Promotion Assured with Gwalia Victory

Gwalia 1 - Dutch Lions 2

Gwalia was always going to be a test. This team is angry, really angry! Why I can’t tell you, but we knew exactly what to expect. Gwalia are a team that live off the battle but it’s not been enough for this set of lads to mount a serious challenge to the league. They now have to battle it out for fourth with AFC Finchley and Sudbury Inn.

We started off playing some good, one touching passing and didn’t panic as half time drew nearer. Chances where missed but I felt we did our best with the difficult chances presented to us. Carlos hit the bar from an impossible angle and Julian came close with a shot outside the dee.

As the 45 minute mark approached a gwalia pass was pushed into the left side of our defence rolling towards the corner flag. With some confusion, the defence was slow to pick up the only gwalia attacker (happy go lucky Ray) who ran with it. With Noel breathing down his neck and on the edge of the box perhaps 7 yards from the corner flag Ray hit the ball with suburb skill over Arran and into the far corner. It was almost van-basten like. That piece of magic concluded the first half. 

Gwalia’s goal (But not on the volley)

At Half time we talked about competing more and we did so in the second half. Our equaliser came shortly into the second half with a a series of intricate one-twos between Ahmed and Paulo worked Paulo through their defence and he coolly slotted it to the keepers right. A nice goal and well deserved.

Our Winner was scored by a man who deserved a goal. Only a week early in a friendly Jules missed a glaring header in the same goal and when Paulo whipped in a corner from the left, Julian rose like a salmon to score his first goal for the Dutch Lions, to say we went mental was an understatement. It was a popular goal and one he will remember forever.

I felt that our equalizer rattled Gwalia and they look over once Paulo had scored the first. They did hold on and insisted on not giving up however we had the discipline to shut up shop and be content with a 2-1 victory.

Arran made another string of suburb saves in the second half and we all realise after this year how important he has been for us between those sticks.

Hamza played very well two defending confidently in “Another” unfamiliar position at right back. Pedro also done well dropping back to allow Noel to attack.

Well done everyone and we go one step closer, and with promotion assured today (Colindale Athletic cannot catch us) we can focus on getting maximum points from our two remaining games.

Lions to Strong for Brave John Lewis

Dutch Lions FC 4 - 1 John Lewis

The only game to be played at Northwick Park on this wet and windy Sunday was this fixture and boy I had a funny feeling about this game. To make matters worse it was contested on our bogey pitch. The game was one I won’t look back on with great memories however the pluses ended with us getting the the three points, some players were able to rest whilst we incurred no fresh injuries.

If someone said before that we would beat JL 4-1 I would have been very happy with that. They did themselves proud and with only the lone star Brian up front for JL a lot came from him.

Carlos got the ball rolling after gliding a pass like shot, first time to the keepers high right. Half time came and we introduced another striker to take the game to JL. Before long We doubled our lead with  a nice shot from our super Sub Niall. Two nil and perhaps we have the comfort zone?? no way, JL got back into the game when their striker rose at the far post from a corner to not in his effort almost straight after our second.

Minutes later Noels strong run from the left and drilled shot flew under JL’s keeper to make it three and Hamzeh Cooley made it four when a nice cut back from Paulo for an effortless finish into the far right which seemed to take an age to hit the back of the net.

We did the job and wish John Lewis good luck. Lee and Brian do a good job and we hope they are able to maintain there third division status. Well done boys on getting through this obstacle. Three to go.

TEAM: Skinny,Clark,Okeeffe,Bates,Hamzeh,Jaber,Jules,Ahmed,Jones,Teves,Paulo SUBS: Yasser D, Danny J and Niall K.

Our Dream is Alive as FSL are Beaten

FSL 1 -2 Dutch Lions FC

Today’s game was all about belief, knowing how to play against top opposition and understanding the importance of a top goalkeeper on your side. Arran collected the man of the match award today for making four top draw saves. He’s communication was also very good and although he insists on sporting tea cosys on his head he has proved today that although his fashion sense leads a bit to be desired his prowess between the sticks is unquestionable.

The game started of in the worst possible way, Their leading striker, with his back to goal flicked the ball off Grants head, sold me the nut mug and curled it into the opposite corner within about 4 minutes. It was a poor start and he single handily caught us cold.

As the first half went on we started to get a grip on the game and we passed the ball very well. Our equaliser came from some great work from Paulo who put through Niall for his 14th of the season.

Carlos came close when he chipped the keeper only for a desperate goal line clearance to keep the sides level at half time. We went into the break believing we could do this and importantly, understanding what was required. The second half proved a long 45 minutes with both keepers being heavily tested. At times the game was truly end to end with Arran and their keeper making several key saves to keep the contest at one a piece. The decider came with around 20 minutes to go when Ahmed crossed the ball to Niall and with the FSL defense caught napping he touched it once with his right before smacking it in the the top right hand corner with his left. 

