Dulwich Hamlet 6 Tooting and Mitcham United 7

(After Extra Time - Full Time 5-5)

FA Trophy Preliminary Round Replay

Tuesday 10th October 2006

“And gentlemen in England, now abed, Shall think themselves accursed they were not here, and hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks that fought with us upon Saint Crispin's Day.”

Young lads, sitting upon their grandfather’s knee, might have listened incredulous to tall tales of matches such as these in days of yore when sweets were rationed but goals were not. Flat caps were de rigueur in the days Champion Hill last witnessed a game of such outright lunacy as this contest for the dubious privilege of a trip to Borehamwood in the First Round of this competition, though that will come with the morning hangover for Tooting’s travelling band for whom the biggest prize on offer was bragging rights till next this two cross swords in anger. For Hamlet there is only introspection, half-a-dozen goals but still defeat, careless defending as much at fault as Tooting firepower.

With Hamlet unchanged from Saturday, it was left to the visitors to make the alterations with Simon Mitchell and Jamie Findlay elevated from the bench to the starting line-up. Barring Henry Darko, this was the selection that had ended the original tie on a high and they opened the evening’s entertainment in a similar manner. Craig Tanner posted intention with a crunching tackle that left Nicolas Plumain crumpled on the floor as the first whistle was still drifting off on the breeze. A rattled Hamlet then found themselves trailing with just two minutes on the clock as a left wing cross as nodded out by Danny Moore only as far as Matt York. A delicately placed header from the Tooting skipper wide to Allan McLeod, overlapping down the right, set up the one-time Hamlet man to spin over a deep cross to the back of the six yard box to the lurking Paul Vines and despite Dulwich custodian Chris Lewington getting a hand to the ball there was no way he could prevent the striker’s powerful header finding the back of the net.

Vines might have turned villain on 10 minutes when a heavy challenge on Kenny Beaney gave the Hamlet a free kick a yard outside the penalty area but Beaney failed to extract vengeance as he curled the dead ball over the crossbar. No matter, three more minutes elapsed and Dulwich were back on level terms. Chris Dickson bullied Dean Hamlin off the ball before powering towards goal. Drawing keeper Dave King away from his goal, Dickson squared the ball across goal to the waiting Phil Williams and the wingman had the simplest of tasks to tuck the ball into the net as it lay invitingly open in front of him.

The two sides exchanged chances as first Dickson, after some tricky juggling of the ball, tried a long distance stab at goal before Vines unleashed a steamer of a drive on the run that brought an equally stunning save out of young Lewington as he flung himself across goal to one-handedly turn the ball past his left upright.

Midway through the half and Hamlet were forced into a reshuffle as centre-half Gavin Dayes limped from the field of combat to be replaced by Cedric Meeko. Back into the heart of defence dropped Daniel Nwanze, Meeko taking on his midfield enforcer role. The substitute soon found himself incurring the ire of the referee as his first tackle brought a yellow card. This piece of eccentric officiating from Mr Collins may have irked but his next key contribution was to invoke apoplexy amongst the Hamlet following as he awarded his third penalty of the tie. Under minimal contact and zero protest from the Black and White hoards behind the goal, Vines went to ground in the area and suddenly Mr Collins was pointing to the spot. York again took on responsibility and, if his Saturday conversion had lacked conviction, there was no doubt as to where this one was going as he hammered the ball high into the top corner of the net beyond Lewington’s despairing dive.

Attacking down the left, Williams created an opening that ended with Beaney’s effort curling wide from 20 yards out. Soon after King was almost embarrassed as a low ball behind the defence, a fraction too far ahead of Dickson, evaded the keeper’s grasp but rolled wide of the far post much to King’s relief. Back the action swung to the other end as Tooting forced a corner; the omnipresent Vines arriving unmarked at the front of the six yard box only to bullet his header over the bar. Right on half time, Tooting thought they had been gifted a second penalty as Nwanze seemed to handle a left wing cross but the whistle from Mr Collins was to signal the break, not another spot kick.

