St Lawrence 4 v 1 Kensington Dragons Reserves
For the second time this season, the Dragons arrived looking forward to playing weaker opposition in bottom of table St Lawrence only to find their first team game had been cancelled due to their own bad organisation, allowing them to fill their side with Div 1 players. With numerous injuries after two cup runs the Dragons fielded four 17 year old debutants and an average age of just 18.
It was clear from the off that they were in for a tougher experience than an assumed confidence building match where the result was never the priority. However, the key man in this game was a referee in a world of his own. Being assessed from the sidelines he decided to take a headmaster approach from the off. His first error was to punish the Dragons captain with a free-kick when he himself had been challenged late. Of course, as the afternoon had begun, it continued and St Lawrence scored from the set piece. Dragons most experienced player then limped off injured and while down to 10 conceded again.
They were also causing some trouble though with Shegun Beckley in the thick of it and he himself drove into the box and won a stone wall penalty. Captain Adam Finch put the spot kick away. Kieran Cox had been replaced by player manager Laycock at the back but he got caught out having not warmed up and the powerful striker drove past him wide to cross for the home sides third.
The second half was a dour and niggly affair, again the referee punishing the youthful Dragons at every opportunity and booking three players in the process who were struggling to keep quiet in the face of some dreadful officiating. They rarely created but defended well until the veteran forward blasted in from 30 yards to finish the scoring off.
Even the home management were apologetic and sympathetic on both the team they fielded and the one sided officiating that seemed to take place. Not the following week from a cup final that the club wanted but the Reserves move on and look to gain 6-9 points in their last 3 tough away games.