Even after scoring this we knew there was still a lot of football to play, Jaber came on midway throught the second half and worked very well often making the fifth defender late on. Grant was back to his best with a commanding performance at the back and as the game went on Noel marked their danger-man with ease. Ahmed, Julian, Paulo and Pedro played very well throughout with some fantastic passing and some great battling. Carlos and Niall worked tirelessly and defended from the front superbly. Nialls performance also must be highlighted, He worked hard, he ran and ran, he tackled back and at crucial “heated” times during the game gave good calming advice to the team.

Timid and Yasser came on late to bolster are attack but with the sheer level of pressure we were under spent most of the game defending.

 FSL are undoubtedly a smashing team and are destined for big things, They are in the Middlesex Final Vs The Stag shortly and doing well in the competitions. I will get myself down to watch that game as it promises to be a cracker.

This win puts us top for the first time in our history BUT we must win the remaining fixtures to make this day really count. Give yourselves a pat on the back and recharge those batteries for what looks like an exciting run in. Well done everyone.

TEAM: Skinny, Hamzeh, O’Keeffe, Bates, Jones, Pedro Ramalho, Paulo Ramalho, Julian, Ahmed, Carlos, Niall SUBS: Darr and Timid.

Lions Continue To Climb

Sudbury Inn 1 - Dutch Lions 3

Another Carlos Hatrick keeps the Dutch Lions on track for league assault. 

Sudbury Inn came out to give us a game today. With the wind up we struggled to get the ball down and play. Some good defending from The Inn kept the game at a stalemate up until around the 43rd minute when Jabor was taken clean out in the box. The ref had no hesitation when he awarded us a penalty and after a little horseplay Carlos stepped up and stuck it in the opposite side to the keepers dive.

Second half kicked off and Sudbury got back in it right away, a ball dropped over and into the six yard box it was headed back by us only to be snatched at by the hard working Sudbury lone striker, 1-1.

Carlos stood over the ball for a free kick some 23yards out and from the 45 degree angle bent it with power into the opposite corner, It was a corker. Even at 2-1 the game needed to be put to bed. As the game went on we did get stronger, finding more space and creating good opportunities. Carlos rounded up his day with his third and significantly, his second hatrick in two games and the game was won.

Sudbury Inn’s keeper done well to keep the score down with some very good stops and some good handling. If they keep this up they will have more victories this year. It was widely agreed that we could have played better, I think it’s important to acknowledge this but not to ponder on it. Every game is vital but next week is a six pointer, Focus, Be ready and ensure three shredded wheat are consumed in order to maintain our current league position. 

Claddagh Ring Conquered

The Claddagh Ring 1- Dutch Lions 4

Playing against the Claddagh Ring for the first time we set out to play our game and not allow them to impose on us.

Previous results from the Claddagh Ring saw Gwalia bang 10 past them with no reply and then they go and beat the good starters Colindale Athletic  3-2.

We started a little shaky with them getting behind us a couple of times with the wind assisting almost every pass. We settled and Paulo came close when he screwed a shot two foot away from the left post from outside the box. Jabor scored our first when he cleverly filled in as the third striker in a move I honestly cannot remember. The early goal calmed us but didn’t distract the Claddagh as much as we’ve seen others teams in the past. The Claddagh Ring had limited shots but none really tested Arran in the first half.

Our second came shortly after Pedro had a one on one with the keeper and failed to capitalise, O’Keeffe pinched the ball high up in midfield and poked it to Paulo, with me making the decoy run to the left pulling their defence apart he pushed it into the opposite right side, straight into the path of Carlos who Cooley passed the ball in the net, 2-0 and cruising.

Half time tea did the trick and our third was created with O’Keeffe placing a wind assisted ball over the towering defender, with Carlos anticipating this is again slotted home for his second. We conceded our goal because of Noel (again)

An attempted chest back to Arran from 3 yards out in a crowed six yard box was slammed home from the Claddagh Ring.

Our forth was also supplied in a similar vein to the third. Grant placed another long ball into the path of Carlos and he made no mistake knowing his first hat-trick for the lions awaited him. Well done Teves.

I thought the Claddagh Ring had some good players who liked to pass the ball. The game did get a little heated at times and perhaps this could have been avoided. They worked hard and a lot of them limped off the park after finding it a hard physical contest. They maintained there spirits late on and have the right idea. They are a credit to the league, Good luck fellas.

The game may be remembered for the trigger happy linesman-ship, but to be fair I couldn’t really argue with many of them from where I was but after a while it seemed to get silly. We will work on this.

Paulo’s Audacious shot from the second half kick off was amazing. Did the keeper flick it over? it was a bullet. What an Incredible effort from a man who has shown such dedication to the team. Keep plugging away P.