Half time saw Dulwich replace the ineffectual David Moore with the lightning quick Eniola Oluwa and his pace was to play a direct influence in Hamlet’s next equaliser on 50 minutes. Haring down the left wing, Oluwa laid in a low cross that King seemed to have bravely claimed at the feet of the predatory Dickson but somehow the ball squirmed from his grasp. With the goal gaping Williams might have capitalised instantly but he chose to take on Tanner only to be unceremoniously upended. As Tanner was booked for his misdemeanour, Dickson shaped up to take the spot kick, oblivious to Hamlin’s attempts to unnerve him, kicking the ball off the spot as he walked past, an offence committed under the gaze of the assistant referee but going unpunished. Calmness personified, Dickson steeped up to the mark and brazenly rolled the ball home as he sent King the wrong way.

Dulwich delirium was swiftly substituted for Tooting thrills as the visitors restored their lead almost instantly. The Hamlet rearguard went to sleep as Vines nodded a long punt into the space between keeper and defence, Findlay capitalising as he latched on to the ball and slid it nonchalantly past Lewington. Twice Dickson threatened to bring things level again but a shot out of nothing was well held by King before the Hamlet striker latched on to a neat pass in the area, only to drive his effort wide of the target.

On 57 minutes, Tooting gave themselves rare breathing space as Dulwich’s glass-jawed defence was laid low once more with Mitchell picking up a pass across the middle before letting fly with a dipping drive from distance that gave a leaping Lewington no chance.

King denied Dickson with a fine one-handed stop as the striker fired a shot in from an acute angle, but Dulwich were to receive another injury blow soon after as Tozer was forced from the field. With no defenders on the bench, Sol Pinnock took the centre-half’s place, the Hamlet’s formation a throw back to the days of dubbin, three across the back, five in attack. Pinnock did not have long to announce his arrival as Hamlet were awarded a free kick on the brink of the area. Up steeped Pinnock, curling the ball up, over the wall and under the crossbar as King flung himself in vain to keep it out.

Vines missed a great chance to restore the two goal four minutes later when he found himself in space of the left of the area only to drive a wayward shot wide of the far post with the goal at his mercy. That miss would soon come back to haunt the Terrors. The racehorse pace of the coltish Pinnock proved too much for the carthorse of the Tooting defence and, as King tried to narrow the angle, Pinnock restored parity insouciantly tucking the ball inside the near post of the advancing custodian.

On came the pocket battleship of the Terrors’ bench, Henry Darko, the young pretender taking the place of battling veteran Mitchell up front but soon Tooting plans were in disarray as McLeod foolishly allowed his tongue to get the better off him. Dithering over a throw, McLeod was incandesced when the referee reversed the throw, his invective earning a second yellow card and dismissal, despite Tooting coach Frank Coles attempts to pull him off before the referee could get his book out.

Remarkably the ten men found extra heart and with three minutes to go it seemed as if the match had been won as Tanner pumped in a deep free kick from the left wing and Sergeant York underlined his leadership, his header lopping crazily over Lewington and dropping behind him into the net. Still the madness was not ended. Hamlet appealed in vain for a penalty as Williams’s headlong dash into the box ended as his legs were removed from under him but the pressure was sustained. The ball found its way to Oluwa who drilled the ball low across the face of the 6 yard box to where Daniel Jones lurked at the back. The youngster kept his head, firing the ball low back across King. In stoppage time, Jones had the chance to win the game as he was sent scampering away down the right but from a difficult angle he lifted his shot wide of the goal with only King standing between him and glory.

Half an hour the Wood would have to wait before they found out their opponents. Early on in extra time, Nwanze met a corner only to loop his header over the crossbar, before the goals started to flow once more. 103 minutes, Hamlet rampaged upfield, the ball finding Jones on the edge of the area. A neat side step eluded his marker but there was a pinch of good fortune about the goal for though the power of the shot might have made King redundant, a deflection left him floundering.

