KENSINGTON Dragons, who started out as a junior team having Saturday afternoon kickabouts at Kensington Memorial Park nearly seven years ago, were left kicking themselves after twice carving out two-goal leads in the Middlesex Junior Cup Final - only to blow their chances at the death.
Poor Nick Hoffman watched his effort parried in the penalty shoot-out at almost 10.40pm during the sudden-death lottery in pouring rain, after the game ended 5-5 following extra time.
No one else missed, and Hayes Gate celebrated at 'neutral' venue The Warren, the former home of Yeading FC - all of 200 yards from their base.
In all fairness to Hoffman, shaky Kensington Dragons keeper Alvydas Ceponis should also hold his gloves up, as well as a defence that switched from zonal to man-marking after failing to deal with a procession of Hayes set pieces.
Manager Tony Smith admitted what did for Liverpool in the first Champions League game against Chelsea last week, didn't work for Dragons either.
But the narrow defeat failed to detract from an exciting Kensington attack spearheaded by Luke O'Donoghue and Lamelle Williams.
The latter bears a fair resemblance to Usain Bolt - and like the world record holder has a turn of speed that leaves the rest in his wake.
The leading scorer's other weapon is a throw that Stoke's Rory Delap would admire. Williams launched one missile from the byline and as the ball bounced around in the box he caught up with the action to fire a shot just wide. But his 35-yard rocket two minutes into the second half was the pick of the night.
He, like O'Donoghue, scored twice, and Warren Butcher's deft header after just 53 seconds should have been
enough for anyone but, like the rain, Hayes' efforts at the other end seeped through a porous defence that had them crying in their beer by midnight.
