Dulwich Hamlet 1 Cray Wanderers 1

Dulwich Hamlet 1 Cray Wanderers 1
Ryman Isthmian League Division One South
Saturday 29^th December 2007

It was honours even in this hard-fought top five clash at Champion Hill as visitors Cray Wanderers halted Dulwich’s five match run of league victories courtesy of a late own goal by the ill-starred Marc Cumberbatch.
Cray threatened first when hesitancy in the Hamlet defence went unpunished with Michael Power unable to force the ball home when it dropped to him on the fringes of the six yard box. Though that threat was smothered a half-hearted clearance was redelivered from the left by Lewis Wood but Steve Aris could not connect at the back of the box with a stooping header. On nine minutes Dulwich had the ball in the back of the net as Benson Paka rose unchallenged to meet a free kick and power a close range header past Glen Knight from 6 yards out. However much to the bemusement of the “goal scorer” and the chagrin of supporters, the flag had already gone up against Paka, a harsh decision indeed. Cray too had the ball in the net, though delay twixt flag and “goal” was more pronounced on this occasion as an offside Power looped a header over a nonchalant Ceesay.
The ubiquitous Power had Ceesay more concerned when a snapshot from distance had the young Hamlet custodian flinging himself across goal but though the drive beat the dive, the ball nestled in the side netting. Gargantuan defender Ryan Royston threatened soon after as he met Jamie Wood’s dead ball delivery with a strong header but too high to trouble the Dulwich goal.
One-time Cray man, Junior Baker, making his full debut for the Hamlet wasted a golden opportunity to remind his former players of what they missed as the responsibility for a free kick a yard beyond the brink of the penalty area was clobbered high and harmless over Knight’s crossbar. However the threats from the men in Pink and Blue were mounting. Shawn Beveney mugged Aaron Day on the left; put the hammer down before lashing a low, dangerous ball into the heart of the penalty but with just too much juice on for the lurking Henry Darko. Moments later Hamlet’s second half of the ex-Cray twins, Lumumba Amena, chanced his arm with a hooked volley from 25 yards out, fizzing past the right hand upright with Knight static.
Worrying moments for Dulwich as Sebastian Schoburgh crept towards the touchline, clearly suffering. Lengthy treatment later required but where the flesh might have been weak, the spirit was willing, Hamlet’s Will-O'-The-Wisp perhaps running at 33⅓ rather than 78 but still running. Schoburgh was still straining at the bit on the touchline as reward at last for the Hamlet came on 36 minutes, Carpe diem Darko, the young striker seizing the moment to remind all of his explosive power. Beveney having laid the foundations, stalwartly holding up the ball against muscular Cray pressure, the baton and ball was passed to the diminutive Darko, a young saplings o’ershadowed by ancient oaks but delightfully tricking his way through the Cray defensive lines, he sped to the edge of the penalty area from whence he unleashed a guided missile of a strike, pummelling his drive just inside the left-hand post of Knight, diving across goal but all in vain.
As if to compound their misery, influential defender Mark Willy was injured as he and Beveney diving in for the same ball close to the touch. Whilst Beveney dusted himself off, Cray’s Willy, who had been outstanding in their promotion challenge this term lay flaccid on the turf as both physios came to his aid. However a severe gash to the leg had curtailed the big man’s participation, further off field treatment proved fruitless and as the game moved into a prolonged bout of stoppage time Willy was officially pulled off, a reshuffle in order as left-back Tyrone Sterling came on in the stead of the centre-half. The understudy almost had an instant impact, playing first fiddle on a fluent move down the left wing before supplying Power with the pass from which he drove a low strike in towards goal, deflected by the outstretched boot of skipper Jamie Wood, a glancing blow that might have deceived a less alert ‘keeper but not Ceesay, diving to his left to pluck the bouncing ball out of the ether.