Next attack and Pinnock dragged a shot wide of the upright, but with Hamlet lacking the wisdom of age, they found themselves caught short at the back, Vines taking on and beating Plumain, before an exocet missile of a shot unerringly found its target.

The combatants might have been tiring but there was no let up in the thrills and spills. Dickson’s storming run carved out an opening for Jones, but King reacted in timely fashion to block for a corner. Then cometh the hour, cometh the man as the Hamlet defence was again left in tatters. Adam Broomhead’s speculative shot looked bound for nowhere until it cannoned off a defender into the path of substitute Darko. The reserve team graduate’s moment of glory would not pass him by. Calmly he gathered the ball, waited until Lewington committed himself then hammered a ferocious drive into the far corner of the net.

The cavalry charge was stilled, the blast of the blunderbuss and stench of cordite lingered in the air as Hamlet regrouped themselves for an all out onslaught but to no avail. The facts spoke for themselves, five times Tooting had led in this match, just once had the Hamlet held the upper hand, quality goals scored but excruciating ones conceded. For the victors and neutrals a night to savour, for me, I must hie myself to a dark corner.

Teams:

DHFC: Chris Lewington; Nicolas Plumain; Danny Moore; Daniel Nwanze (Capt.); Gavin Dayes (Cedric Meeko 22); Lewis Tozer (Sol Pinnock 65); David Moore (Eniola Oluwa HT); Kenny Beaney; Daniel Jones; Chris Dickson; Phil Williams

Subs not used: Luke Cornwall, Theo Fairweather-Johnson

T&MUFC: Dave King; Allan McLeod; Craig Tanner; Adam Broomhead; Dean Hamlin; Aaron Day; Vernon Francis; Matt York; Paul Vines (Jason Pinnock 108); Simon Mitchell (Henry Darko 84); Jamie Findlay (Barry Gardner 96)

Subs: Adam Locke; Sheikh Ceesay (GK)

Attendance: 288

Officials:

Referee: Lee Collins (Aldershot)

Assistant Referees: Arif Khalfe (Lambeth) & Mark Williams (Barnes)

Goalscoring:

0-1 T&MUFC Paul Vines 2nd minute

1-1 DHFC Phil Williams 13th minute

1-2 T&MFC Matt York (Penalty) 34th minute

2-2 DHFC Chris Dickson (Penalty) 50th minute

2-3 T&MFC Jamie Findlay 51st minute

2-4 T&MFC Simon Mitchell 57th minute

3-4 DHFC Sol Pinnock 74th minute

4-4 DHFC Sol Pinnock 82nd minute

4-5 T&MFC Matt York 87th minute

5-5 DHFC Daniel Jones 89th minute

Extra Time

6-5 DHFC Daniel Jones 98th minute

6-6 T&MFC Paul Vines 104th minute

6-7 T&MFC Henry Darko 112th minute

Tooting and Mitcham United 2 Dulwich Hamlet 2

The FA Trophy – Preliminary Round

Saturday 7th October 2006

Alongside the great cathedrals of football, Imperial Fields is but a small chapel but its faithful if thinning congregation still await a second coming, the day when the raucous voices of the Black & White hoards is heard once again in land. Latest perceived messiah to take on the heavy mantle of that expectation is one Billy Smith, a man whose sides reflect a philosophy and belief in football in the raw, but for whom the sword of Damocles dangles as his much-hyped charges languish near the foot of the division, gazing plaintively up like paupers at the rich man’s table as the promotion chasers already threaten to gallop over the horizon. One of those highfliers came a-knocking at the doors of Imperial Fields as the FA Trophy brought welcome relief to the drudgery of the league struggle and with it a visit from the Terrors deadliest rivals and Smith’s erstwhile employers, Dulwich Hamlet. The omens were none too good for defeat at Imperial Fields is an unknown to the Hamlet since this continental creation replaced the crumbling edifice that was Sandy Lane.

