County Premier Cup. This midweek match led to yet another win for Dragons.   The Firsts and the Blues League matches were postponed due to waterlogged pitches. The Old Dragonians narrowly lost 3-4 away to Seshfield in Round 2 of the Roger Perry Cup. This was classic cup tie action as both teams not only had to fight each other but also battle a strong cross wind. Despite going 1-3 down the ODs were never out of the tie and through a hattrick from their Midfielder clawed back to 3 apiece with the match heading towards penalties. Alas, horror of horrors,  Seshfield snatched a winner in the final minutes. The U18 Boys away game to Regents Park was postponed. The U17 Boys beat Old Actonians 5-3 at home. Matches against the OA’s have not always been happy affairs; indeed, historians noted that the recent away leg resulted in some Dragons taking a minibreak from football. To compound matters the Dragons veteran winger was cruelly tackled leading him to limp off. The match started evenly but a momentary wobble from the Dragons, an oft defining feature, resulted in their conceding two quick goals to leave them trailing 1-3 down. There was much gnashing of teeth amongst the Dragons fans. The players however regrouped and pressed and pressed to eventually score three wonderful goals whilst the OAs gave a helping hand by heading one into their own net. The U16 Boys beat Foxes 3-1 at home. Thank goodness after 3 weeks playing away the Dragons finally had a home game with a lunchtime KO – perfect! The Foxes are third in the league, just above the Dragons who were  nevertheless optimistic as they had beaten them in the semi-finals of the Cup last season. Both sides started well and were evenly matched. Unfortunately, after 15 minutes the Dragons conceded. They kept their heads up and were rewarded with a superb goal from the halfway line.  The Dragons then took control to record a great victory after a tough few weeks. The U14 Boys beat London Athletic 5-0 at home. This was potentially a difficult match for the Dragons who were missing a handful of players, whereas London Athletic turned up early, in their shiny new match kit, with at least five substitutes to win the warmup. When the actual match started however it was the Dragons who kept their shape, repulsed the attacks, and created the goals. Well done. The U12 Boys Red lost 0-1 to Princes Park away. The Dragons had most of the possession but just couldn’t find the back of the net. There was also a very blatant foul in the box by their keeper but the ref denied the penalty and Princes Park got out of jail for free. The U11 Boys beat London Athletic 2-1 at home in what was euphemistically labelled a “Friendly”. The London Athletics’ coach challenged the Dragons to a “Friendly” without explaining to his parents that football is for fun – not an excuse for parents to behave badly. London Athletics scored first and it took some time for the Dragons to pull back to even the score and then pull ahead to eventually win – in the face, it must be said, of over excitement amongst the opposition parents.  The U12 Boys White drew 3-3 with Crystal Lake. After going 3 nil up in the first half, the Dragons tired a little against a very fit and technically gifted team, conceding the last of 3 second half goals in the last 15 seconds of the match. The Dragons also had a second half goal chalked off for an incorrect offside call. All in all, a performance to be proud of, and an ‘international cap’. The U13 Girls beat Crystal Lake 2-1. A very entertaining game played out end to end and in the right spirit, where both teams showed great skill and sportsmanship alike. The U13 Boys lost 0-3 to their Crystal Lake counterparts. The Dragons were ultimately defeated not by skill, but by a fitter American team who embodied work ethic to the core. The U15 Boys lost 0-3 to Crystal Lake. The Dragons dominated the play but couldn’t score against Crystal Lake’s 6ft 8” giant goalkeeper. A great experience for all. The U12 Boys Red lost 0-1 to Princes Park away. The Dragons had most of the possession but just couldn’t find the back of the net. There was also a very blatant foul in the box by their keeper but the ref denied the penalty and Princes Park got out of jail for free. The U15 Girls drew 2-2 with Actonians at home. A closely fought out game right to the end with the Dragons local rivals Actonians in the home leg of a west London derby. On another day it would have been the Dragons who earnt the points The U11 Girls home game against Ruislip Rangers was postponed due to the weather, and the U14, U16 and U18 Girls had no games. The U10 Boys trained.

