Brentwood Town 1 Dulwich Hamlet 0

Brentwood Town 1 Dulwich Hamlet 0
FA Trophy – Preliminary Round
Saturday 6th October 2007

A monotonous match where scoring opportunities were severely rationed was ultimately decided by some astute goal poaching from Brentwood’s leading scorer Sean Thomas, whose predatory instincts ensured he was in the right place to polish off the rebound after Sheikh Ceesay had made a fine save to batter out a searing free kick from the hosts’ Terry Scotchmer.
On a undulating pitch and against high-flying hosts who had not conceded a goal in 370 minutes of football, football was never going to be pretty who Dulwich were as much architects of their own downfall as they played into the hands, or rather heads, of the Blues, Hamlet’s attack force too often starved off the ball as cross after cross, pass after pass was eaten up by the towering trio guarding the gateway to goal.
Not that Brentwood were all attrition in defence for as early as the third minute their signalling attacking intentions as Chris Neville slipped a pass down the left wing, allowing Thomas to gallop off in pursuit, turning Jermaine Hinds inside out but unable to beat Ceesay with the eventual shot, the Hamlet number one spreading to block the drive with his legs.
On 17 minutes Steve May latched on to the loose ball after Scott Edgar had been beaten in the air to a long Hinds pass out of defence. The nippy wingman danced across the face of the penalty area looking for the opening before letting fly with a scorching drive from inside the D but much to his dismay the strike flew wide of the upright.
The games decisive moment came not long after, a mesmerising run from Lee Noble saw him hit the floor as Shayne Mangodza went in for the tackle, the big Hamlet defender booked for his indiscretion but worse was to follow as Scotchmer’s drive begat Thomas’s goal.
Dulwich supremo Craig Edwards decided a change was in order, a frustrated Hinds the sacrificial lamb as Meshach Nugent was brought on to bolster the attack. However the Brentwood’s gargantuan guard feasting on the tasty morsels Hamlet were tossing them, Dulwich found themselves starved of chances. Indeed only Stanley Muguo spectacular volley came close to wiping out that lead before the break, Muguo letting rip as Nugent’s header dropped at his feet but the volley dropped wide of ‘keeper Mark Palmer’s right hand post by a fraction.
The wounded beast was stung by that narrow escape and soon Brentwood were setting up camp in the Dulwich penalty area as corner after corner rained in on Ceesay’s goal but the young custodian was not found wanting, first turning away a shovelled volley from Neville after the defender had hammered back Ceesay’s punch out, then turning a vicious inswinging effort from Noble at corner flag against the top of his crossbar and behind. A third corner again saw Ceesay in top form battering down a close range effort before flopping on to the loose as at last Hamlet could lift the blue siege. However Brentwood still threaten again before the break as sloppy Hamlet midfield play saw the ball surrendered to Noble, his cross field pass picking out Joao Carlo loitering across the field on the left. Rather than take on May though he elected for the extravagant, a dropping lob trying to catch Ceesay off guard but only clearing the bar.
The second half brought more from the Hamlet but with Brentwood intransigent in defence there would be little relief for beleaguered Hamlet and her frustrated fans, who demand, if not skill, at least effort and simplicity. That the former was there was no doubt, but the latter was replaced by over elaboration, intricacy where ease should rule. The Blues content to watch Hamlet dance in front of them before a well-placed, or often not, challenge ended that particular endeavour. Little wonder that Brentwood fans choose to watch from behind Palmer’s goal for the key to their success lies there, deep in the heart of that defence. The pace of Carlos and Thomas up front did cause a few worries when the rare raids but an inability to retain their footing under challenge contributed to a quieter second half fro Ceesay. Unfortunately for Hamlet his opposite number was equally underemployed.
A powerful charge through the thick Blue line from a fired-up Muguo had the travelling support holding their breath in anticipation but a swarm of blue smothered the chance as Muguo rocketed into the penalty area. Not long after a deep ball in from the left was nodded only as far as May by Neville, a stinging strike receiving the merest of flicks from Nugent but bringing the best out of Palmer, full-length stretched across the turf on fingertip the ball away low at the base of his right hand upright.
One final card for Edwards to play, young Billy Chattaway on as Hamlet inject urgency into the increasing scrappy final few minutes. The kid had a swift introduction to football Brentwood style as Steve King’s crunching tackle left the young substitute doubled up in agony and saw the miscreant slapped with a caution from referee Mr Watson. The free kick was dropped in at the back of the six yard box, Ricky Dobson nodding the ball back across the face of goal but red shirted in absentia, the seemingly ubiquitous Neville was on hand to bullet the ball to safety with his trusted noggin. The stop start nature of a half peppered with free kicks meant interminable stoppage time but the devil sat on the Hamlet’s shoulder as the time drifted by with the best to show for their last-ditch efforts a low drive from the edge of penalty by Chattaway battered away by the massed ranks of blue-shirted defenders.

DHFC: Sheikh Ceesay; Jermaine Hinds (Meshach Nugent 27); Ricky Dobson; Benson Paka; Shayne Mangodza; Gbenga Sonuga; Shawn Beveney; Sol Patterson-Bohner (Billy Chattaway 87); Scott Edgar (Phil Williams 65); Stanley Muguo; Steve May
Substitutes not used: Anton Innocent; Nas Hussein (GK)

BTFC: Mark Palmer; Steven King; Chris Neville; Terry Scotchmer; Jonathon Whittaker; Gareth Street; Joao Carlos (Steve Harrisson 83); Dan Dafter; Sean Thomas; Daniel Carroll (Leon Diaczuk 65); Lee Noble (Donovan Wilson 59)
Substitutes not used: Trevor Paul; Nicky Mitchell

Goalscoring:
1-0 BTFC: Sean Thomas 24th minute

Match Officials:
Mr Mark Watson
Assistant Referees:
Mr Stuart Pawley & Mr Neil Jordison