With minds focused back on the League, and the Christmas break looming, the new U11 Girls deserve a special mention as they recorded their first win:
The new U11 Girls beat Alexandra Park 2-0 at home. This match will go down in history as the Dragons first win and first clean sheet. This was really quite an extraordinary result as the Dragons have yet to settle on a goalie, but rather pass the honour around from match to match. There will be tougher oppositions to come but nevertheless this was a great result.
The U12 Girls did not play.
The U13 Girls won 6-2 at home against Actonians. In a thrilling game, the Dragons did the Club proud as they overcame past defeats to come together in full force. Alongside some outstanding saves from the Dragons’ keeper, the League’s top goal scorer increased her claim to be the seasons’ Golden Boot. A fantastic win and a huge team victory.
The U14 Girls trained.
The U16 Girls bounced back in superb style with a 4-1 win against Actonians away. The Dragons pressed straight from kick-off, making it hard for Actonians to settle. Two moments of great individual effort and skill led to a 2-0 lead at half time. The second half was a similar story with the Dragons making life hard for their opponents. The Dragons coach was impressed by their exhibition of sublime passing combined with drive and strength which saw them dominate.
The U18 Boys did not play.
The U16 Boys lost 2-5 away at Forest United. Despite a fantastic start that saw the Dragons net twice, some questionable refereeing and the absence of the Dragon’s regular centre-back duo proved decisive. Forest were level by half-time and applied the pressure after the break. Nonetheless, the Dragons sit comfortably in the League but know there is work to do.
The U15 Boys beat ProFA 3-1 at home, sending them to joint second in the League. The truth is that for a large portion of the match the Dragons fans were frustrated at their team’s seeming inability to score – the goalposts kept moving to block the Dragons shots. Then, disaster struck as ProFA scored and it looked as if the Dragons would lose a match they should win. Finally, all came well, and the Dragons pulled ahead to secure a comfortable win.
The U14 Boys were beaten 0-3 at home by Hanwell Town. A controversial decision for an unfortunate bounce against the shoulder of a Dragons defender in the opening stages saw Hanwell Town take an early lead from a penalty. The Dragons kept attacking but just could not hit the target. A frustrating defeat against an organised opposition, despite all the efforts of the improving Dragons.
The U13 Boys beat Brook House 4-2 at home. The Dragons again played some brilliant football and once taking the lead, never let it go. With the Dragons leading 3-1 at halftime Brook House started the second period on top but to no avail as the Dragons held firm. A special mention must be made of the Dragons captain who stood in to replace the keeper.
The U12 Boys lost 0-4 away to Elite Magic. The first half saw the majority of possession and goals go to the home side. The second half was a different story as Dragons retained the ball but missed several chances to score – not due to lack of determination. Valuable lessons learned for the future.
The U11 Boys lost away to London Athletic in a tough contest. After a high-quality training session the day before, this wasn’t the result the squad deserved. Nevertheless, the Dragons will learn from the experience and focus on the positives. Back at home for this Sunday’s game.
The U10 Boys trained.
The Firsts were beaten at home to Larkspur Rovers. The Dragons played good football but suffered at the set piece, conceding 3 goals from corner kicks. From there, a valiant attempt to get back into the game was launched but the chances just could not be converted.
The Blues lost 3-6 to Goan United away in a thriller. Two teams sitting next to each other in the table was bound to produce a memorable encounter. Goals galore but the Blues just couldn’t find the back of the net as much as their opposition – but solace can be taken that goals are still being scored! On the road again this weekend.
The Old Dragonians just lost 1-2 away to Hounslow Wolves. A game, in the end, decided on penalty decisions. After going 1 down in the opening minutes, the Old Ds were awarded a penalty for a blatant handball which was calmly slotted home. The Dragons should have been awarded a second 5 mins later, but the ref waved play on. Then, in the dying embers, a cunning Wolves attacker dragged his trailing leg over the Dragons defender and went down in the box. Despite the keeper’s best attempt, the penalty was converted to seal the match for the Wolves.