Leyton FC 0 Dulwich Hamlet 1
London Senior Cup 5th Round
Tuesday 8th March 2005
London Senior Cup 5th Round
Tuesday 8th March 2005
Burning bright like the fabled Holy Grail, the London Cup still holds Dulwich in its thrall as the men in Pink and Blue upset the applecart with victory away to Premier Division promotion chasers Leyton FC courtesy of a ferocious strike from Kemal Bulent midway through the second half. Nor was this a fluke as Dulwich refused to be intimidated by the strong-arm tactics of their loftier hosts who had keeper James Hasell to thank that the margin of victory was not greater.
Things might have been very different had Leyton taken advantage of the generous award of a penalty after just 6 minutes. Gavin Dayes’ tackle on Manny Williams looked to be at least a yard outside the Dulwich penalty area but referee Mr Bushell pointed straight to the spot, unswerved by vehement protests from the Dulwich players. Justice though was served as Leli Bajada’s ineffectual spot kick was easily saved by Paul Seuke.
The hosts again threatened when the diminutive Vas Soteriou skipped past a trio of tackles but his angled drive bounced wide of Seuke’s left-hand post. Two minutes later Marlon Patterson came close with a similar effort as Meshach Nugent’s lobbed pass released him down the left wing. Fed by Francis Quarm, Patterson, having switched to the ring, delivered a magnificent cross into the box, Meshach Nugent flicking a header backwards but straight into the hands of the waiting Hasell.
Unfazed by the opponents, Dulwich bumped up the workrate and when Charley Side latched on to a long pass, defender Ben Wood made a vain attempt to haul him down as he burst into the box. Manfully Side shrugged off these illicit attentions but Hasell made a stunning block to keep out the Dulwich striker’s fierce drive. Sent haring off down the left by Bulent’s pass, Nugent displayed some neat skills before delivering a low cross to the edge of the penalty area but Alex O’Brien’s first time strike was well wide of the mark.
Having suffered at the hands and feet of the hosts, it was galling that the game’s first booking, albeit correct, came a minute later as Nugent used a hand to turn a freekick into the goal. Five minutes later and another inspiring Dulwich move came within an ace of breaking the deadlock. Patterson’s neat pass found Side in space in the area, the striker delivering a low cross that Nugent flicked through his legs to the unmarked Kenny Beaney at the back of the box. His shot beat Hasell but not covering defender Des Thomas who hacked the ball to safety off the goalline.
With five minutes to the break Dulwich again had the ball in the net as Dayes arrived at the back post to head in a corner but once again the referee’s whistle was to see the goal chalked off as Side was penalised for hampering the keeper. The Hamlet were almost punished for this as poor marking at a freekick saw Williams arrive at the back of the box to head the ball back across the area to Soteriou but his header landed harmlessly on the roof of the net.
The Hamlet were to finish the half in the ascendancy but goalless thanks to the heroics of Hasell, as a sweeping Hamlet move ended with a stunning shot from O’Brien that was matched by Hasell’s flying leap to tip the ball over the bar. Again, the custodian came to his side’s rescue as the corner was delivered, twice provided killer punches to deny the Hamlet.
The second half brought no respite from the excitement as a full-blooded cup-tie continued to enthral. Seven minutes in a Leyton corner found skipper Scott Honeyball, an inelegant header blocked on the line by Bulent. Soon after, Dulwich fans were howling for a penalty of their own as Roy Parkyn cleared handled the ball on the floor as he and Beaney challenged for the ball. Confidence in the officials was further undermined when Side became the second Dulwich man to see yellow for what was his first foul of note, though Mr Bushell did start to even things up, first when Scott Curley was rather unfortunately booked after challenging for the ball with Quarm. Not doubts though about the next caution as Parkyn got his just desserts following a nauseating challenge as Beaney as the young winger tried to give him the slip. One could tell the hosts were getting rattling as yet another foul saw a freekick dropped into the area, Dayes stabbed the ball wide from close range.
Then with 67 minutes on the clock came the breakthrough and what a goal to savour as Bulent won the ball on the left and with the defence anticipating a cross, the tricky wingback unleashed a screamer of a drive that finally beat the seemingly impervious Hasell.
Their opponents now rocking Dulwich pressed home their advantage. Beaney curled a freekick from the edge of the area fractionally wide, before Quarm lashed a shot wide from ten yards after dancing into the box, shortly before selling an outrageous dummy but blazing his opportunity over the bar. This was to be his last contribution to the night’s entertainment as, bizarrely, he disappeared down the tunnel moments later, apparently struck down by illness. Confusion reigned as with Quarm’s reappearance unlikely, Dulwich attempted to bring on Ellis Conroy in his stead, the assistant referee seemingly unaware of Quarm’s departure. Eventually Conroy made it on to the pitch to add his steel to Dulwich’s cause, a nervous final ten minutes endured, but at last brought to an end by a blast of Mr Bushell’s whistle. Another trip north of the Thames lies in wait in the semi-finals with a trip to either Wingate & Finchley or Redbridge FC on the cards. Playing like this, the Hamlet should fear neither.
