Raynes Park Vale 1 Dulwich Hamlet 2

Tuesday 1st August 2006

Pre-Season Friendly

Next stop on the Dulwich Hamlet pre-season tour of suburbia and the outlying districts took in the rather inaptly named Grand Drive, but do not let appearances fool you for one of the great laws of Non-League, or “proper football” as it is known to the aficionados, is that the more ramshackle the surroundings the more hospitable the welcome. Not that hat often extends to the field of play for the hosts have made a habit of upsetting loftier aspirants playing a call on their wilderness ground tucked behind the edifices of suburban Commuterland. Two weeks previous it had been the AFC Wimbledon Football Special pulling into this pre-season branch line prior to the next step on its railroading, express ride back to the lofty peaks once scaled by Wimbledon FC before they decamped to the identikit conurbation of Milton Keynes, replete with its concrete cows. Then they had come within an ace of pricking the fledgling Dons balloon, racing ahead before being pegged back to an honourable draw. Hamlet’s heights would be set higher that. In Wayne’s World, each game is treated the same, victory is victory no matter the opposition, the philosophy handed down.
Hard pitches and hard work had taken its toll and Dulwich were unable to call on the services of Carl Emberson, whose athletic performances between the sticks in previous outings had peeled back the years. Injuries also ruled out midfielder Daniel Nwanze and striker Luke Cornwall, whilst Jason Turley had managed to find a rare window in the football calendar to take a holiday. Among those on show was an old familiar face as Tony Houghton returned at left back in an attempt to reclaim a place in the Dulwich squad.
Snapping at their opponents like young terriers, the tyros of Dulwich could have had this game sealed within mere minutes of the kick-off such were the chances that were created, yet spurned. Two minutes in and the galloping Carlton Murray-Price was sent sprawling in the penalty area as he chased an incisive pass from midfield, his legs slashed from under him by the crudest of slow challenges. Nicolas Plumain took on the responsibilities of penalty taker but though the power was present the ball was always rising as it cannoned to safety off the crossbar. A couple of minutes later and but for a magnificent one-handed save from home keeper Cornwell, changing direction in midair as he flung himself right to batter out a screaming shot from Lee Hynes, letting loose with a cannonball from 25 yards out. The custodian was a little less flustered when dealing with a similar long range effort from Cedric Meeko, the midfielder making room for himself, but his drive cushioning itself in Cornwell’s midriff.
On 18 minutes came the breakthrough, a deserved one for the Hamlet and for livewire striker Murray-Price as his electric pace allowed him to get the better of the defence in a chase for Meeko’s threaded pass and angling the ball home past the keeper.
Chances to add to the slender lead came and went like fleeting dreams. Gavin Dayes rose unchallenged to meet a corner but flicked a header agonisingly wide. Kenny Beaney’s long range effort took a benevolent deflection into a relieved keeper’s arms. A tasty chase from Murray-Price set up the chance for Plumain to atone for his earlier miss from the spot, the ball running to him as defenders converged on the Hamlet striker, but Plumain’s hurried effort was in vain as the ball was lashed high over the goal from a few yards out.
Murray-Price continued to torment the home defence, red boots on fire as he danced past the keeper in the six yard box but from the tightest of angles, his attempt to tuck the ball home was thwarted by a backtracking defender at the post. No such denial for Phil Williams soon after as Lee Hynes snapped the offside trap to canter away down the right wing, his low cross whizzing unchallenged across the face of goal to Williams at the back post only to be drilled wide with the goal at his mercy.
It was only to expected that all these spurned opportunities the hosts would grab one of their own before the break, history teaches us nothing more so. Six minutes remained of the half when Dulwich’s defence were caught cold. The ball was latched on to in the space behind Houghton and with young Chris Lewington, deputising for Emberson in goal, caught in No Man’s Land, an unselfish centre found Poulter who bravely launched himself between two defenders to nod the ball into the unguarded net.
With Dulwich dominant but lacking incision, the first half had been one-way traffic in all but scoreline. The second half would be less so, though Hamlet did at least claim a winner before the hour was up as Murray-Price cemented his claim to start the season, adding a second goal in determined fashion. Running on to a slipped pass into the area, his chance to seem to have evaporated when the keeper rushed from his line to block the first opening but the striker’s instinct kicked in and there was no reprieve for the hosts as Murray-Price stretched a leg to stab the rebound past the prostrate custodian.
Soon after came a raft of changes as five replacements took the field to add to Lewis Tozer who entered the fray in the stead of Gavin Dayes 10 minutes in. Others would later join as a total of eight changes were made in the course of a second half that started to become a bit scrappy particularly in the Hamlet defence which might have been penetrated once again had Raynes Park not baulked at a number of chances that fell their way.
The threat abated though as Dulwich steadied their ship and the lead might have been added as dusk settled over suburbia. Even El Supremo, Wayne Burnett, sporting a severe new tonsure, got in on the act with some whimsical footwork in the heart of the pitch, an elegant chip deserving more than to sail harmlessly over a leaden footed keeper and his crossbar. Add to that a Joel Greaves chance at the end of a flowing move where the dreadlocked striker hooked up with Jean-Serge Musungu to produce a first time snap shot that whistled a fraction too far the wrong side of the upright and victory might have been more comfortable than the scoreline suggested.

