Kensington Dragons U18s 7 vs 1 Hillingdon Abbots FC
The first Super Sunday of the season ended in dramatic and tense style for Kensington Dragons, who cemented their credentials as championship favourites. Hillingdon Abbots were the only other team in the league who had maximum points and entered the game full of confidence. This confidence had the Dragons weary.
The game was a tennis match in the first half and not because it was end to end attacking. The ball went from keeper to keeper, with both teams anxious on the ball and both defences anxious to put the opposite under pressure. This meant that the midfield for both teams was non- existent. However, it was a long ball which broke the deadlock. It was more of a heat seeking pass from Albie to Rinor, who played Moh in and he had the defender isolated. Feinting to shoot, he cut inside and placed a shot in the bottom corner. It was the only real moment of quality in the first half. Moh himself was outstanding working tremulously hard to drag the game out of the squalor of ineptitude that it had been sinking in.
After the team talk, the Dragons started with a drive and determination that had been lacking in the first half. Micah, who had been trying too hard, started to influence the game. However it was the Abbots who came out flying. Their midfield started to find space and a through ball saw Ben Cann make an excellent save. The Abbots came forward again and just as a player thought he might be in Albie made a timely interception then found Iara, he found Joel who fed Micah. With plenty to do he beat three players and centred for Moh to tap in. The whole team’s confidence levels seemed to rise with Micah’s and the Dragons went for the jugular.
All of a sudden, the Dragons were dominant. The Dragons repelled everything the Abotts had and Iara and Joel started to have a major influence on the game . They played a 1-2 and Joel centred for Rinor who found Moh in the wide left position. This time he came back inside beating two men before beating the keeper. The Dragons smelt blood.
Then Abbots found a way back in, a deep cross from a free kick was missed by the keeper and the Abbots had a tap in. Usually the Dragons’ heads would drop, however Micah’s didn’t. Joel found him in space again. He was giving the left back a torrid time and after beating him again he was brought down, and the ref gave a penalty. Joel calmly slotted it away in the bottom corner. The Abbot’s heads were drooping but hadn’t quite dropped. They thought they would get some joy from another deep free kick, only this time Ben came and got a strong punch on the ball, which fell to Iara who fed Joel. He found Kaies who found Moh who found Micah who scored the decisive goal, which killed any hopes the Abbots had for a come back.
Turning on the style the Dragons were ruthless. Alex a second half subbed combined well with Spencer who found Micah then Rinor who managed to slot through Aj, calmly and ruthlessly Aj slotted home. The Abbots became overly aggressive which resulted in Alex having to leave the field with a sore ankle. Dj was upended, which caused a huge row and a 22 man melee. It took 10 minutes to calm things down and the game was in danger of being abandoned. However the ref got it back under control and there was enough time for one more. Joel played a glorious cross-field pass, which found Moh who centred for Spencer for another tap in. It was a well made goal that Spencer deserved as himself and Kaise added a level of industry and energy to the game, when they were introduced, which helped the Dragons continue their onslaught.
It became a one sided game with the Dragons showing the quality and ruthlessness of champions. Nothing is won in October, which Arsenal fans will be aware of but this certainly seemed like the start of something special. Despite the goals, a special mention goes to the back 5 who were imperious. Since conceding 6 in the opening game of the season they are now a tight unit, who have created a platform of which the rest of the team can rely on and gain confidence from. A brilliant team display, the rest of the league have been warned.
MOM: Mohammed Hassan