One surprise in the Hamlet line-up was the replacement of the industrious Luke Cornwall in attack with young Daniel Jones, making his debut in the starting line-up. Those that questioned the decision soon found themselves chewing on their words with the tyro striker capping an impressive performance with a sweetly taken first half goal. With Jason Turley out through injury the only other change for the Hamlet saw Nicolas Plumain come in at right back. For their part the Terrors made just the one switch from a midweek Westview marathon at Croydon Athletic as Jamie Findlay dropped to the bench and Craig Tanner returned to the starting line-up.

Almost from the kick-off, Tooting’s Jason Pinnock had the chance to spark a light in his side’s gloomy season as he latched on to a half hit clearance from Gavin Dayes but could not punish the lapse as a poor shot was scrambled away by Chris Lewington, Hamlet’s cup custodian in the absence of James Pullen.

No Danny Ward to light the fires of enmity, but this game was not to be lacking its fair share of tasty tackles courtesy of Dulwich skipper Daniel Nwanze and one-time Hamlet defender Allan McLeod, both determined to put one over on former sides. Nwanze, who shook the hands of Tooting’s players as captain now shook their bones with a series of wince-inducing challenges. The midfield’s determination cemented a good opening period for the Hamlet that came within an ace of conjuring a goal as Kenny Beaney delivered a leftwing free kick into the near post where a spring heeled Chris Dickson met the ball only to volley wide of the upright.

McLeod too made his mark and might have considered himself lucky to escape with little more than a caution after a wild two footed challenge on Beaney, who might have exacted revenge popping the free kick on to the head of Nwanze only for the cross to be headed over.

Dulwich’s defence still looked vulnerable when tested, a weak pass from Plumain putting Dayes under pressure from Tanner who mugged the Hamlet defender for the ball, only to hit the floor as Dayes made a clumsy attempt to atone. A yellow card for the Hamlet man, though the stripe clad fans were screaming for the ultimate sanction. A haphazardly constructed wall almost proved fatal as Matt York swept the ball round its far edge only to miss the target by a fraction.

19 minutes and an excellently crafted goal saw the Hamlet draw first blood. At first it seemed as if Lewington had shanked his upfield clearance but a helping boot from David Moore on the wing saw the ball flicked over Tooting’s defence, pushed up almost to the halfway line and oblivious to the threat of Dickson until it was too late. Scampering away down the left, Diamond Dickson, so often the beneficiary, turned provider with the sweetest of crosses into the heart of the danger area where Jones was waiting poised to rise and nod the ball home.

From the restart, complacency almost cost Hamlet that hard gotten lead but Paul Vines continued the pattern of wasted chances for the Terrors, dragging a shot wide from a good position. The two sides sparred, chances at a premium until 29 minutes brought a scrappy equaliser. Amid a flurry of bodies in the Hamlet box, Dulwich failed to clear their lines despite a number of chances, an ungainly attempt at an overhead kick from Tanner eventually setting up Vines to stab the ball through a forest of legs into the far corner. The goal proved a rallying point for the hosts, Vines exploiting a gaping hole in the Hamlet rearguard mere moments later but stabbing the ball wide as Lewington bravely flung himself at his feet.

Weathering a torrent of monochrome attacks, Dulwich launched an attack against the tide as Beaney released Phil Williams goalwards, defenders trailing in his wake. It seemed a certain goal but an insipid finish allowed keeper Dave King to rescue his side, saving the shot low to his right. With half time fast approaching, Pinnock was again left cursing his luck as Tanner’s attempted strike from Barry Gardner was deflect into path but despite beating Lewington to the ball the striker could only head wide of the target. A clumsy foul once again set up York to try his luck with a free kick but, from 25 yards out, his effort was shovelled round the post by Lewington. In stoppage time Jones had the chance to add to his goal as David Moore flicked the ball into him but King was his equal, smartly off his line to gather.

