Whyteleafe Youth Team 1 Dulwich Hamlet Youth Team 2

Whyteleafe Youth Team 1 Dulwich Hamlet Youth Team 2
Southern Youth League Central Division
Wednesday 23rd August 2001

The Youth Team succeeded where the first team had failed when they recorded their eight league wins in succession over their counterparts from Whyteleafe, but in the end it was a close thing. Despite having the bulk of the play the Hamlet failed to break down the steely determination of the home team, who have frequently proved whipping boys at this level.
A storming run from John Kasapi after ten minutes tore a gapping hole in the home defence but as nicked the ball past the goalkeeper, a surreptitious hand sent him tumbling to the ground. However to the disbelief of the Hamlet, the referee turned the penalty appeals down. Presumably, this decision was still playing on his mind as he lurched towards the touchline a few minutes, appearing to throw up over the fence. Despite the attentions of the physios it was obvious he was in no fit state to continue and the whistle was gratefully commandeered by his younger assistant, who proved to be a nit-picker of the highest order going on to book three Dulwich players for trivial offences.
At least the football was worth watching if even the gentleman who thought himself the centre of attention was not. A quick freekick saw Lee Olney get in behind the defence, but Andrew Telling in the home goal displayed good awareness, sprinting off his line to intercept the ball as Lee slid in.
At the other end Chris Arnold found himself tested when a freekick caused consternation in the box, and was only partially cleared. Michael Thomas collected the ball outside the box and evaded a couple of challenges fired in a powerful shot but straight at the keeper.
Despite a lack of height, the Dulwich attackers frequently outjumped their lofty markers as Dulwich utilised the space on the wings to good effect. However Telling was to prove a tough adversary between the sticks, ruling his penalty area with a rod of iron. His anticipation robbed Kasapi as he arrived to meet a Lee Scott cross, plucking the ball off his head.
A delightful piece of skill from Craig Phelps, leaving his marker for dead set up Frankie Hart to chip in a sweet cross for Scott, but his header though accurate lacking the power to challenge Telling.
All Dulwich but still 0-0. How could this be as the Leafe goal came under constant bombardment? A never say die attitude say Kasapi win the ball in midfield and set up Hart for an intelligent through that saw Scott bear down on goal and unleash low drive that fizzed across the goal but just missed the target. Within a minute Dulwich had twice threatened again, Phelps with a 20 yard curler that the keeper claimed under the crossbar and Olney with a piledriver from the edge of the box that was always rising as it cleared the bar.
A rare threat from Whyteleafe as Leigh Dounce pounced on the ball outside the box, swept past Kasapi and produced a powerful shot that would have sorely tested Arnold had it been on target.
Matt Penny had been having his usual steady game in defence, but to surprise of onlookers and team-mates alike, embarked on a mazy run that had one in mind of Ryan Giggs as he weaved his way through tackle after tackle. A goal seemed likely as he steamed into the box, but to groans all round he just lost control at the vital moment and the ball ran over the line. His frustration was obvious.
With the 45 minutes almost up at last came the breakthrough the Hamlet deserved. Skipper Alfie Bonsu found himself with a bit of space to work with in the middle of the park and he released FRANKIE HART, the striker leaving his markers in his wake as he chased the through ball. Out came Telling to block, but he arrived too late as Hart smashed a powerful drive in via the underside of the crossbar.
However that lead was very nearly thrown away in stoppage time, when a Dulwich boot almost deflected a Whyteleafe freekick over the head of Arnold, the keeper looking mighty relieved as it dropped on the roof of his net.
The good work continued into the second half with Dulwich playing some neat football but with only a Scott header straight at the keeper to show for it. Olney, who’d run his socks off all evening, was replaced by Emiljano Dushku and his first contribution was a sweeping cross that was missed in the box, but met by Bonsu at the back post with a neat volley just wide.
A timely tackle robbed Dushku of another chance five minutes later and from the corner Scott’s cross was a whisker away from being met by Ossie Bayram's head. Hart’s persistence in chasing a ball into the corner almost paid off as he laid it back for Scott to deliver a low ball into the box where it was met by Dushku with a drilled shot from 6 yards that was off the mark by a couple of feet.
Suddenly the pendulum swung violently in the favour of the hosts as they became aware of the encroaching final whistle. Now Dulwich were under the cosh and not enjoying it. A steaming shot from Elliott Favell almost embarrassed Arnold as it threatened to squirm through his legs. Bonsu talked himself into a booking, and then Favell again made Arnold earn his corn with smart save from close range. A minute later and an absolute stunner of a goal brought the hosts back on level terms. Lance Birkett was given too much space in the middle of the park, but then you could not legislate for what was to happen next, Birkett taking a Leafe out of Dutchman van Bobbel’s book with a steaming 25 yard drive that screamed into the roof of Arnold’s net despite the best favours of the Dulwich custodian to reach it.
With 15 minutes left on the clock came an interesting throw of the dice as manager John Kasapi replaced his goalkeeper with Dan Black and pulled off Perry Holland and replaced with Mohammed Ismail. The final act of this evening’s drama was about to unfold on the stage of Church Road. The first of our Personae Dramatis would be custodian Black. Five minutes from his entrance upon the scene, he pulled off a stunning save at full stretch to turn Favell’s full-blooded drive over the bar. A corner a minute later saw him extend his repertoire pushing Michael Thomas back post header over the bar. Favell was again to be frustrated when Black was well positioned to clutch his freekick.
Every great drama should have a melodramatic ending and tonight was to be no exception. A swift breakout of defence, with defenders back pedalling Bonsu powered down the middle, finding Kasapi in the centre circle. A man short in defence as their left back writhed on the floor, a victim of cramp, Whyteleafe found themselves exposed at the back, Kasapi’s pass finding an unmarked Hart overlapping on the right. Hitman Hart wasted no time unleashing a rasping drive that, although the keeper got his hands to, could not keep out. Elation abounded, Dulwich players celebrating as the crestfallen Whyteleafe players protested that play should have been stopped for treatment to their cramp-stricken colleague. For a moment the horror that the goal might be chalked off but no, it stood. Still the Hamlet had to endure an agonising 6 minutes of stoppage time but they negotiated them with out too much of a scare to record a miraculous escape.

Teams:
Whyteleafe: Andrew Telling; Ashley McDonald; Liam Burton; Lance Birkett; Leigh Douce; Michael Thomas; Darren Williams; Elliott Favell; Robbie Burns; Dan Riddle; Lewis Lammy
Subs: Wayne Clinton; Richard Vernon; David Mann; Phil Rowland

Dulwich Hamlet: Chris Arnold (Dan Black 76); Alfie Bonsu; Matt Penny; John Kasapi, Junior; Arron Hamilton; Ossie Bayram, Junior; Lee Scott; Craig Phelps; Lee Olney (Emiljano Dushku 53); Frankie Hart; Perry Holland (Mohammed Ismail 76)

Man of the match: John Kasapi, Junior: No the old man did not slip me a fiver, but junior terrier-like battling in the middle of the park proved the engine room for the team.