As the season nears its conclusion, Dulwich still seem capable of achieving a top six finish in the light of this tame draw against one of the other contenders. This was a lacklustre game with a hotly disputed penalty and an own goal seeing the spoils even divided but had the Hamlet turned their second half dominance into goals it might have been a different story at the end of ninety minutes. Maybe the tempo of the game had something to do with the weather, the unseasonably warm afternoon gave the feel of a pre-season game, or maybe it was down to the fact that neither side was in danger of relegation or could catch the runaway leaders, Dagenham and Redbridge, but this was poor fare for those present. Defences were dominant all afternoon with Jimmy McFarlane the Purfleet captain winning everything in the air – including the header for Dulwich’s equaliser.
Dave Garland was forced to make only one change in his starting line-up with Peter Crouch having departed these shores for the start of the Swedish season. Into his number nine shirt came Peter Garland to partner Dean Green up front. Garland was beginning his first game since a broken leg was inflicted at Dagenham and was attempting to gain some vital match practice in advance of Saturday’s crunch match with Aldershot Town. Unfortunately, his interest was only to last 45 minutes before he was withdrawn.
Dulwich started the game brightly with the live-wire Green constantly worrying the home defence and Garland enjoying his return with some deft football. With just five minutes on the clock a delightful move involving Peter Garland then a skilful chip by Green might have unlocked the defence but for the final ball, blocked in the middle. However behind play lay the prostrate figure of Purfleet midfielder Anthony Jones, who appeared to fall awkwardly after Green had turned him inside out. A pitch laid bare in places by a combination of wind, rain and sun plus three games in 6 days certainly held the lion’s share of the blame. It seemed an eternity before he was removed on a stretcher to applause from both sets of fans.
Forced into an early reorganisation, Purfleet were fortunate to remain on level terms as Dulwich laid siege to the home goal, but without really troubling Steve Mead between the sticks. Too often the crosses from the wings courtesy of Dean Palmer and Kevin Smith lacking the accuracy to pick out Green. Either that or a wide hack rescued the defence.
Danny Carroll was a mere whisker away from opening the score in the twelfth minute when Smith’s freekick flashed across the goal invitingly, only for Carroll to fail to connect at the back post.
With 22 minutes on the clock, the referee, Simon Gagen decided that a goal was needed to enliven the encounter. Much to the horror of both players and supporters alike, he adjudged that Dean Palmer had handled within the box, although it seemed more as if the ball had struck him as he turned. George Georgiou had put away 34 goals in all competitions before today and regularly hits the back of the net against the Hamlet. From 12 yards he is deadly and despite diving the correct way Les Cleevely had no chance to keep out the spotkick.
Defences continued to dominate and it looked as if any more scoring might come not from skill of players, but from any one of a number of quirky decisions from the officials. Indeed one or two eyebrows were raised by the presence of a Mr P Georgiou as assistant referee policing the Dulwich forward line. No relation, Dulwich were assured, but cries of ‘Oi Dad, wasn’t that offside’ from Purfleet’s number nine put doubts in the mind.
In the 28th minute, Tony Chin came close to putting the Hamlet back on level terms when Peter Garland played a short corner back to Smith. Smith curled it deep to the back post where Chin rose high above two defenders to head the ball powerfully back across goal, only for Mead to stretch out his fingertips to keep out the effort. Once again the defence were able to hoof the ball to safety before the Hamlet could capitalise on it. Despite maintaining the pressure, Dulwich were unable to provide a breakthrough before the halftime whistle. Indeed in that time they were to lose the services of Peter Garland, as his lack of match practice started to show in the closing minutes of the half.
Ensuring total confusion for the second half, Peter Garland was replaced by Dean Holness at half time. More Deans than Westminster Abbey, quipped one wag. With two players up front Dulwich looked a better proposition and put the home goal under extreme pressure from the off. Holness and Green linked up well together and should perhaps have had more to show for their efforts. Indeed whereas the build-ups were incisive, sometimes sublime, it was that final shot that was lacking with an inability to put Mead the sword paramount in the lack of a goal.
Six minutes into the half and a delightful piece of trickery from Green left two defenders tackling thin air as he bore down on goal only to roll a disappointing shot wide of the left-hand post. Four minutes later and Green was unlucky not to find the target. A freekick in Dulwich’s won half was pumped into the box by Mark Garland where Palmer outjumped everyone to head down. Holness’s attempt was blocked and Green’s quick reaction to the loose ball saw his shot skid wide of the upright.
Smith should have done better when Dulwich were awarded a freekick just outside the box but his freekick curled round the wall, going well wide of the post. More Emil Zola than Gianfranco!
It seemed as if an equaliser would surely come, but somehow Purfleet were managing to hold on with the colossus of McFarlane supreme at the heart of the home defence. The battle between him and Dulwich took on the all the semblance of Horatius holding the bridge over the Tiber against the marauding hordes. However I don’t recall that legendary Roman hero tripping over his sword at a vital moment, for with just 7 minutes left on the clock, the home skipper undid all the afternoon’s hard work with a own goal straight out of the book of classic cock-ups. As Smith floated in a delightful freekick from the right, the big centre-half beat the twin threats of Duku and Chin to win the ball, but only succeeded in sending a bulletin header past his own startled keeper.
Suddenly Dulwich had their tails up and the last few minutes were nerve-wracking for the meagre home support. Somehow they hung on but it was not without anxious moments. In the 85th minute Holness whipped in a cross from the right by-line, but put it too high for the inrushing Houghton, unmarked behind a static defence. As on their last trip to the wilds of Essex it was the home team who were grateful for a point at the final whistle.