DHFC: Chris Lewington; Nicolas Plumain; Jamie Coyle; Gavin Dayes; Tony Houghton; David Moore; Cedric Meeko; Kenny Beaney; Phil Williams; Carlton Murray-Price; Lee Hynes

Subs used: Lewis Tozer; Joel Greaves; Jean-Serge Musungu; Wayne Burnett; Ohran Stewart; Yinka Salaam; Billy Warner; Chris Hurst

Definitely one of the stranger ones of these I have come across

Write Like An Egyptian

Horley Town 1 Dulwich Hamlet 5

Saturday 29th July 2006

Pre-Season Friendly

"Oi'll Give It Foive", seems to the mantra of the Hamlet as Horley Town became the latest side to wilt before a second half Dulwich onslaught that turned a clash made equal as much by the Hamlet’s muddled play as by the hosts’ dogged determination not to let their loftier opponents escape the confines of the New Defence without a few bruises to both pride and body. From the off this was a feisty encounter, an unpleasant undercurrent always bubbling beneath, much more suited to a chilly winter evening’s mid-season tussle for points than a supposed pre-season run out beneath the tree that line the River Mole and mark out the Surrey/Sussex borders. At least the young referee took a pragmatic approach to the biting tackles and snarling challenges around him, cards rare but still brandished, a word of admonishment preferred over the flash of yellow or red, where a more dogmatic official might have sent the offenders to cool their jets on the sidelines.
Cruelly relegated to the Combined Counties Division One through no fault of their own, the chance to show their prowess against opposition from higher echelons was not one to be tossed aside lightly. The Hamlet were soon aware of the challenge that faced them as alert Horley striker, Jason Davy thought he had slipped the leash of Dulwich’s defence, only for a linesman’s flag to halt him in his tracks. However with Dulwich frequently at sixes and sevens as players seemed unsure of their true roles, it was not long before the chance presented itself again and this time there was no offside to spare the Hamlet’s blushes. With the Hamlet rearguard squeezed up almost to the halfway line a precision pass found Daly whizzing away in the acres of space afforded him on the right. Carl Emberson, alert to the attack, tried his utmost to distract the onrushing striker but the wily Daly was hell-bent on completed his mission, nipped pass Emberson as he spread himself at his feet before coolly tapping the ball into the unguarded nets as Dulwich’s defence rushed back in a vain effort to undo the damage of their slack defending.
Daly was again at the centre of attention clattering into the back of Nicolas Plumain as the Dulwich defender waited for a high ball to drop. An unnecessary attempt at revenge from the fallen Plumain as the two tangled on the deck and suddenly players from both sides were at each others throats. When the dust finally settled, the referee singled out Gavin Dayes for the afternoon’s first caution.
As red mist clouded the contest, Dulwich went on became an increasing frustrating search for parity, denied in the most by their own inadequate finishing, though at least the Horley custodian did gain some plaudits, blocking well at the feet of Jean-Serge Musungu and making light work of a well struck drive from the edge of the box by Ohran Stewart. All his heroics could prevent Dulwich at last getting on level terms as half-time drew ever closer. Musungu powered forward from the halfway line with the ball glued to his feet, before slipping the ball wide to Yinka Salaam overlapping down the left wing to hit a good strike on the run but the keeper was down to parry but only across the face of his own goal. With the home defence like statues, Stewart was first to react, slamming the ball home from close range.
To add insult to injury, deserved half-time equality for the hosts became a deficit almost on the whistle as a spot-kick was awarded against them in harsh circumstances, the challenge on Joel Greaves tame, possibly even legitimate, by the standards of those that had been brushed aside before. Not that young Greaves was complaining as he dusted himself down before striking home the penalty to send the Hamlet to the break a goal ahead.
Not that half-time would give them a respite for now they would face a none-too-pleased manager, his words of rebuke mixed in with those of encouragement. Those bon mots had the desired effect as the second half saw Dulwich blow their opponents away in an orgy of attacking football. Substitute Phil Williams set the tinder-dry turf alight once more with a steaming run within seconds of the restart that left claret and blue clad defenders a distant memory as the winger hared into the penalty area, only to overtake the ball as he rounded the keeper and slam the chance into the side netting as his pace threatened to take him into the next county.
As Dulwich dazzled, Horley’s halting raids diminished until they were no more. "All hands to the pump boys", came the rallying call from the Claret and Blue as the New Defence became the All Out Defence. But Hamlet would have to bide their time before the chances were converted into goals. Then, just like grouse on the Yorkshire Moors, a brace was dispatched within a matter of moments. First came from the boot of Carlton Murray-Price, applying the final brush strokes at the end of a well choreographed free-kick routine following a foul on the edge of the box. Laid back the ball was lofted in to the back of the six yard box as the hosts’ rearguard lackadaisically pulled out to where Jamie Coyle was waiting and his expert pull back found the young striker lurking to bury the ball past the exposed goalie. Barely had play restarted than the ball was being picked out of the net once more as David Moore chased after a long punt forward, the most exquisite of chips leaving the keeper rooting to spot as the ball sailed over his head and into the net. At least the keeper could point to one cracking save to prevent Dulwich further extending the lead, reacting instinctively to batter away a fierce attempted clearance from his own player that had own goal screaming from every orifice. Still he would still find himself beaten once again as the game entered its final throes, the relentless Hamlet pressure have long since done for his defence as Murray-Price latched on to the ball to decisively clip the ball home and complete the afternoon’s entertainment.

Starting XI: Carl Emberson; Ohran Stewart; Nicolas Plumain; Yinka Salaam; Jamie Coyle; Gavin Dayes; Chris Hurst; Kenny Beaney; Lee Hynes; Jean-Serge Musungu; Joel Greaves

Subs used: David Moore; Phil Williams; Carlton Murray-Price; Cedric Meeko; Wayne Burnett; Lewis Tozer; Chris Lewington (GK)

Carlton Murray-Price

Phil Williams holds up the ball as Nicolas Plumain provides the overlap

Jean-Serge Musungu

Kenny Beaney

Dulwich players get a brisk talking to as the referee prepares to dish out a booking

dulwich hamlet