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Results w/e 12 November 2023

With rain and cold creeping in at every juncture Dragons everywhere battled through the potential despondency of a dismal November as our First Team provided just the lift we needed with a resounding win:

The Firsts resoundingly beat Jolof Sports 9-0 at home. Jolof had high expectations, having beaten the League leader’s the previous weekend.  The Jolof squad was smaller than they would have ideally liked but their confidence was high as they controlled the ball from the start. Gradually however the Dragons wore them down and then a couple of quick goals sealed their fate as they wobbled in front of the Dragons onslaught. An excellent performance.

The Blues had no game.

The Old Dragonians beat London Samurai 6-2 away. Back-to-back wins for the Old Ds and back-to-back hat tricks for their forward, but this was a team performance from back to front as the Dragons stifled the Samurai with their press and capitalised on turnovers.

The U11 Girls lost 2-6 to Hinton and Finchley Revolution away. A game of four quarters in which the Dragons won the first 2-0. The strong start and goals demonstrated the progress these young Dragons have made in the short time they have been together as a team.

The U13 Girls beat Ealing Trailfinders 2-1 away. Finally, a result the Dragons were working so hard to find! A hard-fought but crucial victory for the Dragons on the road that will ignite their hearts and boots alike.

The U14 Girls just lost 2-3 at home to Barnet Nightingales. The game was won and lost in the midfield. The Dragons clawed back from 0-2 down to then have the game pulled from their grasp in the closing minutes. Football is a cruel game but that is why it is so absorbing!

The U15 Girls were awarded an automatic home win in the Cup to Barnet Panthers who could not raise a team.

The U16 Girls beat Wealdstone 1-0 at home. A very physical and technical game that saw the Dragons battling relentlessly to secure the 3 points and keeping a clean sheet.

The U18 Girls did not play.

The New U11 Boys just lost 0-1 to Inv3ntive at home. This again was a very close match where the Dragons competed throughout but just could not score those vital goals.  

The U12 Boys Red lost 0-1 at home to Brook House. A show of real heart from the Dragons, facing the League leaders who have conceded just one goal all season. The Dragons dominated most of the game but had 3 shots cleared off the line. A disappointing result but an incredibly positive performance.

The U12 Boys White beat LLJ Frontiers 3-0 at home. The Frontiers were well organised and had most of the possession in the first half. The Dragons defended well and found the breakthrough in the second half, which turned the tide in their favour to finish on top with an ultimately dominant display.

The U13 Boys beat Pinnstars 4-3 away. A tough game for the Dragons that they managed to win. It is a testament to the squad and coaching team that in difficult conditions they still found the best result, marred only by Pinnstars’ behaviour which fell short of the ideal.

The U14 Boys were beaten away at Hanwell Town. The Dragons played well in the first half to leave it 0-0. Hanwell however had a couple of big, fast capable forwards who they deployed well in the second half. The Dragons failed to handle these attacks which led to lapses of confidence which only exacerbated matters. It takes  only seconds to score so momentary wobbles have consequences. Paradoxically, the Dragons attacked more than they defended but they were frustrated by the strong Hanwell defence, supported by their superb goalie.

The U15 Boys lost to Forest United away. The Dragons had a tough match against one of the league’s top scoring teams. The combination of an early kick off and a waterlogged pitch really didn’t help the Dragons cause as Forest Utd, familiar with the conditions, took the three points.

The U16 Boys lost away at Wealdstone. Wealdstone are 1 of 3 teams in the division who haven’t yet lost a match – the Dragons knew it would be tough but started well and looked the better team. However, the Dragons couldn’t finish their early chances and as Wealdstone found the pace of the game and started to score, the Dragons’ heads went down. On a positive note, the U16 Boys are at home next week after 3 weeks on the road.

The U17 Boys had no match.

The U18 Boys narrowly lost 2-3 at home to Norsemen in the Middlesex FA Cup. You don’t always get what you deserve. The Dragons started the game without a full complement and to compound matters had players out of position; a goal incorrectly ruled offside before losing their keeper shortly after half time with concussion. Despite all however this was the Dragons’ best performance of the season with every player contributing positively.

