DUNMOW UTD TIGERS V DRAGONS

Logan
Harrison (2)
Jenson
A beautiful sunny morning for the bank holiday weekend's visit to Laundry Lane, a ground we had fond memories of just a fortnight ago!
The Dragons warmed up well focused on the job at hand integrating potential new recruit Leo into the Matchday set up with him joining in match preparations.
Against the Tigers we'd lost at home 4-2 in December and we knew after that game they would start quickly. That's exactly what transpired, the hosts attacking winning an early corner but it was the Dragons swift counter attacker with Angus winning the ball wide on the right, spotting Logan's run beyond the last defender and pinging a pinpoint ball through for Logan to take in his stride and fire us in front! Great start!
The game continued in the same vein Dunmow attacking and Roo standing tall saving their attempts best he could. Our defence was breached Dunmow equalising with a tidy finish. 1-1. A second goal followed for 2-1. Another Dragon attack saw Logan through again, looking for a scooped finish he cleared the goalkeeper but unfortunately the cross bar too. Before half time the Dragons were battling to stay in the game, Sam with a great last-ditch tackle but lady luck took the ball on the rebound to another Dunmow forward cruelly who made no mistake slamming in for 3-1 to the hosts.
Half time, 3-1 down away to Dunmow United - sounds familiar, doesn't it? Looking for lightning to strike the same place twice the Dragons were giving a pep talk reminding them of what happened only 2 weeks ago, let's put that myth to bed!
Dogged work for Ryan "sliders" Bensley down the right saw him gain possession and slide the ball through for, the ever-present poacher that is, Harrison to coolly slot the ball in for 3-2! Game on! Dunmow had chance after chance to extend their advantage but Roo had other ideas! When the hosts managed to escape the clutches of Pearcey biting in the midfield and evade the ever-strong SB at the back, Roo was there to deny shot after shot with save after save, arms, hands chest, legs, feet! You name it Roo through it in the way putting it on the line, letting out a massive roar to his team mates when turning an effort wide to rouse his teammates into another comeback!
A deep Dragons corner found Zack; 2 quick attempts blocked to deny him his first goal still! When you think the attacks gone, the ball gets fizzed in and drops to Harrison with an eye of the needle side foot through a crowded penalty box into the bottom right corner! 3-3! Surely not!
The hosts clearly rattled offered nothing going forward for the next few minutes it was the Dragons pushing again, another corner, cleared to the edge of the box and struck by Pearcey, big BIG appeals for what looked a clear handball from the Dunmow defender on the line for players, coaches and parents alike - appeals which were waved away unbelievably the referee! A moment of disruption followed, unfortunately with referee perhaps losing focus in the heat of the moment. When the game restarted the ball fell straight to Jenson out on the right, he chanced his luck with a low strike towards goal catching the Dunmow keeper cold and finding the back of the net! Pure elation for the boys, they'd done it again!
Job not done there though as Roo was forced into action again the other end and SB and Sam working together to clear the ball to safety!
Full time whistle and the boys had done the unthinkable, AGAIN! I don't know what it is at that ground but the boys all just refuse to lose there it seems! Super work with all 10 Dragons big candidates for the man of the match award again!
Dragon of the Week - Joshua Pearce
His dad summed it up so in his words, Josh "you had a blinder" mate! Well done!