Goal from The Kick Off Courtesy of FC United

I was very impressed by Ahmed and Pedro, they showed great composure in the middle today, Hamzah was solid, Grant lead well and Jabors work rate was fantastic. Peter came close with a directed header from 10 yards going over the bar. Subs Yasser and Danny done well to keep the momentum up.

Well done today team. I was very pleased with todays solid performance that didn’t really push us out of third gear.

Sudbury Inn next week at the Den, another win and we can go second, above FSL who have cup duties. What more motivation do you need?

Lions exit Cup

FSL 7-2 Dutch Lions 

2-1 up with 4 minutes to go. How can we lose? We did and badly. A late goal by the former 1st Division Harrow side put us into extra time and in the space on 30 minutes they extended there goal tally by FIVE. A cast iron penalty won by Niall allowed Carlos to claim a calmly taken penalty and Carlos’s second was special. The man dedicated the goal to me just BEFORE he actually took the kick, He must have been 28 yards out. That was a special moment.

Lets remember guys that when we meet these again in the league we can beat them, We have beaten better sides. Concentration played a key part in our loss but if I know the team, we will bounce back. Get your boots clean (and dry) because Sundays League game now means more than ever.

Kenton Crumble

Kenton Town FC 0 – 4 Dutch Lions FC

The Lions swaggered into the next round of the President’s Cup, with a comprehensive demolition of Kenton Town.

While the opposition were from a division higher, the result was no real surprise, as Kenton are marooned at the bottom of their league while the Lions go from strength to strength. The next round is likely to prove far tougher, as the opposition are FSL, currently two points above the Lions in the league.

A SPURS KIT LIONS! Hang your heads in Shame

On a perfect day for football (quagmire of a pitch notwithstanding), Kenton started with plenty of enthusiasm, but without threatening Pedro in goal. Having weathered the early storm, the Lions were soon creating chances. Paulo and Niall’s movement was dragging the Kenton defence all over the place, and it was really only the boggy pitch that prevented an early lead being established. However, the opening goal soon arrived, when Carlos found some dry grass on the right wing and swung over the first of three pinpoint crosses that led to goals. On this occasion, it was Noel who arrived at the far post to nod in a simple opener.

After a couple more chances, including a cast iron penalty call, Niall made it two, with another header from another Carlos cross, this time from the left.

The second half started with another flurry from Kenton, and Pedro made a couple of quality saves to keep the Lions two in front. Normal service was resumed when Jabba, on as a sub, spun in the box and lifted the ball into the area where Noel connected with a sweet right footed volley to put the Lions three up.

Number four followed soon after, with Carlos again bamboozling the left back and picking out Jabba at the far post, and his finish was confident and emphatic.

A solid all round performance from the team, with everyone contributing, and another clean sheet. In particular, Pedro was safe as houses in goal, while Hamzeh and Noel again worked the left flank to good effect. Ahmed bossed the midfield, not only winning the ball, but also picking out numerous rapier like passes as well as getting shots on goal. Top performance for the second week running!

Up front, Niall got his customary goal, as well as taking some heavy punishment, and while Paolo may not be scoring, his work rate and movement cause the opposition’s defence endless problems.

 Finally, Carlos – three carbon copy assists after getting himself back in the starting 11 – good day’s work, fella!

While the match got a wee bit niggly, the Kenton WAGS on the touchline provided some witty banter to those of us close by. Makes a change from being called an old Scottish c**t!

Conversely, a couple of points for the male Kenton supporter, who shouted (at 3-0 down) “Let’s not get beaten by a bunch of yids!”:-

• While the Lions may not have a single person of the Jewish faith in the team, it was still a grossly offensive remark
• In what universe do you exist, whereby there was any likelihood of Kenton staging a four-goal comeback to defeat the Lions? Pigs flying, blue moons, hell freezing over, month of Sundays etc etc all spring to mind. Look forward to playing you next year. Whoops – that’s not going to happen either . .  .

Lions Punish League Leaders

Dutch Lions FC 3-0 Colindale Athletic

Colindale may be top of league but for how long? Our comprehensive beating of this team was a joy to watch. Colindale with a bare eleven looked weak in certain positions and we exposed that. Justice was sweet as we did not do ourselves justice in the away leg.

Our first goal came from a great run by noel getting past their right back with ease and cutting the ball back for Niall to poke into the bottom left corner. The second was from a delicious ball from Pedro that had SMACK THAT wrote all over it. Pedro looked like he was shaping up for the shot but with confidence passed the ball into Niall who had the better angle to score. Pedro claimed his second of the season also and could of made it two but for a him putting a rebound over the bar. In the second half we made three changes bringing on Carlos, Danny and Jabor but could not increase our lead. What a difference an early goal makes hey.

Down the left we were strong and inventive. The right done well to contain colindales star player Fabio (number 14) and to get in advance of the oppo’s fullback. Again Arran made two tidy saves and another clean sheet. We have conceded 6 all season in league which give us not only the best defence in the league but also the joint best goal difference with FSL with +17.