The U10 Boys trained.

Rain and storms battered the Dragons all week into Saturday before receding to allow many matches to proceed:

The Firsts’ League match v Slough Town was called off due to a waterlogged pitch. 

The Blues match against Acton Ealing Whistlers was called off due to a waterlogged pitch.

The Old Dragonians beat AFC Heathrow 7-0 away. This was a dominant Dragons performance from start to finish with seven goals, including a hatrick for the Dragons’ forward and a clean sheet. Job done with all the hard work in training now paying off.

The U18 Boys Cup match against Norseman was called off due to a waterlogged pitch.

The U17 Boys lost to Omnia Gold U18s at home in the Middlesex FA Youth Cup. The Dragons had a reduced squad whilst Omnia were effectively an adult team, with the added advantage of hailing from Enfield – never a happy place for the Dragons in Cup matches. The Dragons held Omnia to 0-0 at half time. On the return however Omnia scored twice whilst the Dragons were tying up their bootlaces. Rather than cave in, the Dragons pressed and pressed but the Omnia defence was rock solid and inevitably they scored breakaway goals.

The U16 Boys lost to Northwood EJA away. The opposition were all tall, strong, fit and well drilled. Even so the Dragons started off positively and held their own. Unfortunately, as the Dragons’ energy levels dipped the goals started to go in, and to be brutally honest Northwood dominated the second half. However, this Dragons team lost the first round of the cup last year but ended up winning the group so it is not over yet.

The U15 Boys away game to Challenger was abandoned.

The U14 Boys lost 2-4 away against Acton Ealing Whistlers in the Middlesex FA Youth Trophy. The Dragons were generally a little below par and realised later that this was a match they could have won.

The U13 Boys beat Singh Sabha 6-0 at home. A stellar performance with their first goalkeeper back in action. After drawing 2-2 to the very same team last week, the experience of having a full squad made the Manager exclaim, “What a difference!”

The U12 Boys Reds beat Go Stars 7-1 away in the Middlesex FA Youth Trophy. A brilliant performance from the Dragons in this cup match, coming back from 0-1 down to 1-1 by half time, to then completely dominate the second half to score another six goals.

The U12 Boys White beat Super Skills 3-1 away. A great result away from home for the Dragons which brings them three points away from the top spot and secures their title chase.

The new U11 Boys lost 1-3 away to Wealdstone. This was a competitive match with the Dragons mostly holding their own against a more experienced side.

The U10 Boys trained.

All Girls’ matches were called off on Saturday due to a spate of waterlogged pitches across London.

It was touch and go whether the matches would proceed in the face of the earlier torrential rain but it was, almost surprisingly, all systems go:

The Old Dragonians just lost 2-3 at home to Eight Stags. The match was marked by good competitive football despite the torrential outbursts of rain. A fairer result would have been a draw as the Dragons missed two open gaols to gift the Stags a win.

The U18 Boys beat Football Samurai 5-2 away. With a depleted squad, the Dragons went to a very wet Acton. They dominated possession but wasted chances in open play. Fortunately, their set pieces were fantastic and they went into half time 3-0 up and in control. The 2nd half saw the Dragons get off to the worst possible start as they conceded within 6 seconds. Samurai quickly added a second. The Dragons dug deep and scored twice in the last 5 minutes. A well-deserved victory but the Dragons must not be so charitable

The U17 Boys beat Harrow St Marys 3-0 at home. This was a match destined to be a slip up for the Dragons with key players forced to take a mini break from football. The responsibility to secure a win was left to a bare eleven doughty players, some of whom had hardly recovered from injury and illness. The Dragons were up to the challenge and dug in to the very end – even managing to miss scoring opportunities on the way, whilst charitably overlooking some blatant HSM offsides. A good day’s work.

