Like a huge liner the Dragons inexorably are turning the footballing corner with the results improving bit by bit each week. It was particularly pleasing to have our U12 Girls congratulated on their exciting win by the opposition:
The Firsts beat CB Hounslow 2-1 at home. The Dragons performed well in extremely difficult conditions to control the game. As early goal calmed the Dragons before they were jolted by Hounslow pulling back to 1-1 just after the break. The improving Dragons however drew ahead a few minutes later. Finally, in the dying moments the Dragons goalie pulled off a fantastic save to ensure the win.
The Reserves lost 0-4 against away Ruislip. The Dragons were a depleted side that ventured to the far west.
The U17 Reds beat Northwood 5-1 at home in the Middlesex Cup. The Dragons started well, before then conceding from a Northwood free kick that somehow slipped into the back of the net. The Dragons reacted well to score twice. After the break, the Dragons extended their lead before scoring yet again at the very end. The 100% win record continues.
The U17 Whites had no match
The U16s lost to Pinnstars away. This was a difficult match which is best describe as “Character Building”
The U14 Girls lost away 1-4 to Kinja. The Dragons did well when one considers that they were reduced to 8 players for 75% of the match as they lost one player to injury and another for medical reasons.
The 14 Boys Middlesex Cup match v Whetstone Wanderers away was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch
The U13s lost 1-3 to Sandgate Youth at home in the Middlesex Cup. The result does not of course affect the league position but it was a good exercise for the Dragons who played soundly.
The U12 Girls beat Broomwood 2-1 at home. The teams were evenly matched in the very tense first half to leave the score at 0-0. It was during the second half that the Dragons had to dig deep to raise their game in an effort to score that crucial first goal. Finally, it came in the last 9 mins, only for Broomwood to even up to 1-1. The Dragons refused to give up and, with two minutes to go, scored a second fantastic winning goal.
The U12 Boys lost to Pro Soccer Youth at home in the Middlesex Cup. This was a stressful match with keys being lost, carbon copied forms to fill in etc so it was a relief when kit was found and the match started. The result makes no difference to the League position, so the Dragons used it as an opportunity to gain experience.
The New U11 Boys drew 2-2 magnificently against TFA Bushey at home. The Dragons have had to learn on their footballing feet having been dropped into a tough group against teams with many seasons of experience behind them. The Dragons are however quick learners, and this was a very good display in which they were unlucky not to win, with Bushey scoring from a referee/linesman muddle.
The U11 Girls lost to Actonians at home. The Dragons tried a novel football strategy – Mohamed Ali’s “rope-a-dope” as in the “The Rumble in the Jungle”. The plan was to let Actonians wear themselves out in a seemingly endless offensive fury and then, as they tired, the Dragons would unleash a devastating counter attack. As historians will know this strategy is a football version of The Duke of Wellington’s adaptive defensive style which propelled him to victory over numerically superior forces. One must give credit where credit is due, and the Dragons nearly pulled it off but in the end they came up a few goals short.
The U10s trained as they prepare to be entered in the League