Team: Les Cleevely; Dean Palmer (14: Gary Hewitt 66); Kevin Smith; Danny Carroll ; Mark Garland; Francis Duku; John Cross; Tony Houghton; Peter Garland (12: Dean Holness 45); Dean Green; Tony Chin
Sub not used: Declan Perkins
Man of the match: Tony Chin: Solid at the back, dangerous in the air, Chin hardly put a foot wrong all afternoon.
Dave Garland was forced to make only one change in his starting line-up with Peter Crouch having departed these shores for the start of the Swedish season. Into his number nine shirt came Peter Garland to partner Dean Green up front. Garland was beginning his first game since a broken leg was inflicted at Dagenham and was attempting to gain some vital match practice in advance of Saturday’s crunch match with Aldershot Town. Unfortunately, his interest was only to last 45 minutes before he was withdrawn.
Dulwich started the game brightly with the live-wire Green constantly worrying the home defence and Garland enjoying his return with some deft football. With just five minutes on the clock a delightful move involving Peter Garland then a skilful chip by Green might have unlocked the defence but for the final ball, blocked in the middle. However behind play lay the prostrate figure of Purfleet midfielder Anthony Jones, who appeared to fall awkwardly after Green had turned him inside out. A pitch laid bare in places by a combination of wind, rain and sun plus three games in 6 days certainly held the lion’s share of the blame. It seemed an eternity before he was removed on a stretcher to applause from both sets of fans.
Forced into an early reorganisation, Purfleet were fortunate to remain on level terms as Dulwich laid siege to the home goal, but without really troubling Steve Mead between the sticks. Too often the crosses from the wings courtesy of Dean Palmer and Kevin Smith lacking the accuracy to pick out Green. Either that or a wide hack rescued the defence.
Danny Carroll was a mere whisker away from opening the score in the twelfth minute when Smith’s freekick flashed across the goal invitingly, only for Carroll to fail to connect at the back post.
With 22 minutes on the clock, the referee, Simon Gagen decided that a goal was needed to enliven the encounter. Much to the horror of both players and supporters alike, he adjudged that Dean Palmer had handled within the box, although it seemed more as if the ball had struck him as he turned. George Georgiou had put away 34 goals in all competitions before today and regularly hits the back of the net against the Hamlet. From 12 yards he is deadly and despite diving the correct way Les Cleevely had no chance to keep out the spotkick.
Defences continued to dominate and it looked as if any more scoring might come not from skill of players, but from any one of a number of quirky decisions from the officials. Indeed one or two eyebrows were raised by the presence of a Mr P Georgiou as assistant referee policing the Dulwich forward line. No relation, Dulwich were assured, but cries of ‘Oi Dad, wasn’t that offside’ from Purfleet’s number nine put doubts in the mind.
In the 28th minute, Tony Chin came close to putting the Hamlet back on level terms when Peter Garland played a short corner back to Smith. Smith curled it deep to the back post where Chin rose high above two defenders to head the ball powerfully back across goal, only for Mead to stretch out his fingertips to keep out the effort. Once again the defence were able to hoof the ball to safety before the Hamlet could capitalise on it. Despite maintaining the pressure, Dulwich were unable to provide a breakthrough before the halftime whistle. Indeed in that time they were to lose the services of Peter Garland, as his lack of match practice started to show in the closing minutes of the half.
Ensuring total confusion for the second half, Peter Garland was replaced by Dean Holness at half time. More Deans than Westminster Abbey, quipped one wag. With two players up front Dulwich looked a better proposition and put the home goal under extreme pressure from the off. Holness and Green linked up well together and should perhaps have had more to show for their efforts. Indeed whereas the build-ups were incisive, sometimes sublime, it was that final shot that was lacking with an inability to put Mead the sword paramount in the lack of a goal.
Six minutes into the half and a delightful piece of trickery from Green left two defenders tackling thin air as he bore down on goal only to roll a disappointing shot wide of the left-hand post. Four minutes later and Green was unlucky not to find the target. A freekick in Dulwich’s won half was pumped into the box by Mark Garland where Palmer outjumped everyone to head down. Holness’s attempt was blocked and Green’s quick reaction to the loose ball saw his shot skid wide of the upright.
Smith should have done better when Dulwich were awarded a freekick just outside the box but his freekick curled round the wall, going well wide of the post. More Emil Zola than Gianfranco!
It seemed as if an equaliser would surely come, but somehow Purfleet were managing to hold on with the colossus of McFarlane supreme at the heart of the home defence. The battle between him and Dulwich took on the all the semblance of Horatius holding the bridge over the Tiber against the marauding hordes. However I don’t recall that legendary Roman hero tripping over his sword at a vital moment, for with just 7 minutes left on the clock, the home skipper undid all the afternoon’s hard work with a own goal straight out of the book of classic cock-ups. As Smith floated in a delightful freekick from the right, the big centre-half beat the twin threats of Duku and Chin to win the ball, but only succeeded in sending a bulletin header past his own startled keeper.
Suddenly Dulwich had their tails up and the last few minutes were nerve-wracking for the meagre home support. Somehow they hung on but it was not without anxious moments. In the 85th minute Holness whipped in a cross from the right by-line, but put it too high for the inrushing Houghton, unmarked behind a static defence. As on their last trip to the wilds of Essex it was the home team who were grateful for a point at the final whistle.
Team: Les Cleevely; Dean Palmer (14: Gary Hewitt 66); Kevin Smith; Danny Carroll ; Mark Garland; Francis Duku; John Cross; Tony Houghton; Peter Garland (12: Dean Holness 45); Dean Green; Tony Chin
Sub not used: Declan Perkins
Man of the match: Tony Chin: Solid at the back, dangerous in the air, Chin hardly put a foot wrong all afternoon.