The U16 Boys just lost 3-4 away at London Athletic. The Dragons were 0-4 down at half time and not quite awake after the early start and a near-2 hour journey. After a good talking to, the Dragons perked up to score 3 goals. Despite two open goal chances however they couldn’t the score to secure a draw before the final whistle intervened.

The U15 Boys drew 3-3 to Celtic at home. Celtic managed to hold the Dragons on their own turf on a dreary morning. Back to the training pitch to understand the lessons learnt.

The U14 Boys were narrowly beaten 4-5 by Belmont Bees away. The Dragons fans deserved medals for keeping, mostly, cheerful in the torrential rain. Their team was 3-0 up at half time and then somehow they let the lead slip to eventually lose. Fans everywhere were somewhat bewildered at the eventual outcome after such a good start. There is now the home leg to look forward to.

The U13 Boys drew 2-2 away at Singh Sabha. A first draw in many months. The Dragons were not up to their usual standard with an injured goalkeeper who was bravely replaced by an outfield player.

The U12 Boys Reds drew 1-1 at home to London Athletic. What a great battle! The Dragons stayed composed and a marvellous penalty save from their goalkeeper helped them hold on to a draw.

The U12 Boys White beat Brook House 5-0 at home. A resounding, triumphant win for the Dragons who showed their maturity in front of goal and kept a clean sheet at the back.

The new U11 Boys drew 1-1 at home to SYS. This was a close fought match with the Dragons’ increasing maturity showing through to capitalise on a penalty and win themselves a point.

The Under 10s trained

The U13 Girls lost to Hinton and Finchley away in the Cup. A difficult game for the Dragons in the Cup but the team will find their form again which brought so much triumph and joy last season.

All the other Girls’ Teams had no scheduled matches.

The Firsts and Blues had no matches

In a good weekend marked by more wins than losses:

The Firsts beat Stonewall 2-1 away in a hard-fought match. The Dragons went 0-1 down after ten minutes but then dug deep, displaying great determination, to not just get back into the game but to win it. Well done!

The Blues beat Southall Athletic 2-1 in the Middlesex Cup at home. After much toing and froing to settle on a venue the match turned out to be a thriller. Southall scored first before the Dragons drew level and then finally pounced to score the decisive winning goal. 

The Old Dragonians lost 2-4 away to The 3Steps. The game showed how this year’s ODs have progressed in the last 6 weeks. They were by far the better team and opened the scoring with a 35-yard screamer but a physical opposition and eccentric ref saw 3Steps snatch the points. It’s only a matter of time before the results match the performances the Dragons deserve. 

The U18 Boys had no game. 

The U17 Boys beat Old Actonians 8-3 away. This was a test of character for the Dragons after their shocker of a defeat the previous week. They scored first before the OAs drew level but from then on it was the Dragons all the way except for a late OAs flurry. Unfortunately, just after the final whistle, some disgruntled OAs let their disappointment get the better of them and not all the Dragons handled themselves with the forbearance that they have yet to become accustomed to. Just as one asked oneself “Goodness where is this going to end?” calm was restored with both sides shaking hands leaving their respective Hon Secs to waste hours writing pleas of mitigation.     

The U16 Boys drew 5-5 at home to Trailfinders. This was a very frustrating match in which the score didn’t represent the game. Without their regular keeper a brave young Dragon valiantly stepped into the breach.  The Dragons were the better team and scored 5 brilliant goals. Trailfinders were lucky to secure the draw. It will now be a test of the Dragons character and teamwork as they look out for one another to bounce back. Still, one point is better than none. 

The U15 Boys lost 3-5 away to Eight FC. Eight came out fast and strong and at halftime the Dragons were shocked to find themselves 1-3 down. They pulled back with two well deserved goals to draw level at 3-3 but Eight FC went on to clinch two late winning goals. 

The U14 Boys were awarded an automatic home win against Harrow St Marys who defaulted 

The U13 Boys home match was called off due to a waterlogged pitch. 

The U12 Boys Red narrowly lost 3-4 to Belmont Bees away. The Dragons showed determination to level the score twice and then pull ahead to 3-2 with 10 minutes left. Ultimately only having one Dragons substitute then decided the result. 

