Today’s match was the season’s penultimate round and The Dragon’s second last chance to provide a great team effort in front of the home crowd. The inter-club rivalry between the U10 Dragons and U10 United is solid, with good sportsmanship and big efforts the main features of it. Coaches MT and Tyler also enjoy the chance to have bragging rights at the club, albeit light-hearted.

Both squads came into today’s encounter nursing bruises and licking wounds from the previous week’s losses to two of the St Cats teams, so were equally hungry and desperate for a win. United wanted to win to stay ahead of the Dragons on the West Gold Zone table. The Dragons wanted to win today to leap frog ahead of United on the West Gold Zone table. Expectations for a tight tussle were high and both teams delivered. The previous match between the two sides was a pugnacious contest with United the better team for 75% of the game, but just getting home 1-2.

Today’s battle was an intense skirmish and both battalions lobbed bombs at each other and traded cannonball shots for the entire match. Unfortunately just before today’s match, RW3 was admitted to hospital for surgery, so the Dragons were playing for him. Our thoughts to you! His mum was also M.I.A. so her sideline presence and astute yelling and cheering was missed by the Blackstone Faithful. The lads put on a good showing and although not always pretty during the match gave it a good go and competed for the ball non-stop.

About three quarters the way through the first half, the Dragons grabbed the advantage and LB7 finally found some space in behind the United defenders (after being solidly marked and denied earlier) and strode towards the goal. 

Out pacing the defenders he drifted to the right of the United keeper and blasted a Howitzer-like shot to the left side of the goal, almost blowing a hole through the net.  Game On!  1-0. The goal scoring drought was over and the Dragons played on well! A couple of near misses by the United strikers just before half time and just after were wake-up calls to the Dragons who had started to play with a bit of complacency.

United heaped the pressure on for a solid ten minute period during the second half, but the Dragon keeper and his defenders were up to the task. Half a dozen corners to the United team were defended by the Dragons and counter-attacking raids were plentiful. But United were up to the task. Horribly for the Dragons, good fortune shone on the United Strikers during the seventh corner and after a pinball-like ricochet off about ten pairs of legs, feet and thighs, the ball dribbled over the goal line.  1-1. Heads went down for the Dragons but soon lifted as the realisation kicked in that they could still win it with about five minutes on the clock. With four minutes on the clock remaining, a United striker took a big shot on goal from outside the 18 yard box and it slammed into the crossbar and went out.  The Dragster Cheer Squad all let out a ‘Phew’ in unison. With two minutes on the clock remaining, a United attacking raid got in behind the Dragon defenders and somehow, the football gods made the ball hit the side post and ricochet away for a Dragon to clear it.  Dragster hands were clasped together and pointed to the heavens. More pressure and attacks from United were thwarted by the Dragons and the referee mercilessly blew the whistle to conclude an entertaining match. 1-1.

Again, the Dragons showed they had what it takes but were unable to wrestle the match back into their favour. But they showed guts, character and passion, and that’s what counts! A draw was a good result for the match, but it would have been nice to get bragging rights. Coach Tyler won  the dress up competition with his Dragon costume representing the good spirits in which the game was played. With only eleven players and no reserves all the lads did well and didn’t complain about the extra workload and lack of breaks.

SF15 won the man of the match today with a typical display full of good play and near misses. He was again playing a roving role in today’s game going from defender to striker, back to defender and then into the midfield. Another performance full of running and hunting for the ball was highlighted by a great block of a big kick from a United player that smashed into his bread basket at near point blank range. The ball cannoned to a Dragon player and SF15 just shook it off and kept going. Exactly what is needed!  Good game and we all look forward to seeing you get even better next season. Probably his best game of the year was in Round two versus Fassifern, but Coach MT and the Managers had to give it to LB7 for his hat trick that day. 

Honourable mentions:

IB3 – Isaac filled in for RW3 and was not overawed by the step up from U9 football.  He showed composure in the midfield and supplied some good passes for the Dragon strikers and ran hard for contested ball through the match. Good luck for the rest of the season!

CS12 – Had a quiet first half but put his hand up for lots of work bringing the ball out of his danger zone and showed some Ronaldo style footwork to get around a couple of United attackers.

JCP2 – rolled his sleeves up for a solid first half in the midfield and almost broke the game open a couple of times with incisive runs through the centre of the pitch but couldn’t hook up with the strikers. Great keeping in the second half was only marred by the lucky goal that was hard to stop.  His keeping of goals is still a high quality and his kicks outs are super!  Continued his keeping form from last week where he was equal best on ground.

HD4 – a typical game from him with some great moments coupled with some oh-dear moments.  Always plays strong and doesn’t back down from the challenges on the field, even when marking the biggest player in the game.

WM13 – a quiet game by his standards as the ball was spread wide around the field and the close-in-combat style of matches as has been in the weeks previous wasn’t as regular today.  Still ran around and did his job for the team and got the ball to other Dragons when able to.

JH14 – Showed he should be the full time keeper for the team with a clean sheet in the first half and reading of the game – great effort.  His intimidating stature and reputation in goals must have aided towards the missed penalty goal by a United striker too.  Again went for a typical run down the sidelines in the second half when moved to Striker but had greater effect on the defence of the Dragon goal in the latter stages of the match.  Keep it up!

MT6 – was caught up in the back field defence for most of the first half and seemed to go missing, but rallied himself for the remainder of the game to show some classy dribbling, challenging for balls and stealing the ball from the United Strikers.

LB7 – although scored a great goal, was again well marked and couldn’t find space to unleash his fancy footwork.  Went back to help the defence in the second half and it was a welcome effort.

AB8 – Was always running to the ball, intercepting the ball and always up for the challenge.  Went ‘Animal’ in the second half and didn’t let the team down.

TR11 – Always near the best on ground every match and defended, defended, defended today.  Booted the ball out of trouble on numerous occasions and got the ball smashed in his face late in the match for his troubles.  Played on like a trooper and didn’t complain once.

With one game remaining against the top of the table Whitehill at Blackstone Field next week, the squad will be looking to end on a high and go out with a huge effort. A big training session will be the order of the day by Coach MT on Thursday and will be good to chat about all the highs and lows and craziness of the last four months.