Worthing 6 Dulwich Hamlet 2

Worthing 6 Dulwich Hamlet 2
Ryman Isthmian League – First Division
Saturday 15th September 2001

Time dulls the memory. Good games become classics, poor performances the stuff of nightmares, but truly Dulwich’s display last Saturday at Woodside Road must rank high in the chronicles of dishonourable defeats suffered by the once mighty Dulwich. Apologists might point to the blatant penalties, three by some counts, declined by referee Andy Legg, a man who once had the audacity to pontificate his views on refereeing to a national audience in Team Talk magazine, but that would be the act of drowning man clutching at straws whilst wearing rose-tinted glasses. Dulwich were awful, lacked heart and fight and to be fair the final scoreline flattered the visitors more than the hosts, one of two of whose players seemed almost embarrassed by the ease with which the Hamlet were put to the sword. Little wonder that soon afterward manager Gwynne Berry and his assistant Peter Johnson chose to do the honourable thing and tender their resignations.
With a host of players placed on the transfer list, the changes were rung in the Dulwich ranks with new signing Tom Moorhouse lining up alongside Berry in the centre of defence. By end of a torrid afternoon he must have been wondering whether he had made the right decision, particularly when he glanced at the FA Cup results and seen that his former team-mates had grabbed a shock 2-0 victory against Tooting.
The first ominous warnings of the collapse ahead came as early as the fourth minute when the Rebels converted their first chance with a goal of deadly simplicity. Danny Davies supplied a corner that sailed over the Dulwich defenders' heads to be met by Simon James, looping the ball over the outstretched arm of James Mercer. Just seven minutes later and it was 2-0. Again the finishing was clinical but the defence had again gone AWOL as Gavin Geddes took advantage and met Ben Carrington’s cross to slam the ball home from close-range.
Things continued to get worse and only the crossbar saved the Hamlet as a Worthing freekick screamed goalwards. Better finishing and Worthing could have declared at half time. Still with the first half not even 50% completed, the lead was further extended. As Moorhouse attempted to thread the ball through on the halfway line, the boot of Geddes blocked his pass sending the ball into the path of Gavin Jones. A vain glance from the débutante at the referee’s assistant brought no relief in the form of an offside and the Worthing man was left to run on goal, the centre half valiantly trying to undo his error but trailing in his wake. Mercer tried to force the striker wide but for once his efforts were in vain and Jones tucked the ball home from a tight angle to reduce the Dulwich supporters clustered behind the far goal to fits of apoplexy.
As if pricked by their conscience the Hamlet suddenly seemed to arise from their slumbers. Two minutes after that third goal, Dulwich had clawed their way back. Warren Burton collected the ball on the edge of the box and although his low shot was weak it took an evil deflection of the foot of defender Andrew Beech and trickled just inside goalkeeper James Wastell’s left hand post as the stout custodian found himself flatfooted.
Burton might have further closed the gap on 26 minutes when he forced Wastell into a full length save that saw the ball pushed past the upright. Sensing a glimmer of faint hope, Danny Ward replaced Landry Zahana-Oni and things began to perk up. The game became more settled and the clouds of gloom began to dissipate. With the break fast approaching Dulwich knew that a quick response was called for and how close they came to getting it. A fine run from Burton, dancing through a host of defenders should have brought a goal, but having pushed the ball into the box, he seemed to spy the charging figure of Davis coming in from the left and pulled out of the challenge at the last second allowing the defender to slide the ball behind.
As the game moved into stoppage time, Dulwich were stunned by an unbelievable decision from Mr Legg. As Burton waited on the penalty spot for a cross to arrive, he found himself the victim of a blatant shove in the back that brought only an impassive response from the man in black. Almost instantly Worthing took advantage of their good fortune and went on the attack, swiftly winning a corner that was touched home in a goalmouth mêlée by Carrington.
How could the troops be raised after such a blow? With a mountain to climb at the start of the second half, Dulwich tried to get back in the game but their hosts toyed with them as a cat might with a mouse. Occasionally there would be the feeling that they had let the Hamlet off the hook only for a paw to administer a firm slap whenever a sign of defiance arose.
Burton twice threatened to add to his tally, sending in a ferocious volley from a corner only for the surprisingly athletic Wastell to tip his effort over the bar, then forcing the keeper into a last ditch save as the Dulwich striker stooped to head a low cross from the edge of the six yard box. However it was the Dulwich goal remained the more vulnerable and less than 60 seconds after winger Lee Endersby had been replaced by central defender Nick Leach (the phrase involves locking stables and horses bolting, I believe), Dulwich were caught out once again. Davis took advantage of slack marking as the defence was reshuffled and, latching on to Warren Smart’s pinpoint pass he had the simple task of slamming the ball past a cruelly exposed Mercer in goal.
Surprisingly the mood amongst the Dulwich fans smacked more of resignation than of anger towards the bench with the vitriol reserved for players whose efforts were regarded as second-rate. Even when Dulwich grabbed a second it was little more than gloss on an already tarnished season. Although there was suspicions as Burton beat the offside trap, Dulwich for once got the benefit of the doubt from the officials, a snap shot bringing a good block from Wastell. Mark Coyle was first to the follow up but somehow the leviathan in goal kept his rocket out. However there was nothing Wastell could do about Burton’s next effort as he rounded the keeper and slotted home.
Any eccentrics who might have perceived this as the first act of a great Dulwich fightback was returned to their senses as Worthing restored their four-goal cushion with a sixth goal after 75 minutes. Jones collected his second goal of the afternoon meeting a Carrington cross with a neat touch to send the ball past Mercer. In one last desperate act to restore some pride to the day’s proceedings Berry replaced himself with teenager Adam Pero, but it was all too late and the damage had been done.

Team:
1. James Mercer
2. Danny Moore
3. Mark Coyle
4. Gwynne Berry (Adam Pero 79)
5. Tom Moorhouse
6. Rob French
7. Julian Old
8. Ryan Pacey
9. Landry Zahana-Oni (Danny Ward 34)
10. Warren Burton
11. Lee Endersby (Nick Leach 61)

Man of the Match: As far as this one goes, I plead the Fifth Amendment.