Tooting started brightest after the break as Pinnock created the opportunity for Vernon Francis to stab an effort goalward only for Lewington to spot the shot on the line. The wake-up call had arrived for the Hamlet and Williams’ pace once again proved the undoing of the Terrors’ defence. Once more though the finish failed to live up to the anticipation, as King blocked the wingman’s shot with his legs. Next time the two would clash the Tooting custodian would not be so lucky as Williams charged down a McLeod clearance, racing clear on goal only to send sprawling on the left edge of area by King’s flailing hands. Up stepped Dickson to the spot, the ball calmly drilled into the bottom corner of the net despite King making a correct choice of where to dive.

Tooting rang the changes, first Findlay, then little and large strikers in the shape of much-travelled Simon Mitchell and reserve team graduate Henry Darko. In the meantime Beaney escaped with a mere yellow after an ill-judged lunge under the referee’s nose, past leniency surely influencing Mr Collins’ decision. Tooting coach Frank Coles was not as fortunate as his touchline blusterings drew the attention of the man in black and saw him confined to a seat in the stands for the rest of proceedings.

All Tooting’s effort seemed doomed to failure as, even when Hamlet’s defence wobbled, they could force a way through to the equaliser. Then salvation arrived courtesy of the eagle-eyes of an assistant referee, spotting a handball few in the ground, even those with black and white tinted spectacles, managed to pick up. McLeod’s centre struck a Hamlet defender amid a mêlée of players. Mere feet from the incident the referee saw naught but his assistant was flagging, earning a tirade from Stuart Hamlin who had ran to berate him, presumably incensed that a decision had been given against his side. That ire would soon dissolve in elation as a conference between the two officials ended with the award of a penalty kick, much to the chagrin of the nonplussed Hamlet. It was left to York to provide the coup de grace albeit sloppily as he rolled the spot kick wide of Lewington and in via the foot of the post.

Scenting victory Tooting were at the Hamlet’s collective throats, the livewire Darko at the heart of the onslaught. Shortly after Williams’ textbook tackle had ripped the ball off the toes of Findlay as he threatened to charge into the box, Darko nipped in behind the defence, dragging Lewington away from his line. Darko’s pull back seemed too deep, but the ball was headed but to Findlay who unleashed a seemingly unstoppable volley towards goal, unstoppable that is until Lewington redeemed himself with a flying save that had even the Terrors’ diehards behind the goal gasping in admiration, though diluted by frustration. Still the ball ran loose but stretching to a long cross to the back of the box Darko could only stab the ball into the side netting. Vines would waste a great opportunity with a rising drive that cleared the crossbar before both himself and the dangerous Darko had shots charged down in stoppage time before the final whistle brought a end to a derby, perhaps lacking the skill of a Merseyside or a Manchester, but equal in passion amongst the supplicants. Penalties proved significant this time, they may still do come the replay on Tuesday evening.

Teams:

T&MUFC: Dave King; Allan McLeod; Craig Tanner (Jamie Findlay 56); Adam Broomhead; Dean Hamlin; Aaron Day; Vernon Francis; Matt York; Paul Vines; Jason Pinnock (Simon Mitchell 60); Barry Gardner (Henry Darko 71)

Substitutes not used: Kevin Locke; Sheikh Ceesay (GK)

DHFC: Chris Lewington; Nicolas Plumain; Danny Moore; Daniel Nwanze (Capt.); Gavin Dayes; Lewis Tozer; David Moore (Eniola Oluwa 83); Kenny Beaney; Daniel Jones (Carlton Fairweather-Johnson 90); Chris Dickson (Sol Pinnock 83); Phil Williams

Substitutes not used: Cedric Meeko; Luke Cornwall

Attendance: 322

Officials:

Referee: Mr Lee Collins

Assistant Referees: Mr Andy Roberts & Mr Dave Moran

Goalscoring:

0-1 DHFC Daniel Jones 19th minute

1-1 T&MUFC Paul Vines 29th minute

1-2 DHFC Chris Dickson (Penalty) 55th minute

2-2 T&MUFC Matt York (Penalty) 81st minute