The U12 Boys White were awarded an automatic away win as Ruislip Town defaulted. 

The New U11 Boys recorded their first win beating Celtic 2-1 away in a thriller. With only two previous matches under their footballing belts the Dragons showed the resilience and focus worthy of veterans. It remained 1-1 as the closely fought match hurtled towards the end when, with 20 seconds left on the clock, the Dragons were awarded a corner. West London held its breath. Surely the match was destined to be a draw but no – the Dragons scored to win! 

The U18 Girls, U16 Girls, U15 Girls and U14 Girls had no matches scheduled. 

The U13 Girls Cup match away against Hinton, Finchley and Haringey was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. 

The U11 Girls and U10 Boys did not train due to a waterlogged pitch.

With so many teams there are always triumphs to report in between the character building reversals and so it proved this week:

The Firsts narrowly lost 1-3 at home to Pitshanger Dynamo. It was a tough fixture against the League’s leaders. The Dragons competed almost to the end and then conceded in the last period.

The Blues beat Hillingdon Abbots 5-2 away. The Dragons started well and went 4-1 up in the first half before letting the Abbots back in before reasserting themselves to record the win.

The Old Dragonians just lost 3-4 to Veneceremos at home in the Cup. The Dragons were shocked to find themselves 0-3 down at halftime. The Coaches then introduced a tactical masterstroke that the Dragons implemented to near perfection to pull back to 3-3 with 10 mins to go. To the ODs dismay they then conceded from a corner in the dying minutes and there was no time for a rescue. The match also saw a Dragon U18 stepping up to senior football.

The U18 Boys lost 2-4 to Regent’s Park at home. A repeat of last week led to the Dragons giving up three first half goals due to sloppiness at the back. The halftime  Dragons coach talk led to much better possession and control resulting in two second half goals but unfortunately more were needed.

The U17 Boys lost to North London Stars away in a shocker. The saving grace is that there are home and away legs in the League so a 1-0 win at home will even out the points. Less dribbling, more passing and more movement are needed from the Dragons.

The U16 Boys beat Hendon 6-4 away in another great result. The Dragons started well and by half time were 4-1 up. All seemed set fair but Hendon pulled back to 4-4 with a frisson of fractious frenzy creeping in before in the dying minutes the Dragons slammed in two goals to win.

The U15 Boys lost 0-2 away to Explorers in the Cup. The Dragons faced a tough Premier Division team with the home advantage. A goal in each half gave Enforcers the win but it was an extremely tight contest.

The U14 Boys beat Pro FA 4-3 at home in a thriller. Finding the pitch on the wild expanses of Copthall Playing Fields proved to be only the start of the challenges facing the indomitable Dragons. Before one could say “Where’s Pitch 305?” the Dragons were 0-2 down. It is great credit to the team that they clawed back to compete and then eventually win 4-3.

The U13 Boys beat Hanwell Town 6-4 away. Another win despite a few mistakes that enabled the opponent to come back to 4-4 after initially leading 4-2.

The U12 Boys Red lost 1-4 to Princes Park at home. The Dragons played well but just didn’t finish the chances they had against an evenly matched side.

The U12 Boys White lost 0-2 at home in the Cup to London Eagles. This was a well organised performance considering it was the Dragons’ third only game playing together. The goals conceded were simply unlucky: a freak goal for the 1st and the 2nd was the last kick of the game.

The new U11 Boys just lost 1-3 to Wealdstone at home in their third match ever. Wealdstone were 3-0 up at halftime and the new Dragons team could have crumpled but instead they shored  up their defence and pressed to score whilst keeping a second half clean sheet.

The U18 Girls had no game.

The U16 Girls beat Ruislip Rangers 6-4 away. This was a tough fixture away for the Dragons, which turned out to be a very exciting. The Dragons played their hearts out, followed their Coach’s instructions and sealed a big win against an historically tricky side.

The U15 Girls and the U14 Girls had no games.

