Whyteleafe Youth 0 Dulwich Hamlet Youth 2

Whyteleafe Youth 0 Dulwich Hamlet Youth 2

Southern Youth League - East Division
Wednesday 17th February 1999

If you’ve never watched the Youth Team away from home, I can always recommend Church Road, Whyteleafe as the ideal place to be initiated. Just a pleasant stroll down a country lane to the ground, set in a rolling valley lined with leafy trees. A pleasant bar with a range of beverages to satisfy both the connoisseur and the CAMRA beardies. Plus points - Dulwich usually win. Minus points - it always rains and the place is full of old biddies playing bingo. (Spot the space filler - Ed)
Whyteleafe are the only other team in the East Division to turn over Kingstonian this season and so a tough game was expected. Whyteleafe are a big, physical side, but their results have been erratic this season. As already mentioned they beat K’s, but they’ve also given T*****g a four goal start in a 4-4 draw. Marmaduke might approve but it’s not really the way to play if you want to win the league. In the end however the more telling opponent was old Mother Nature, with a steady drizzle turning an already poor condition pitch into a mudbath. Good football was hard to come by in the conditions, but Dulwich kept up the pace with leaders Kingstonian, thanks to second half goals from Rob Hughes and a welcome return to the scoresheet from Nana Asante.
A number of changes were forced on the manager with Mully nursing an injury or injuring a nurse, I didn’t quite catch what Steve said especially after the seventh Tia Maria and Babycham. Back into the side came Dan Wallace and there was a full debut for Kenny Low-Hing, whose always impressed in his previous appearance from the subs’ bench. There was also a welcome return for Omari Coleman, although conditions might preclude a repeat of the magic of Bromley. The early exchanges were shapeless with nothing much to write home about. Like two boxers the teams probed each other's defences looking for weaknesses but none emerged. The first incident of not came in the thirteenth minute when Michael Babatunde found his way into the referee’s notebook with an over-zealous on Still. In the 16th minute Dulwich won a corner. The ball reached Marcus Dussard who unleashed a thunderous volley which was deflected wide. Inexplicably the Ref gave a goalkick. Play switched to the far end where Billy Waite was the victim of a bizarre refereeing decision for the second time this year. As he shaped to clear the ball upfield, the Ref called out ‘Seven’ and awarded an indirect free-kick inside the area. The ball was laid off to Mascol whose shot was deflected wide for a corner, which was easily dealt with. The Ref’s decision prompted immediate debate - Steps or Time or had he was thinking of his favourite film and forgetting where he was assumed some indiscretion must have occurred. The dilemma was solved after the game when the Ref told us ‘Steps’, or was that his favourite band? I forget. This does seem a strange law which is hardly ever enforced and is a rarity in allowing the man in black a modicum of discretion. However it is further complicated by the 6 second rule. Which takes precedence?
On the field a game was taking place and Dulwich were starting to gain the upper hand. Michael Babatunde had an effort blocked on the edge of the box. Then McCourty in the home goal spilled a Rob Hughes free-kick but there was no-one in a Pink and Blue shirt to exploit the situation. Dulwich could not afford to be complacent and it took a marvellous saving tackle from Michael Ebanks to prevent Dhiman breaking through the Dulwich rearguard. Eubanks was certainly putting himself about at the back, completion on clearance with an overhead kick and then earning a yellow card for a deliberate handball. The resulting free-kick troubling passing trains more than Billy, although a number of anoraks were spotting frantically scribbling away as a Mitre No 5 sped through Whyteleafe station.
Dhiman was set up by a poor clearance from Billy, but he redeemed himself tipping the ball wide of the post. Croft was left unmarked at the corner, but his shot was calmly held by Billy. All night Nana Asante was getting into dangerous positions and in the last few minutes before half-time, he had a couple of chances to make the half-time tea all that sweeter. Joining the attack, Dan Wallace slotted the ball through to Nana who lifted his shot just over the bar. On the stroke of half-time Nana got to a ball over the top, but it bounced awkwardly and a defender got in to pet him off, as his shot skewed wide.
Seven minutes into the second half and Dulwich were ahead. ROB HUGHES got the ball in the box and he turned two defenders before shooting home.
A goal ahead and Dulwich were looking the more likely to add to their score. Nana got behind the defence and shot across goal, but there was no-one in the middle to finish off the effort. On 57 minutes Michael Azzopardi finally succumbed to an injury he’d been carrying all game and was replaced with Nik Wrightson. As conditions deteriorated good football became more difficult. Dulwich won a free-kick just outside the box, but Rob put the chance over the bar. Nana seemed to revel in the conditions and might have broken his drought but for a weak shot when well placed. Steve Shevel’s attempted lob cleared the keeper, but crept over the bar.
With only a goal between the sides, Whyteleafe still looked a threat and any lapses of concentration might have been punished. In truth though the home side was well stifled although Billy was forced into a full length save from Dhiman.
Two minutes into stoppage time and NANA ASANTE’s persistence paid off as he claimed the goal his hard work so richly deserved. Outpacing the defence, he reached a ball over the top before banging it past the custodian for the second.
With the clock ticking down, Steve decided to replace Nana with Mark Darko, presumably as a time wasting exercise. Mark had little time to make an impact on the game as the whistle went shortly afterwards.
Dulwich have obviously got a taste for wet conditions after victory at the Battle of the Somme, sorry Banstead. The bandwagon rolls on but now attention turns to the League Cup and a chance to make for last season’s disappointment against Chipstead.

Team: Billy Waite, Marcus Dussard, Michael Ebanks, Dan Wallace, Kenny Low-Hing, Omari Coleman, Michael Babatunde, Michael Azzopardi (Nik Wrightson 57), Steve Shevel, Rob Hughes, Nana Asante (Mark Darko 90+3)
Goal: Rob Hughes 52, Nana Asante 90+2

Man of the Match: Nana Asante - tirelessly attacked throughout the game, capped by a welcome return to goalscoring form.