Next week its our last cup chance and we entertain second division Kenton. Until then, at ease soldier.

 Team: Skinny,Clarke,O’Keeffe,Bates,H.Ajjour,A.Ajjour,Pedge(1),Jules, Noel, Niall(2),Paulo. Subs used Carlos,Jabor,Danny. Subs not used Yasser D.

Our finest hour (Almost)

Willesden Legionaire 1 Dutch Lions FC 0

1-0, one flaming Nil and we are out of the cup. Considering our performance I think it’s fair to say we DID deserve to win this game. We coped with the conditions better, we tested there keeper maybe a dozen times compared to their four shots and looked better than them all over the pitch dominating at times.

The pitch was a swamp however I was pleased with the manner in which we didn’t moan about it and just played.
Grant I thought had a great game and it was a pleasure playing along side him. Ahmed was calm in the middle hardly losing possession under pressure, Jabor worked tirelessly and was unlucky not to score with some great efforts from distance. Yasser and Julian applied the discipline in the middle in the first half to plug any holes in the defence/midfield. Hamzah played great AGAIN on the left hand side.

Noel showed some of the old trademark bursts that we know he can do when allowed to attack with freedom whilst Arran made two great saves getting low after quick breaks from Willesden.

There Club Secretary and linesman acknowledged during the game to his team that they shouldn’t allow us to continue “Taking the biscuit” for the want of another expression and we truly deserved the win. No one would have given us a chance against a division one side who have won more games this season than lost.

The fact is we did not place the ball in the back of the net and no matter what manner you play the game if you don’t score you aren’t going to win much. It was hard to really get you shots off with the mud stuck to boots and we missed the one goal that Niall would have provided if he had made it. It’s not the lack of effort, it’s the deadly finishing that escapes us at times.

We have a big game next week against Colindale and we must end that game with 3 points to keep us in the running. Colindale have not played for some time and if we start this competition has we ended the last I’m confident we will achieve the victory. 

Thanks To Macca for running the line, it’s an important job and he helped out a lot. John, more tea required next week mate, it’s going down a treat.

Team Skinny,Clark,O’Keeffe,Bates,H. Ajjour, A. Ajjour,P Ramalho Senior, Jones, Yasser D, Marshall, Jabor, Subs used Carlos Teves, Paulo Ramalho.

The Lions trample Sudbury 8-1

Our best ever score was a 6-1 win over Sudbury in the reverse fixture last year, This year we went 2 better and I think with this one we could of easily been into the magical double figures if our earlier shots had simply been on target, not in the corner or off the post, simply on target. The utility player Sudbury used to take up the keepers role was to be kind poor. To his credit nearly everything hit at him, he saved but put it an inch either side of the fella and you would have increased your goal tally by one by friend. This shows what a specialised position a keeper is, without a sound keeper you will always leak goals and importantly, without an able deputy your absolutely shafted.

Within  the 10 minutes we went one nil up with a clinical finish from Niall, at that point we considered taking him off because this man will always score for you, the problem is he will “generally” only score one.
Sudbury got right back in the game went there swashbuckling right back evaded our midfield and defence to get his shot off and past Arran. I must take credit for the actual goal has I swept in to clear it only managing to boot it even harder into our net. The less said the better. 1-1.

Then the fun started, We stuck together, never panicked and supported each other thought out. Nialls second, Yes Second, proved to be a great goal, I believe The Ramalho Brothers combined to work it in to the box, A crafted Shot/Come cross sat nicely for Niall to head home. Ahmed took his goal well fainting a shot with his right, and shooting with his left. He dedicated that to me, That was nice, Anyway…

Further goals from Jabor, Paulo, Carlos capped a great day for us. I must not forget the most over celebrated goal of the day, Yes the won achieved by our Captain. Pedro has finally got on the score sheet and is only 4 goals away from saving every inch of hair on his body. Well done Pedro, you deserve it.

Next week Gwalia. Let’s not make the same mistake they did. Coming off the back off smacking ten past another team they faced us. I don’t think I will ever forget their fella shouting “Lets bang ten past these mugs”, we won 4-0, it tells its own story.

Well done to Hamzeh for stepping back into left back and not looking out of place, Jabor for his running, Arran for a fine save from a free kick. Credit to Sudbury, who had some gifted players in their side but lacked the link up and real goal threat to cause us any real problems.

Team: Skinny, Clark, Bates, O’Keeffe (1 O.G.), H. Ajjour, P. Ramahlo Senior (1),Carlos(1), Kerney(2), P. Ramahlo Junior(1), Jabor(1), A. Ajjour(1).

Subs Used: Jaghia(70)

Match Report - AFC Finchley 2-1 Dutch Lions

Well, We started well carving out several chances, AFC looked strong and used the width of the pitch well. We won a penalty at nil nil and our skipper wanted this badly, he opted for a calm place to the keepers left, unfortunately, the keeper went the same way and made a smart save. nil nil and on we go.