Things might have been very different had Leyton taken advantage of the generous award of a penalty after just 6 minutes. Gavin Dayes’ tackle on Manny Williams looked to be at least a yard outside the Dulwich penalty area but referee Mr Bushell pointed straight to the spot, unswerved by vehement protests from the Dulwich players. Justice though was served as Leli Bajada’s ineffectual spot kick was easily saved by Paul Seuke.
The hosts again threatened when the diminutive Vas Soteriou skipped past a trio of tackles but his angled drive bounced wide of Seuke’s left-hand post. Two minutes later Marlon Patterson came close with a similar effort as Meshach Nugent’s lobbed pass released him down the left wing. Fed by Francis Quarm, Patterson, having switched to the ring, delivered a magnificent cross into the box, Meshach Nugent flicking a header backwards but straight into the hands of the waiting Hasell.
Unfazed by the opponents, Dulwich bumped up the workrate and when Charley Side latched on to a long pass, defender Ben Wood made a vain attempt to haul him down as he burst into the box. Manfully Side shrugged off these illicit attentions but Hasell made a stunning block to keep out the Dulwich striker’s fierce drive. Sent haring off down the left by Bulent’s pass, Nugent displayed some neat skills before delivering a low cross to the edge of the penalty area but Alex O’Brien’s first time strike was well wide of the mark.
Having suffered at the hands and feet of the hosts, it was galling that the game’s first booking, albeit correct, came a minute later as Nugent used a hand to turn a freekick into the goal. Five minutes later and another inspiring Dulwich move came within an ace of breaking the deadlock. Patterson’s neat pass found Side in space in the area, the striker delivering a low cross that Nugent flicked through his legs to the unmarked Kenny Beaney at the back of the box. His shot beat Hasell but not covering defender Des Thomas who hacked the ball to safety off the goalline.
With five minutes to the break Dulwich again had the ball in the net as Dayes arrived at the back post to head in a corner but once again the referee’s whistle was to see the goal chalked off as Side was penalised for hampering the keeper. The Hamlet were almost punished for this as poor marking at a freekick saw Williams arrive at the back of the box to head the ball back across the area to Soteriou but his header landed harmlessly on the roof of the net.
The Hamlet were to finish the half in the ascendancy but goalless thanks to the heroics of Hasell, as a sweeping Hamlet move ended with a stunning shot from O’Brien that was matched by Hasell’s flying leap to tip the ball over the bar. Again, the custodian came to his side’s rescue as the corner was delivered, twice provided killer punches to deny the Hamlet.
The second half brought no respite from the excitement as a full-blooded cup-tie continued to enthral. Seven minutes in a Leyton corner found skipper Scott Honeyball, an inelegant header blocked on the line by Bulent. Soon after, Dulwich fans were howling for a penalty of their own as Roy Parkyn cleared handled the ball on the floor as he and Beaney challenged for the ball. Confidence in the officials was further undermined when Side became the second Dulwich man to see yellow for what was his first foul of note, though Mr Bushell did start to even things up, first when Scott Curley was rather unfortunately booked after challenging for the ball with Quarm. Not doubts though about the next caution as Parkyn got his just desserts following a nauseating challenge as Beaney as the young winger tried to give him the slip. One could tell the hosts were getting rattling as yet another foul saw a freekick dropped into the area, Dayes stabbed the ball wide from close range.
Then with 67 minutes on the clock came the breakthrough and what a goal to savour as Bulent won the ball on the left and with the defence anticipating a cross, the tricky wingback unleashed a screamer of a drive that finally beat the seemingly impervious Hasell.
Their opponents now rocking Dulwich pressed home their advantage. Beaney curled a freekick from the edge of the area fractionally wide, before Quarm lashed a shot wide from ten yards after dancing into the box, shortly before selling an outrageous dummy but blazing his opportunity over the bar. This was to be his last contribution to the night’s entertainment as, bizarrely, he disappeared down the tunnel moments later, apparently struck down by illness. Confusion reigned as with Quarm’s reappearance unlikely, Dulwich attempted to bring on Ellis Conroy in his stead, the assistant referee seemingly unaware of Quarm’s departure. Eventually Conroy made it on to the pitch to add his steel to Dulwich’s cause, a nervous final ten minutes endured, but at last brought to an end by a blast of Mr Bushell’s whistle. Another trip north of the Thames lies in wait in the semi-finals with a trip to either Wingate & Finchley or Redbridge FC on the cards. Playing like this, the Hamlet should fear neither.
Teams:
LFC: James Hasell; Des Thomas; Roy Parkyn; Scott Honeyball (Capt.); Ben Wood; Scott Curley; Dean Bradshaw (Neil Thompson 84); James Hawes (Malcolm Dannie 58 (Trevor Paul 76)); Manny Williams; Vas Soteriou; Leli Bajada
Subs not used: Simon Peddie; Dave Morgan
DHFC: Paul Seuke; Jason Turley; Kemal Bulent; Alex O’Brien; Tom Ababio; Gavin Dayes (Danny Twin 73); Francis Quarm (Ellis Conroy 84); Charley Side; Meshach Nugent; Kevin Beaney; Marlon Patterson
Subs not used: Lee Akers; Jermaine Adan; Nicolas Plumain
