A mixed week with the U17 Boys unusually leading the pack:
The Firsts narrowly lost 3-4 to Larkspur at home in the second round of the Premier Division Cup. One knew it was a bruising loss – when Larkspur sauntered over to the Dragons Manager saying “we got away with one today”. The Dragons needed to be more assertive in all area to represent themselves properly.
The Blues drew 1-1 with Kodak away. This is a fixture no team in the division looks forward to because of the pitch. This was a leveller for 45mins as the Blues struggled to play their football on the surface and, despite dominating they were one down at half time. This season’s Blues are made of much sterner stuff and battered Kodak in the second half but were guilty of being wasteful and hitting every shot straight at their keeper. The Dragons equalised with 15 minutes to go and then had a chance with 10 seconds left to win – but the pitch came to Kodak’s rescue and the opportunity was lost. The Dragons remain unbeaten this season and are aiming to better last season’s achievements.
The Old Dragonians were beaten by NLR at home in the Middlx FA Sunday Intermediate Cup. This was already a stern test for the Old Ds made worse by late squad dropouts. NLR have players playing five divisions above the Dragons a favourite to win the cup. Despite this, the Dragons put in a sterling performance from the first minute to the last and for large parts matched their opponents without having a cutting edge to affect the score. It was a Dragons’ performance marked by grit and endeavour.
The U18 Boys lost to FC Starz away. Not the best day at the office for the Dragons with a few players unavailable for selection. The Dragons know they didn’t do themselves justice which was most frustrating.
The U17 Boys beat Headstone Manor 15-2 at the Den in a dominant performance. The Dragons found Headstone’s net early, before Headstone briefly equalised to make it 1–1 which was the closest they would get. The Dragons quickly regained control and went on to score a fantastic variety of goals. Whilst the scoreline speaks for itself, the real highlight was the all-round team performance. From the first whistle to the last, the Dragons showed great energy, teamwork and attacking intent. With more than a full squad priority was given to players attending training. A brilliant performance from the whole group.
The U15 Boys Red lost away at Elite London. The Dragons suffered their first League loss of the season against a strong Elite side who played with intent. The Dragons are still in the top end of the table in these early stages so there is a lot to play for, but must keep improving to ensure the top pack don’t get too far ahead.
The U14 Boys beat Kick Ups 7-0 at home. A really good performance from every Dragon involved who tried to keep standards and discipline high throughout the match despite not receiving much of a challenge from Kick Ups.
The U12 Boys lost 1-5 away at Foxes. A tough game for the fierce Dragons who scored first – but the Foxes proved too strong. Organised, tenacious and overall a very good team. If for a moment the Dragons let their guard down the Foxes capitalised. However, for most of the match they kept pushing themselves to the limit and although a disheartening result, it is a unique opportunity for the Dragons to learn and forge their character.
The U11 Boys Red lost at home to Football Samurai. The Coaching Team are no less proud of the effort the Dragons displayed and have no doubt they’ll learn from this experience and come back stronger.
The U11 Boys White drew 1-1 to Northfields United at home. A good draw from the Dragons who showed leaps and strides of improvement as they managed to gain a point from Northfields at the Den. The squad stuck together and played as a team.
The U13 Boys, the U15 Boys White and the U16 Boys had no games.
The U17 Girls lost to Broomwood 0-3 at home. Both sides arrived at this game unbeaten, but the Dragons were handed their first loss in the League as Broomwood took their goals clinically and shut out any hopes of a comeback.
The U14 Girls lost away to QPR in the London Cup. This was a tough game for the Dragons who started off without enough energy against a well-drilled side. The first half dragged on as the Dragons moved the ball too slowly and held onto it for too long. The Dragons then came to life in the second half and showed what they are capable of, but were unable to claw back the goal difference.
The U12 Girls and the U16 Girls had no games.
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