Hendon FC 1 Dulwich Hamlet 3

Hendon FC 1 Dulwich Hamlet 3
Tuesday 9th December 2003
London Senior Cup – Third Round

The Hamlet put the setbacks of Saturday behind them as they marched defiantly into the Fourth Round of The London Cup and a January date with holders Bromley, thanks to an emphatic first half performance at Claremont Road as the high-flying Premier Division outfit were put to the sword on their own turf. In an indication of the strength in depth of the current Hamlet squad manager Martin Eede made eight changes to the starting line up from the Banstead debacle, with only skipper Alex O’Brien, centre half Gavin Dayes and winger Kemal Bulent remaining. In a line up bristling with youth were it not for the presence of the evergreen Lee Akers, tempting away from his pipe and slippers on a chill, misty evening the average age would surely have been in the low twenties.
Playing down the slope in the first half, the young bucks of Dulwich were soon savaging their loftier hosts and within the first minute Francis Quarm saw an angled shot headed off the line after some nervous defending from the Dons. On eight minutes, Quarm was not to be denied when Meshach Nugent’s exquisite pass released the quicksilver Ronnie Green. Green’s dancing feet mesmerised his marker before he nipped past and delivered a pinpoint cross for Quarm to plant a firm header past keeper Dean Lindsay from six yards out.
The Dons’ faces looked as green as their shirts as they were constantly forced on to the back foot as Dulwich sliced through their flanks with Russell Bedford on his first start of the season particularly impressive as his pace and panache constantly bamboozled Hendon’s right back. Over on the opposite wing Bulent was providing an equally impressive service and when he pulled an excellent cross in from close to the corner flag, Lindsay had to stretch to fingertip the ball away from the marauding Green.
It was no surprise when Dulwich added a second goal in the 20th minute. Dayes was sent sprawling to earn the Hamlet a freekick and when Bulent delivered the ball into a crowded penalty area, Nugent was on head to finish from close range for his first senior goal in Pink & Blue. Nugent only had to wait 15 minutes to double his tally when Jaz Rose’s injudicious tackle from behind on Green saw a penalty awarded and referee Mr Bottomer go some way towards atoning for his contentious stoppage time penalty that robbed the Hamlet of this prize in the 2002 Final. Up stepped Nugent to the spot and in stark contrast to regular spot kick king Omari Coleman, smashed the ball home off the underside of the bar.
Rampant in attack, composed in defence, Dulwich looked in complete command and cheered on by a vociferous bunch of hardy supporters looked set to totally overrun their loftier hosts, maybe even avenge one of Dulwich’s darkest hours when they crashed 10-1 in a league game on this ground back in the 1963/64 season.
After some magnificent work down the left by the tireless Bedford, Dulwich almost grabbed a fourth just before the break but Bulent shot over. A moment later Hendon managed their sole dangerous moment of the half when Dale Binns found a clink in Hamlet’s armour but was denied by a magnificent stop on the line by Paul Seuke.
Battered and bruised in the first half, Hendon looked a better team in the second although this had as much to do with a Dulwich realisation that they could hold the opposition was in their pockets. Content to soak up the home pressure Dulwich were still dangerous on the break and Nugent was a whisker away from completing a hat-trick but for Lindsay finger-tipping away Bulent’s whipped low cross as the Hamlet hitman waited to pounce.
On 68 minutes Hendon gained some consolation when they pulled a goal back through René James-Barriteau who tucked the ball home from close range after Binns and Martin Randall had combined well to create the opening.
With Warren Haughton sent into the fray for the last quarter hour, the substitute almost obliged with a fourth for Dulwich as his low drive almost squirmed through Lindsay but much to Haughton’s chagrin defender James Burgess was on hand to spare his keeper’s blushes clearing his lines.
Dulwich survived the odd scare as the game drew to its inevitable conclusion but keeper Seuke was more tested by a looping back header from Dayes than anything the wayward Hendon strikers threw at him. Next round, rendezvous Bromley.

Teams: Hendon FC: 1 Dean Lindsay; 2 Gary Meakin; 3 James Burgess; 4 Steve Gray; 5 Jaz Rose (17 Mehmet Unal 55); 6 Nicky Booth; 7 Daniel Llewellyn; 8 René James-Barriteau; 9 Martin Randall; 10 Andy Hutchinson (12 Aaron McLeish 82); 11 Dale Binns
Subs not used: 14 Adilson Lopes; 16 Andrew Vincent

Dulwich Hamlet FC: 1 Paul Seuke; 2 Lee Akers; 3 Junior Kamara; 4 Alex O'Brien; 5 Gavin Dayes; 6 Russell Bedford; 7 Kemal Bulent; 8 Francis Quarm; 9 Meshach Nugent; 10 Ali Kyezu; 11 Ronnie Green (15 Warren Haughton 73)
Subs not used: 12 David Moore; 14 Lee Doherty; 16 Charley Side; 17 Jason Turley