Recap
Dragoons Back to Winning Ways
The Dragoons returned to winning ways, firing eight goals past a hapless Grom side on a roasting Sunday afternoon.
Following three consecutive defeats, the Dragoons looked to take the game to bottom side Grom from the start. The first chance of the game saw the ball in the net. Yuri Samyonov showed good wing-play and teed up Vladimir Chumakov to tap the ball into the net. The celebrations did not last long, as the assistant referee flagged for offside against Samyonov.
Adrian Paliś was the next to go close in the eleventh minute. Good work by Flavio Nkola on the wing, saw a lovely dinked ball put into the box. Paliś was quickest to react, but could not guide his headed effort on target.
One minute later however, it should have been 1-0 to the Dragoons. Mark Szczesnowicz shot powerfully on the edge of the box, which proved too hot for the Krystian Spisak to handle. Chumakov looked set to put the rebound into the net, but Spisak pulled off a great point blank save.
Dragoons Lead
The danger was still not gone as Nkola picked up the loose ball in the box, however the Dragoons man miscued his shot and the ball was cleared. Mark Szczesnowicz picked up the clearance and was fouled 25 yards from goal. Enrico Forabosco stepped up and fired home a delightful curling effort to give the Dragoons a deserved 13th minute lead.
It could have been two for the home side straight from kick off. The Dragoons pressed the kick off and immediately turned over possession. Adrian Paliś showed excellent footwork to bamboozle the defence and played the perfect through ball to Chumakov. However, the scoreline remained unchanged as Chumakov dragged his shot just wide of the target.
The Dragoons reigned supreme and kept on creating chances with Paliś heading a corner over the bar and lovely team play went unrewarded as Nkola’s cross could not be guided on target.
Into the 19th minute the Dragoons did double their tally for the game. A corner from Forabosco caused havoc in the Grom box, who could not clear their lines. Szczesnowicz took full advantage by taking the ball off of a defender and slamming home an unstoppable drive from eight yards.
Three is the Magic Number
Three minutes later, the Dragoons further increased their lead with a third goal. The impressive Nkola drove through the Grom defence and released the perfect pass for Samyonov to run onto. The forward darted through on goal and showed good composure to slot past the Spisak and into the net.
Shortly afterwards, and it was 4-0 to the Dragoons. Chumakov was proving to be a real thorn with his movement and expertly headed into the path of Paliś. The Dragoons leading score let fly from the edge of the box and was fortunate to see Spisak palm the ball into the net.
It was a fantastic five for the home side in the 35th minute. Mark Szczesnowicz travelled imperiously with the ball and released the ball through to Samyonov on the flank. The attacker drove forward into the box and arrowed a crisp effort past Spisak and into the bottom corner of the net.
Grom registered their first shot of the game in the 38th minute. A rare foray into the Dragoons half saw Aleksander Wiśniowski chance his arm with a shot that ballooned over the crossbar.
Just before half time break, a lovely flowing move nearly brought a sixth goal. Scott Halcrow came forward from centre back unopposed and played a nice pass through to Chumakov, who instinctively flicked the ball through to Paliś. The bobbling ball did not sit properly for the striker and he blasted it high and wide.
Second Half
A rare corner for Grom saw the ball cleared forward by the Dragoons to counter. Flavio Nkola raced forward with Samyonov and Paliś as company with just the one defender to beat. As the attack bore through on goal, Spisak flew out of his box and wiped out the attacker. The referee took pity on the visiting custodian by only producing a yellow card. In all reality, it should have been red.
From the resulting free-kick, Spisak made an excellent flying save to deny Forabosco a second goal. Vladimir Chumakov was the quickest to react to the rebound and passed the ball into an unguarded net from a tight angle. It was a deserved first goal for Chumakov, who started in a preferred attacking role following the last couple of outings in a central defensive role.
It should have been seven almost straight from kick-off as Grom gifted the ball to the Dragoons. Paliś found himself alone in the box with only the keeper to beat. On this occasion however, the usual lethal hitman hit a tame effort which Spisak blocked away for a corner.
Back Grom the Dead?!?!?!
On the hour mark Grom had their second half chance of the game. Wiśniowski was again the man to have a go at goal from range. Similarly to the first-half, the shot was blasted over.
From the resulting goal-kick the Dragoons almost gifted a goal to their opponents. Dmytro Kontsevyi passed weakly to Mark Szczesnowicz, who was beaten in the challenge by Rafał Wcisło. The Grom man hit the ball towards goal and Kontsevyi did well to scramble across goal and keep the ball out of the net.
The following corner saw the Damian Zając rise highest, just six yards from goal. The Dragoons breathed a huge sigh of relief as the header thumped downwards into the turf and straight over the bar. A big let off for the team in Blue!
Into the 67th minute of the game the Dragoons burst back into life. Flavio Nkola, always a danger, picked up the ball and ran at goal. The forward whacked a cross-cum-shot across the box which just evaded Cedric Mwamba as he looked to pounce.
A moment later, Mwamba saw a shot blocked for a corner. From the following set-piece, the ball found its way to Halcrow on the edge of the box. The experienced Dragoons man popped a glorious cross into the box and Mwamba reacted quickest. The substitute headed at goal from close range, however, Spisak pulled off an excellent point-blank save to deny the Dragoons man.
Blazing Błażej
The Dragoons substitutions began to breathe fresh life into the side and they looked to exploit the tired legs of Grom. Nkola tormented his man again and played in Błażej Święcicki. The attacker rushed his chance and smashed his shot over the bar.
Not to be denied, the next chance that fell to Święcicki saw seventh goal arrive, in the 78th minute. Oleksii Bilorukavyi put in an excellent cross and Święcicki made no mistake in controlling the ball and rifling a shot into the top corner.
An eighth and final goal came in the 80th minute and it was Święcicki causing Grom a problem. Święcicki raced through the Grom box, only to be tripped by a defender. As a result, the referee pointed to the spot to inflict further misery on the away side. Flavio Nkola picked up the ball and calmly stroked the ball into the net to bring the score 8-0.
A sun-baked match came to a close with the Dragoons ending their rotten spell of form.
The Expats looked back to their imperious best against Grom, who struggled with the pace and tenacity of the home team. The Dragoons travel to LKS Kaszowianka II next Sunday and will look to extend their winning run against a side five points below them in the league.
