Kensington Dragons Reserves 2 v 5 St Lawrence Reserves
The limited squad this week was improved upon with 2 additions from the First Team due to their fixture being postponed. The positivity on arrival at the ground was quickly dented finding that the St Lawrence first team’s game had also fallen to the weather, and they took the opportunity to field 7 of their top team. All of a sudden a dolly fixture against the reserve league whipping boys was looking a tougher prospect, particularly as the pitch had become a wet sheet of mud.
At least the Dragons had the chance to wind themselves up accordingly and they took to the mud bath at Osterley in good fettle. They then produced a superb 45 minutes of football, pinning the fit and athletic opposition deep into their own half. The midfield pair, Luke O’Donoghue and Jonno Malone were providing an excellent platform with wide man Jack Lyons galavanting in behind frequently. On 15 minutes he drove down the right and a well disguised cut back was thumped home by striker Laycock. It was 2-0 10 minutes later, The hard working number 10, Adam Finch, plucking the ball out of the air and laying it off to O’Donoghue to curl a beautiful finish in from 25 yards. The team shape was excellent and further chances came and went, Malone curling wide and then failing to find the net when clean through from Finch. HT 2-0
What happened next, all the Dragons are still trying to work out. They knew the game was a long way from won and lots of effort still required but within 7 minutes they had totally capitulated. For the second weekend in three, an obvious offside goal was missed by their own Linesman busy chatting with the opposition. They still led, but not for long. A dreadful decision from keeper and fullback to play a goalkick short left the center back Hamilton Bowler with little options, the striker nicked it and the keeper failed to keep out the tame shot through the muddy ground. Panic set in and the comeback was complete a minute later, a peach of a shot from 30 yards and on the angle was never anywhere but in the top corner. 30 minutes to go and yet the game seemed already to be lost. They battled and ran hard but the early confidence had been replaced with shock and a late gamble on shape back fired with 2 poorly conceded goals in the last 10 minutes. FT 2-5
The reserves can still look forward to a County Cup Quarter Final next week, perhaps a little more luck will fall their way, there was little on show today somehow losing to the strongest opposition they have faced who yet have lost all 7 of their league games this season!!