The U13 Girls were beaten by Hinton and Finchley Revolution at home in the Middlesex Cup. The fixture was inexplicably deemed to be played at  eleven a side rather than the usual nine a side.  A game to forget for the young Dragons. 

The New U11 Girls lost 0-2 to St Joseph’s away. The Dragons showed incredible spirit and they continue to improve day by day, match by match. The results will soon reflect their up-and-coming talent.

The U10s trained with a view to becoming next season’s U11s

A generally cracker of a weekend leaving many teams trailing in our wake:

The Firsts beat Feltham 6-3 at home. This was an exciting game for the massed fans as the Dragons conceded three goals in 20 minutes before organising themselves to pull back to 3-3 at half time. In the second period the Dragons took unquestionable control to bang in six goals. Remarkable.

The Blues lost 0-2 away to Goan. It was a close game up to halftime with the score at 0-0. The Dragons then returned to the pitch a little under par to give away 2 goals by mistake. Unfortunately the Goans were less generous.

The Old Dragonians lost 1-4 to Greenhill Rangers in the Sunday Junior Cup. The match proceded despite Greenhill failing to produce a team sheet before kick-off.  Greenhill provisionally take the tie pending an appeal..

The U18 Boys drew 4-4 to Brazil Development away. A thrilling first game for the Dragons who are rebuilding – to come away with a point on the road was a worthy reward.

The U17 Boys drew 3-3 to Harrow United away. The Dragons are playing at a higher level this season and have not quite settled into the footballing groove so at one point were 0-2 down. Once upon a time the Dragons might have folded at that point but not now as they fought back to draw 3-3 and were extremely unlucky not to be allowed the winning goal which was judged a millimetre offside.

The U16 Boys beat Pro FA 2-1 at home. The Dragons were the stronger team on the day with lots of attempts on goal but only managed to convert two. Still, another 3 points with shooting practice scheduled for training.

The U15 Boys won 3-2 away at Acton Ealing Whistlers. The Dragons put in a fantastic performance against a team that will be in the title race this season. The Dragons never looked like they would drop points and only bad fortune lead to the conceded goals.

The U14 Boys beat Brook House 4-0 at home. The Dragons are getting into their footballing stride. Such is their growing confidence that their striker attempted a bicycle kick at goal and to the delight of the massed Dragons fans it went in! There is a long way to go but two wins out of two is a good start to the season.  

The U13 Boys beat West Drayton 9-3 at home. Another large victory for these in-form Dragons which makes the upper echelons of the League surely in their sights.

The U12 Boys beat Acton Ealing Whistlers 4-1 away. An imperious performance from the Dragons who worked well together entertaining their fans in the October sunshine.

The U12 Boys White beat Belmont Bees 5-2 away. A fantastic bounce back from last week’s loss, the Dragons and their travelling fans bested the Belmont Bees in style.

The new U11 Boys just lost to North London All Stars away. This was the first ever away match for the Dragons against an experienced side who have been playing together for 4 years. It takes time to build a side so frankly the veteran stand-in Dragons coach feared the worst but he was proved wrong. The Dragons improved as the match went on and scored twice to prove the point.

The U18 Girls lost 0-2 at home to Brent Schools. After the Dragons’ first game of the season, the Coach reflected, “It’s not about the result but about trusting the process.” The Dragons had a strong second half performance, didn’t concede any goals and created good chances.

The U16 Girls had no game.

The U15 Girls beat Regents Park 2-0 at home. The cherry on top for the Dragons was retaining a clean sheet with a stellar defensive display whilst netting twice to claim all three points. 

The U14 Girls lost 0-3 to Islington Borough at home. The Dragons were under a lot of pressure during this game from a strong side fielded by Islington. The Dragons fought valiantly but it was not enough on this occasion.

The U13 Girls beat Ruislip Rangers 2-1 away. A great game that was end to end and could have gone either way as the Dragons had no subs. Alas! The Dragons dug deep and held on to the lead.

The U11 Girls had no game

The U10s trained with the U11s but will soon split off to be their own group