AFC went one nil up shortly after with the defense leaving their captain and key striker alone and importantly with time, with the advancing Arran coming off his line to shut him down he calmly executed a perfect lob to put the home team one up. They came close to going 2-o up with there other striker hitting the corner of the goal post with nearly an entire goal to aim at. Into the second half we continued to have the best of the play but our final play let us down again and again. The coffin was finally nailed when a save from Arran was spilled and the clearance fell to AFC’s earlier scorer, with Peter closing him down he managed to get his shot off and with a wicked deflection of the Scotsman it looped over our keeper, 2-0. Niall got his goal with him following up a cross and beating the keeper to the near post.

Well done Niall on keeping your ratio up. We must continue to focus on the final ball when attacking, Although the defense wasn’t great today generally they have done well this season. To round up, for effort I would give us 10/10, for application, I would say 6/10.   

Match Report Dutch Lions Vs The Diadora

Well, What Can I Say, The Diadora with only 8 players didn’t make it past the Pub and declined our offer of a game at 10:35am. Shame but hey, 3 points in the bag and our first game with the boys from the Scrubbs will have to wait until the 10th of Feb.

Man of the Match: Floyd Mayfeather 

A Tale of Two Keepers

Greenford Celtics 2 - Dutch Lions FC 4

By Peter Clark

The Lions are through to the next round of the Middlesex Cup, with a hard-fought victory of Greenford Celtic Seniors. Despite being from the division below the Lions, Greenford proved to be a decent side, and kept the Lions fully occupied for most of the match.

With Aaron missing for the second week, Pedro again took over in goal, while Hamzeh moved to left back in Noel’s absence. Playing downhill, and with the low sun behind them, the Lions were soon under pressure from Greenford, particularly down the right, where their left winger and left-sided striker were finding time and space to cause all sorts of problems. Pedro had to look sharp on a couple of occasions, coming out smartly to dive at the feet of the opposition strikers, but the pressure eventually told. Another attack ended with a corner being conceded. It was whipped in with pace from the right, and Ahmed, defending the near post, had no option but to try and play it. Unfortunately, it glanced off the top off his head and into the roof of the net. Given the balance of play, it was no more than Greenford deserved.

However, the Lions were now getting more into the game, though without testing the opposition keeper. It was therefore something of a surprise when the equaliser arrived. Hamzeh cleared the ball high from his own half, and with the bright sun being a major factor, the Greenford keeper flapped at the ball and let it bounce into the net. Four goals in 5 games now for Hamzeh - not bad considering he’s been on the bench a few times, and was playing at the back today!

It was a different Lions team which started the second half. Realising they were lucky to be level at that point, they took the game by the scruff of the neck. The midfield started to win tackles, and most of the action was now occurring in the Greenford half. It appeared that this would count for nothing, when, from a long ball out of defence, Hamzeh and Pedro misunderstood each other, allowing a Greenford forward to roll the ball into an empty net from 35 yards.

The equalizer wasn’t long in coming. Niall chased and controlled a long ball out on the right. He held it up long enough to allow Carlos to make ground, and then caressed the ball into his path. Carlos’s finish was precise, side-footing home from 18 yards.

The Lions were in charge now. With Tan Tan on, and immediately causing problems to a tiring Greenford defence, it didn’t look like extra time was going to be needed. Paulo had also dropped back to right midfield, and put a total stop to the attacks down Greenford’s left. Their left winger was lucky to stay on the park after numerous petty incidents, as he let his frustration get on top of him while Paulo simply won every challenge going.

After a series of attacks, the Lions went into the lead for the first time. A foray up the left side looked to be going nowhere, but the ball was won back and played across the box. Niall, again in the right place at the right time, coolly picked his spot and stroked the ball into the corner of the net.

With seconds of the restart, it was 4-2. A through ball should have been easy meat for the keeper, but he let it slip through his legs. Tan Tan, following the ball in like any good striker should, was left with a tap in from a yard. Given the way the game had developed, there was no way back for Greenford, and the match ended with the Lions comfortably in control.

From the way that Greenford played in the first 30 minutes, 4-2 seems an unlikely score, but then again, it’s all about what happens over ninety. Once more, our ability to finish a match more strongly than the opposition meant another win. So far this season, 80% of our goals have been scored in the second half.

Despite a few rocky moments in the first half, the defence again proved solid, with Grant in particular back to his old self, and Hamzeh doing a great job at left back. The two goals conceded today were again not down to the opposition playing magnificent football, and the increased security this season gives solid base to the team.

Ahmed bossed the midfield in the second half, with a major contribution from Paulo, while Carlos was constantly probing. Once again, Tan Tan had a major impact when he came on, and Niall has the look of a striker who will steadily accumulate goals all season.

