Dulwich Hamlet 2 Croydon Athletic 2

Ryman Isthmian League Division One South

Monday 28^th August 2006

Bank holiday blues at Champion Hill as the Hamlet came within an ace of their first home victory of the current campaign, only to see it snatched from their grasp by a late equaliser from one of their alumni, substitute Wade Falana. An 82^nd minute guided missile from the one time Hamlet hitman robbed Dulwich of what could, nay should, have been a comfortable victory had they not been thwarted by some masterful keeping by veteran custodian James Wastell and their own profligacy as numerous goalscoring opportunities fell by the wayside.

Unchanged from Saturday's maiden victory, the Hamlet found themselves facing up to a team chock full with former Pink and Blue heroes and villains and one of them, Charley Side, was to provide the home fans with a reminder that his prodigious talent in front of goal had not dimmed since his departure for pastures new. Barely 20 seconds had elapsed from the opening whistle and Dulwich skipper Jamie Coyle found Adolf Amoako buzzing around him like an angry gnat. Rather than wallop the ball beyond infinity to some safer environs, he tried to play it away but succeeded in supplying only the lurking Side. Not one to spurn such a present Side took great joy in banging the ball past the exposed James Pullen, staking his claim for the season's fastest goal.

Clearly rattled, Hamlet might well have found themselves further in arrears by the 5^th minute as Amoako created the chance for himself but succeeded only in burying the ball into Pullen's midriff. It took some time before Pink and Blue boys regained their composure but when the chances at last started to flow, their found their nemesis in the ample form of Wastell, a frightening figure more suited to a 70's episode of Doctor Who than the football field, but when the chips are down a formidable opponent. So Dulwich found. First to be denied was Phil Williams, twisting and turning like a dervish, he left defenders in his wake but faced with Wastell could not get the lift to chip the keeper as he spread himself at his feet. Moments later Williams slid a pass into the path of the overlapping Luke Cornwall but again Wastell was there to block as he was when Chris Dickson exploited the same gap soon after.

On 22 minutes the chance of an equaliser went west, as Dickson slipped the bonds of a static offside trap, knocked the ball past the fast advancing Wastell but with the ball seemingly inexorably destined for the back of the net, Dickson found himself robbed of the ball on the very goal line as Jon Waite somehow got back to produce a goal saving tackle.

A penalty shout as Kenny Beaney was sent airborne as he collected a pass from Nicolas Plumain, adding to the wing attack, but naught by a wistful shake of the head from referee Mr Collins. A neat swivel a yard inside the area from Cornwall that bamboozled his marker but a low drive was always going that fraction too far the wrong side of the upright. Another brave Wastell block to deny Dickson and home hopes of an equaliser to sweeter the half time seemed forlorn. Then deep in stoppage time, extended apparently interminably, a goal came almost out of nothing. A deep Beaney corner dropped invitingly for captain Coyle and with a might swing of his boot, the ball singed the very air as it was dispatched heartily into the corner of the net with the seemingly Wastell for once powerless. Having atoned for this earlier error the ecstasy in Coyle's celebration was there for all to see. So tight to half time had it come that there was barely time to even restart the contest.

Clearly buoyed by the boost of a goal the Hamlet started the second half in upbeat mode. When a long crossfield pass picked out Williams loitering in clear space on the left wing, a second goal looked on the cards but with Wastell stranded in No Man's Land, the Hamlet winger took too long to make up his mind where the ball was going and Waite was across in a flash to make a telling interception.

The Rams added muscle to their attack as Falana replaced Side but the Hamlet's renewed vigour sorely tested them. Almost on cue an injudicious comment from Danny Ward in the direction of the referee earned him the afternoon's first yellow card.

But for a tackle timed to perfection by the overworked Waite, Williams might have burst through into a scoring position whilst Cornwall in space on the right might have elected to find another Pink and Blue shirt, though his powerful drive from the tightest of angles was mere inches too high.

At last, just before the hour mark a goal materialised as Dickson's anticipation saw him outpace the defence to meet the ball, coolly lobbing Wastell, stranded far from his line. This provided a catalyst for sustained Dulwich domination but against the odds further goals were not forthcoming. From a corner Lewis Tozer crashed a header against the crossbar. Seconds later as David Moore lashed the loose ball back into the danger area; Coyle struck a venomous effort but always curling too wide.

With eight minutes on the lock Dulwich were made to pay as another former Hamlet hero came back to haunt the Hill. This time it was the veteran Falana who was to capitalise as he met a deep ball in from the right with a shot on the run of such power it seemed to pass through Pullen as if he were a phantom.

With time against them, Hamlet vainly sought a winner but fate and Wastell would conspire against them, the ‘I Zingari' keeper produced a fine block to deny Williams from close range. From a corner Tozer looped a header over but best chance came deep, deep in injury time as at the end of an exquisite move, Dickson stretched to meet a low cross only to stab his effort agonisingly wide of the back stick.

Teams:

DHFC: James Pullen; Jason Turley; Nicolas Plumain; Daniel Nwanze; Jamie Coyle (Capt.); Lewis Tozer; David Moore (Danny Moore 77); Kenny Beaney; Luke Cornwall (Sol Pinnock 73); Chris Dickson; Phil Williams

Subs not used: Jamie Cheeseman; Ohran Stewart; Carlton Murray-Price

CAFC: James Wastell; Mark Waters; Danny Cecil; Jon Waite; James Gibson (Capt.); Danny Ward; Mark Simmons (Julian Curnow 65); Gareth Graham (Veli Hakki 53); Adolf Amoako; Charley Side (Wade Falana 50); Tyrone Myton

Subs not used: Chris Malik; Danny Lombardo

Attendance: 305

Officials:

Referee: Mr Lee Collins

Assistant Referees: Mr Phil Stevens & Mr Peter Georgiou

Goal Scoring:

1-0: CAFC: Charley Side 1^st minute

1-1: DHFC: Jamie Coyle 45^th minute

2-1: DHFC: Chris Dickson 59^th minute

2-2: CAFC: Wade Falana 82^nd minute