Cautious Cray cast aside that mantle in a second half that threatened goals time after time but curmudgeonly officialdom would starve the Dulwich fans of that feast all that awaited them would be that late, unfortunate equaliser that would deflate Hamlet spirits almost at the death. Gnashing teeth Dulwich tore into their guests from first whistle. Misfortune haunted them though as first Beveney, a shot from 20 yards out deflected beyond the frame of the goal, then Darko twice in quick succession thwarted by first officialdom then by a tackle of supreme bravery. Ryan Royston was blessed by fortune when his hideous attempt to hook a wayward cross field ball to safety instead sent Darko galloping away clear on the goal of Knight, only to be stalled in his tracks as assistant referee Gareth Mays flagged him offside. Soon after Paka slipped an exquisite pass into Darko, hammering forward, but as he pulled the trigger on his strike, Day slid in to block that fierce shot eight yards out. The corner, delivered deep to the back of the six yard box, was met by the brave Baker, flying high, but crashing a header a foot too high before smashing himself into the post. Some sickening sounds from the prone Baker but treatment stilled painful thoughts.
Failure to score is an alien thought for Cray this term but when Lewis Wood misfired from close range after a rightwing cross had been chested down into his path, the shot flashing across the face of Ceesay’s goal, that notion took wings in Amber minds. Darko slipped the leash of the offside trap, chasing down a long ball beyond the last line of defence, stabbing below the body of the diving Knight but watching in agony as the ball slither crept wide of the post.
A Dulwich corner caused a kerfuffle in the Cray box, Baker’s brushed header dropping to Darko but as he attempted to juggle the slippery critter, Knight harvested the ball from his toes. Cray, now with added Jamie Kempster, began to test the Hamlet’s defence on a more regular basis and it took a fine tackle from Cumberbatch to steal the ball from the feet of Lewis Wood as he punched a hole in the Dulwich rearguard. The corner met the head of Day but his effort slithered over the crossbar. Lewis Wood was threatening again moments later as he hit a sizzling volley from close range that perhaps deserved better than to zip a foot too high.
Not that Hamlet were resting for a trio of chances came and went in quick succession as they countered well, Knight ripping the ball from the feet of Beveney after former teammate Steve Aris had been left for dust. The alert Knight denied Darko in similar fashion not long after but he had to eternally grateful to Royston as Schoburgh outpaced the backline to stab the ball through the prostrate custodian, Schoburgh seemingly a certainty to score as the ball squirm out from under Knight, only to be thwarted as Royston flung himself into a game-saving last-ditch tackle. As if to emphasis the import of his heroics, Royston, prolific with the goals in previous incarnations at Maidstone and Thamesmead, let rip with a 35 yard rising drive that cannoned against the crossbar, leaving the woodwork quivering like a débutante at he opening of the season. That bar was still all aquiver when Cray attacked once more this time to deadly effect. The pair of Woods, Lewis and Jamie, teamed up to set the stage, creating the opening for Power to slash a drive hard and low into the heart of the Hamlet area and in his exigency to clear the ball to safety, the luckless Cumberbatch could only divert the ball into his own net.
Still celebrating Cray were almost caught cold as Dulwich sought instant atonement, Darko nodding a cross into the path of Baker but the new boy snatching at his moment of glory to hammer the ball into orbit. Continuing to push forward in search of redemption and three points, Dulwich almost found themselves surrendering the single point they possessed as the Cray Rapid Reaction Force went into overdrive, instigated by a miskicked clearance that set up a leftwing raid ending at the feet of Lewis Wood, unguarded at the back of the box. However Dame Fortune scowl had become a smile and the Cray man rashly shovelled wide his chance to win the game.
Frustration, mixed with disappointment but seasoned with pride, Dulwich’s hearts beat a little stronger this morning as promotion remains firmly within their grasp. Come May a repeat of this match might decide that.

Teams:

DHFC: Sheikh Ceesay; Sol Patterson-Bohner; Ricky Dobson; Benson Paka; Shayne Mangodza; Marc Cumberbatch; Shawn Beveney; Sebastian Schoburgh (Scott Edgar 90+2); Henry Darko; Lumumba Amena; Junior Baker
Substitutes not used: Billy Chattaway; Jason Hawes; Vitor Tavares; Tim Roberts

CWFC: Glen Knight; Aaron Day; Colin Luckett; Danny Chapman; Mark Willy (Tyrone Sterling 45); Ryan Royston; Steve Aris; Lewis Wood; Jamie Wood; Michael Power; David Hall (Jamie Kempster 66)
Substitutes not used: George Fenwick; Dean Morris; Joby Thorogood

Attendance: 369

Match Officials:
Referee: Mr Ryan Atkin (Sydenham Hill, London)
Assistant Referees: Mr Robert Allum (Addiscombe, Surrey) & Mr Gareth Mays (Epsom, Surrey)

Goalscoring:
1-0 DHFC Henry Darko 36th minute
1-1 CWFC Marc Cumberbatch (OG) 81st minute