Finally, special mention to Pedro for another fine stint in goal. But we could do with him back in midfield!

Dizzy new heights for the Dutch Lions

Dutch Lions FC 3 - AFC Finchley 0 (Game played at the Lions Den) 

AFC Finchley provided us with a match that if we won, would mean us going second in the league.

The game was not a nasty one with both sides attempting to play in rather slippery conditions. The first half finished a stalemate with both keepers doing enough to keep the score 0-0. Pedro (are relief keeper) did a great job and no doubt Arran will be hearing all about his game next weekend in full stereo. To be fair he handled everything suburb, We always expected our Captain to do his very best and he never let us down, coming off his line well and providing great kicks also.

I felt Ahmed was immense during the second half, Niall and Paulo worked hard, a third goal of the season for Hamzeh (great going) and a well taken debut goal for Tan-Tan. Niall provided the Third to round up a solid 3-0 victory.

With key players absent we grind-ed out this performance which I feel seems to be needed more often than not these days. It was also a game where the squad and importantly the subs played their part.

With some other crazy results (see Mitoo link on the right) the league is wide open. Win our games in hand and we can go top. As well as Colindale keep an eye on FSL, They are the only unbeaten team in Division 3 now.

Getting back to the game, We will focus more on trying to win the game in the first 45 minutes and not the last. Some of us ain’t no spring chickens and my ticker can do without it.

Well Done boys, Next Up, Diadora Away. See you at training, 7:30PM Pitch 1, Vale Farm.

MISSED CHANCES AND LOSS OF CONCENTRATION COST US

Colindale Athletic 2-1 Dutch Lions 

This was a match for the Dutch Lions to show their title credentials against the league Leader Colindale Athletic. Going into the match both teams were unbeaten so something had to give. The first half seemed to fly by, it was a half with few chances in truth. The Dutch lions never really tested the Colindale keeper in the first half. Colindale did have their chances. One noticeable chance was when Peter bought down one of Colindale striker just outside the box, once the free kick was taken it was heading for the bottom corner until a excellent save from Arran turned it away for a corner……Half time (I think I need to take a 5mins break )…

In the Second half the Lions seem too turn up the pressure on Colindale Athletic goal with chances after chances going begging. Colindale Athletic did have their moments on the counter-attack but pressure told on the Colindale Athletic defence when a throw-in found Niall and he found himself in a great position in the box and slipped the ball passed the Colindale keeper. With the Dutch lions taking the lead you would think now that once in the lead we would go on and find the second but unfortunately it was one of those days.

 The danger was as long as the game was at 1-nil there was always a chance for Colindale to come back into the game and boy did they took their chance after a defensive mistake (No names mentioned) and Arran in no mans land it was 1-1. After the Dutch lions continued to press for the winner it did not come. Colindale Athletic were awarded a penalty after someone (Me) gave away a penalty for the second time this season. me personally, I thought it was dive but I’m not the ref. In the end the penalty was missed as he put it over the bar.

As they say a match is not over until the final whistle and boy did we find out the hard way with the last kick of the game Colindale Athletic stole all three points. In truth a draw would have been a fair result but credit to Colindale they battle until the last minute and won. But hell for sure in the return Dutch Lions will be fired up and come out all guns blazing. We will bounce back starting against AFC Finchley this Sunday were nothing less than three points will do.

Report by Noel (da Beast) Jones

Dismantling the Partnership

John Lewis 1 - 4 Dutch Lions FC

This was hugely satisfying result for the lions. We were determined to start this campaign where we finished off last year and winning this game in the manner we did proves that we have achieved just that.

North London Tara 1 - Dutch Lions 1

The match kicked off late to our original ref sustaining an injury. NLT’s Damo (and stand in goalie for the day) impressively had the nets up at 9:50 and the weather was ideal for our meeting. As far as the table was concerned this game didn’t mean anything but never the less both sides didn’t just turn up. The lions went one nil up after a driven corner my Paulo was met by Grant.  That’s 2 for Batesy this year not including goal of the season contender against Broadway Celtic.

Yasser made his first full debut and was asked to fill in for the absent Julian. This was not a easy job but he was equal to the task. Yasser D ran his socks off in the centre of the park. Hamzeh had a fantastic game on the wing providing great width and cover throughout. Skipper Pedro filled in all over the park and together we really took the game to Tara.  Sloppy defending by us was punished with a Taras equaliser before the break, the less said the better in this case.  Paulo narrowly missed the bottom corner of Taras net with an almighty half volley from a defensive clearance which if on target would have resulted in a certain goal. Tara found space in the final third to carve out a number of good efforts all handled superbly by Arron including a one handed save which I will never forget which denied a definite goal for the Tara. Nice one Skinny.

