The Dragons mostly pressed on sidestepping Covid, rain and muddy pitches:
The Old Dragonians beat FC Willesden 5-3 on penalties at home in the Cup. After leading 1-0 the Dragons conceded painfully late and it was onto extra time. The Dragons scored first only for Willesden to equalise on the 120-minute mark and it was on to penalties. The Dragons stepped up first and scored each time, piling pressure on their Willesden counterparts. FCW crumbled and shot wide of the post. “A penalty masterclass,” lauded the coaching staff – bring on the Semis!
The Blues had their away game against Hammersmith postponed.
The Firsts narrowly lost at home to 3rd placed Cricklewood Wanderers. The Dragons dug deep, working hard for 70 mins to keep the game hanging very much in the balance. Despite not creating many chances, the Dragons scored to make it 1-1. A vital, well-earned point looked to be the reward before a couple of sloppy mistakes cost the Dragons a draw. Nevertheless, a good performance to build on.
The U11 Boys beat Pinner Utd 4-3 in a thriller at home. In their magnificent second win of the season, the new and developing Dragons have gained a level of confidence which is phenomenal to watch. Hard work on the training ground has translated into results on the pitch, and their coaches can be proud.
The U12 Boys narrowly lost 0-1 at home to Sintra AFA. The away side scored in the first half, putting the Dragons on the defensive. The second was a different story as the Dragons had multiple opportunities to turn the game around, yet their efforts were mostly muted by Sintra’s near solid defence. In the dying minutes, the Dragons were awarded a penalty but were dismayed as it glanced off the post. The Dragons resilience throughout the game must be praised.
The U13 Boys were beaten away at Brook House. This was a game of two halves where the Dragons did not turn up and consequently were 3-0 down at half time. The coaches then gave the Dragons a mighty motivational speech and they came out fighting in the second half, scoring twice, to draw the period 2-2. The Dragons know they need to start games how they ended this one.
The U14 Boys’ away game to London Athletic was postponed.
The U15 Boys beat 5-3 Old Actonians away. This was a game that the Dragons should have won 8-0 but they have yet to fully regain their sharpness after the long break. There was never a doubt that the Dragons would win but it would have been good to have won by more!
The U16 Boys just lost 3-4 at home to Forest Utd. In a January mud bath, the level of football was surprisingly good as the game swung back and forth. From a brilliant header, the Dragons took a 2-1 lead until Forest United’s two talented attackers won it back with a laser strike from outside the box. The Dragons then equalised late in the match, only for a late defensive lapse to snatch a defeat from the jaws of victory.
The U10 Boys trained.
The U11 Girls were beaten at home by Limehouse. The target was to score more goals than they managed last week and score they did as they put 3 past their opponents. It was another great performance from the Dragons who worked hard in defence and are improving week after week. The Manager believes the team is really starting to take shape and more is yet to come from this young squad.
The U12 Girls’ Cup game against Pitshanger away was postponed.
The U13 Girls had no game.
The U14 Girls beat Hampton Panthers 6-3 at home in the Cup. It was another astounding performance from this Dragons squad who showed brilliant sportsmanship and great teamwork. The Dragons will be extremely happy they scored in abundance but will look to tighten up their defence for the next round.
The U16 Girls lost to London Bees in the Cup. This was a difficult fixture for the Dragons who, despite having a home advantage, could not find the fire power nor defensive solidity to withstand the Bees onslaught. It was a great test for the Dragons to play against a professional amateur team and the squad learnt the value of training. The Dragons take on the League leaders next weekend.