The second will be remembered for the glorious miss Tara’s number 11 committed. Their tricky number 11 ran on to a  ball coming straight through the centre evading our centre backs and with the ball sitting up nice he opted for power rather than accuracy and blazed a golden opportunity high a wide. We got life.

I was proud of the way the lions went about this game and thanked everyone after the match on a great effort. The fact is we threw everything at Tara but failed to unlock them with a killer pass. More Training will improve our passing and our understanding of each others abilities.

All credit to Tara who have been great to us in our first year. Damo and Liam have been great since the start and next year we look forward to further battles with these boys. Now we take on St Andrews Youth in the charity cup.  Be ready boys for another great contest and don’t forget your shooting boots.

Sudbury Inn hit for 6 in the sun

Dutch Lions FC 6-1 Sudbury Inn at the Den. 

Today was Jabor’s Day. After he banged in his third he gestured to the bench that he couldn’t do no more and he’s contribution to the game was over. This man works so hard he rarely finishes a game for the lions these days due to pure exhaustion and his love of the shirt. You can tell he’s enjoying his football. We salute you J.
The Lions opener was created after Jabor got the better of the Inn’s defence only to be brought down 20 yards from goal. Paulo coolly executed the  set piece placing the ball into the opposite corner of the net. What a start with 5 minutes on the clock. Another was added by the Lions Paulo shortly after to cap a great start by the former Wanderers right back.
Hamzeh created space for others with some great running and was unlucky not to top it with a goal when we side footed effort crashed off the frame of the bar and post.

Sudbury hit back after Noel brought down the oppo just outside the box. There hanging ball to the back post was met by one Sudbury Inn player willing to jump and one lion who forgot to. That made it a tight score line of 2-1 into the break.
Oranges… full of Vitamin C and Super Powered Lion Juice. After tasting the wonder fruit (5 for a quid) the team is transformed. The Super powered juice gave us “the right stuff” to  put this game to bed.

The first of the second half goals was from an unlikely source. Sporting a new haircut, Sudbury’s Brave and controversial number 5 sliced a clearance which looped over his own keeper and dropped just under his own bar. Paulo desperately wanted the goal to be attributed to him in the chase for top scorer but listen up P. Simply laughing the loudest doesn’t mean it gets given to you pal, If it did I would have claimed it. When your lucks out you would normally expect a break but unfortunately for Sudbury Inn, Jabor hadn’t even got started. Jabor’s three goals today were all about anticipation and movement. Preying on his opponents weaknesses he pounced like a true Lion onto every half chance, sniffing around the box he calmly slotted 3 in the space of 30 minutes and even managed to hit the post too.
Pedro was unlucky not to get on the score sheet with the Sudbury keeper preventing the first ever goal scorer adding to his tally from a couple of free kicks.
With Oli ignoring the call from the advancing Lions keeper Arran, the clash of the tits occurred with Arran coming off worse. Arran tried but failed to continue and a re-shuffle was called for. Mo who had been up front for all of 2 minutes found himself between the sticks with myself coming on to fill in the middle.
Mo made some fantastic saves during his 15 minutes in goal. One brilliantly saved effort was from a direct Sudbury free kick coupled with a tip over the bar from long range.
Paulo did all he could to cap his day with a third but after working he’s way through the Sudbury defence and hitting a low shot into the opposite corner Sudbury’s keeper made a fine save to deny him.

In summary I was pleased with the display, Our formation was positive and with three up front with Ahmed dropping into the hole we really went for this game from the start. Today was a true team effort boys on a blazing hot day. I’m looking forward to seeing Timids video coverage of the match and especially some rather dubious goal celebrations captured forever on film.
Sudbury Inn have a lot of sprit and some guys could win Nobel peace prizes for gestures the U.N.’s Kofi Annan would be proud of. Shame not all could extend to smoking the pipe of peace but hey, Maybe we expect too much.  Sudbury Inn now join NLO 2 on teams we have completed the double over in our first year, Let’s make sure North London Tara become part of that statistic when we meet them for our final League fixture in the next couple of weeks. Good Work Team.

Team: Skinny, Clark, Bates, Pugh, H. Ajjour, P. Ramahlo Senior, Marshall, Jones, P. Ramahlo Junior, Jabor, A. Ajjour.
Subs Used: Darr (65), Awada (70), O’Keeffe (75).

Points shared Away at John Lewis 1-1

What a great day for a kick about, Greeted by John Lewis’s top dog Lee Sullivan (we got lost) We found his pitch and boy it was looking fine, absolutely fine. With only 25 minutes before kick off (Ramahlo’s having another siesta) we worked quick to get out there for the warm up. With Peter Clark out (Holidaying in south Spain) Pedro dropped in occupy the right back position with Jabor and Paulo asked to lead our attacks.
Ahmed and Julian made the middle theirs with Timid and Hamza out wide.

Today’s Line up is brought to you as a homage to the trusty coins used to outline our formation. Without them we would be lost. Thank God for Coinage.

Paulo forced in total three good saves from the keeper, each almost identical with him hitting the ball so sweet but only right at the keeper. After a great start dominating the first 20 minutes J.L. pumped a long ball forward, it bounced once..then twice and with a little strong arm tactics and brute force from Brian from the Lewis banged them in front. Heads dropped a tad with JL taking the impetus. Going into the second half the oranges worked a treat, we took the game to John Lewis and I believe had the share of possession. After a mix up between Oli and Arran, Oli headed the ball over our advancing keeper but Oli recovered with ease to prevent an embarrassing second for the home team. That was to be our second and only real shaky moment in defence.

Ahmed came the closest to equalising when being put through with some intricate passing only had the keep to beat. Knowing the John Lewis keeper was no mug he opted for power and smacked the crossbar. It’s still shaking now. That gave us belief and with Jabor retiring from the match with a knock Yasser Darr once again came onto make an impact. Yass was strong and battled from thought-out. Oli played a calm ball out from the back to Yasser. He paused and threaded a delightful ball to the on running Paulo who didn’t break a stride stroking it into the opposite bottom corner. 1-1 and nothing less than what we deserved.

Paulo ran all day and deserved his goal and I was pleased with Yasser’s impact. As the ref’s whistle blew i really wanted another 5 minutes to finish JL off as they rarely tested our keeper second half.

So back to the clubhouse for tea and Battenberg, not on your Nellie. Looks like the budget was blown on the pitch. With the best will in the world it would appear that promotion for JL is unlikely and only the mother of all cock ups by Hanwell will hand JL second placed.

We look forward again to meeting them again.  They are a good bunch of lads who like to play football (when allowed).

Sudbury Inn again next week and with NLT breathing down our necks we need to replicate our recent 4-2 win over them.  Should be fun.

Sudbury Inn 2 – 4 Dutch Lions

By HRH Oliver Pugh S.T.D.

The sun was shining brightly, but the Lions started slowly, as Sudbury Inn took the early initiative and won several corners. However this did not last long and the Lions soon roared back into the match. The pressure on the Sudbury goal mounted, as did the shots which were initially wayward. However the Lions dominance would soon tell when Buzzy struck a half volley which bounced through the Sudbury defence and into the back of the net to make it 1-0 to the Lions. The Lions continued to press forward and were given plenty of space to shoot by the Sudbury Inn midfield. While at the back the Lion’s defence remained strong.

The Lions gained another breakthrough when Buzzy went free on the right. His ball into the box defeated the Sudbury keeper who was left stranded at the near post as the ball curled into the top corner. Was it a cross or shot? The Lions didn’t care as they went 2-0 up. The first half continued much the same until shortly before the break. A rare Sudbury Inn break saw their striker in a race for the goal with Grant, Grant slid in to make the challenge just inside the box, up ending the Sudbury player and the referee pointed to the spot. Grant earned a yellow card for his troubles. Sudbury’s striker stepped up and sent Arron the wrong way, making it 2-1 and giving Sudbury a glimmer of hope going into the half-time team talk.

The second half followed a similar pattern, with the Lions dominating for large periods and getting plenty of shooting practice, which by evidence of some of the efforts was much needed! However the Lions stretched their lead when Timid scored his first of the game to make it 3-1 (I don’t remember much about this goal but I’m sure it was great Timid). It was then that Sudbury introduced their super-sub. Super for the speed that he came on and then was sent off the pitch! To be honest I’m not sure why he bothered coming, as his intention was clearly not to play football but to cause someone an injury. The late and dangerous challenge incensed the Lions bench so much that it resulted in the bench given being a stern word from the referee. However business was resumed and Timid then added to the Lion’s lead when he dribbled past several Sudbury players and drove a fierce shot past the helpless keeper to make it 4-1.

What happened next was a carbon copy of the first half, another missed timed challenge and Grant’s penalty box nightmare came back to haunt him. The referee repeated the punishment - a second penalty and a second booking for Grant who was unfortunate to be sent for an early bath. However the nightmare did not completely repeat itself, as the Sudbury Inn player ran up to the spot Arron dived to his left and superbly saved the penalty. The Lion’s breathed a sigh of relief. However the relief and the action-packed game did not end there. From a corner a half cleared ball was fired back in by Sudbury past a crowd of players and into the back of the net to make the score 4-2. The last 10 minutes were played out with the Lions having most of the chances and should have added to their lead.

Mo came on as sub and whilst causing all sorts of confusion in the Sudbury box missed a golden opportunity to open his goal scoring count in the dying minutes. Overall the Lions never really looked like loosing, though Sudbury should be praised for never giving up hope and continuing to chase the game. It was a shame such a good game was marred by some red cards and moments of silliness as I think the majority of both sides played the game in good spirits. To be honest so much happened its all a bit of a blur, but well done Lions on another win.