Horsham YMCA 1 Dulwich Hamlet 2

Horsham YMCA 1 Dulwich Hamlet 2
Ryman Isthmian League Division One South
Saturday 15th December 2007

Dulwich overcame the niggling but industrious strugglers of Horsham YMCA to record a fourth straight league victory that sent them into their early Christmas break 6th in the table. However matters had not looked so bright at the start as a curious, to say the least, penalty award allowed Matt Simpson the generous opportunity to give his side, languishing low in the league, the lead. There seemed little in the challenge on James Grant from the edge of the penalty area but referee Wes Linden, drew quizzical looks as the shrill blast of a whistle pierced the chilly air. Perplexed visages some became contorted with rage, angry invective emanating from bench and terrace as he pointed to the spot. Not one to spurn such an early Christmas gift Simpson produced a textbook piece of spotsmanship to leave Sheikh Ceesay clay-footed as the ball was neatly slotted past him, ending a run of penalty saves from the young Hamlet custodian.
Hamlet came within a whisker of grabbing a equaliser just five minutes later when Marc Cumberbatch was a gnat’s breath away from nodding home as he proved strongest in reaching a deep corner to the back of the six yard box, brushing aside his marker but crashing a powerful header against the crossbar. A powerful drive through the heart of midfield moments later looked destined to reap reward for a single-minded Benson Paka, who on the undulating turf of Gorings Mead, he scooped a final shot high over crossbar and netting.
It took some time for Dulwich to come to terms with the perceived injustice of penalty, too often tangling with one another in a hotchpotch of a half. Hard-working Horsham were strong in the tackle when industry was needed, shrill of voice when the helping hand of officialdom was needed to provide succour for a breached defence. No such assistance from the men in black on 22 minutes as Shawn Beveney, returning from his trials with Hereford et al, bested the offside trap. With only ‘keeper Ken Westoby the last obstacle to goal an equaliser seemed on the cards but the ball became cloyed beneath the big Guyanese’s feet allowing YMCA skipper Tom White vital seconds to make up ground and provide a timely tackle, stretching from beyond as Beveney struck the ball which looped widely wide of a scrambling ‘keeper’s outstretched hand but bobbled wide of the upright.
The threat from the Hamlet remained as a powerful run from Meshach Nugent saw the striker barge his way into the penalty only to be manhandled as he pulled the trigger, the drive lacking the power to propel little more than a weak shot towards goal that Westoby comfortably gathered. Any thoughts that Mr Linden might have seen sometime illegal in the defensive smothering of Nugent’s run were swiftly put to bed as the official waved away all protests.
As the half dragged on Dulwich found themselves ever more frustrated, pressing on but leaving themselves vulnerable to searing drives out of defence from the YMCA as the young men of Horsham countered swiftly, down flank, both left and right, through the middle and over the top. However with Dulwich’s defence tight, if subdued as each tackle meant a weather eye cast towards the men in black, YMCA found themselves unable to add to their fortunate lead.
With Hamlet continuing their quest for parity as the break drew nearer, a wicked low cross from Sebastian Schoburgh zipped across the face of the six yard box, twisting like gyroscope, its pace and torsion deceiving Lumumba Amena as he charged in on the cross. A booming deep throw into the six yard box flicked on by Nugent somehow wheedled its way to Beveney, battling his way to the six yard box but its bounce off the rugged sod meant the Hamlet skipper could only stretch a foot out and dab the ball into the hands of the waiting Westoby.
A top up of four star petrol in the Hamlet tanks at the break, not the local break but the stirring words of the Dulwich management and the Pink and Blue boys came out at full throttle as twilight cast its shadows over Gorings Mead. A succession of corners forced, a trio in the first ninety seconds, the second of which might have brought a spot kick for the Hamlet had Mr Linden’s eyes not missed the hands of a defender that battered out Stanley Muguo’s initial header. One might have erred on the side of rationality for the referee had he not then awarded Dulwich a corner as Muguo bulleted the rebound a yard wide of the upright with nary a Horsham hand, legitimate or otherwise, within range. Cruising up field YMCA almost caught the Hamlet cold but a speculative effort from Dean Carden, letting loose from distance, provided no worries for Ceesay. Another corner for Hamlet and perhaps a fatal error by the YMCA as manager John Suter elected to pull off striker Tom Lyons, replacing him with Richard Greenfield. A cliché as old as the hills, they say you should never make a substitution before a corner and for the YMCA it rang deathly true as a low corner lashed towards the penalty spot where Shayne Mangodza met the ball with a venous strike that ripped through a barrage of white shirts manning the goalline.
That goal instilled new hope in the Hamlet and the wounded YMCA found themselves ripped at by a Dulwich side keen to kill off their maimed prey. Big Beveney at the spearhead of a rampaging Dulwich break, be-bopped his way into the penalty area but beneath his feet the disobedient ball would not run for him and a timely tackle on the penalty spot saw the ball hacked to safety. Moments later Schoburgh pressed the boost, tore a hole in defence, his shot blocked but running to Steve May following in his slipstream, a last ditch tackle turning the ball behind for Dulwich’s umpteenth corner of the half.
A substitution would once more be the precursor for a goal – this time a Hamlet replacement as Amena made way for Billy Chattaway. Once more forcing a corner, Dulwich piled forward, hungry for the go-ahead goal and when a deep delivery dropped for Beveney, lurking at the back of the area, the Hamlet skipper controlled the ball, dipped inside his marker and let rip with a thunderous drive that ripped past a powerless Westoby on its unerring trajectory into the top corner of the net.
Though not drained of spirit, gallant YMCA seemed drained of energy as Hamlet tore at them repeatedly in search of further goals. Silky skills from Muguo took into the area, past defender after defender, only to be denied on the angle of the six yard box as the feet of Westoby turned behind his close range effort. Westoby would again keep Horsham hopes alive as he spooned behind an angled Chattaway drive in the game’s latter stages; those hopes further boosted as Dulwich were reduced to ten men in stoppage time as Mr Linden’s mission to exasperate reached its zenith with the dismissal of Nugent. A petulant kick on the Dulwich forward by Carden behind play seemingly invisible to officialdom, Mr Linden’s attention only drawn as Nugent reacted impetuously, raising his hands to his aggressor. A theatrical flourish of the red card to end Hamlet’s afternoon on a sour note, the dismissal robbing Dulwich of a key striker over the New Year campaign. However a late rally from the YMCA against their diminished guests came to naught.

Teams:
YMCA: Ken Westoby; Dean Carden; Alex Keaney; Joe Keehan; Tom White (Capt.); Matt Simpson; Matt Russell; Andy Ottley; Greg Palmer; Tom Lyons (Richard Greenfield 51); James Grant
Substitutes not used: Martyn Flack; Seb Kazemi; Glen Woodburn

DHFC: Sheikh Ceesay; Steve May; Ricky Dobson; Benson Paka; Shayne Mangodza; Marc Cumberbatch; Shawn Beveney; Sebastian Schoburgh (Sol Patterson-Bohner 90); Meshach Nugent; Stanley Muguo; Lumumba Amena (Billy Chattaway 65)
Substitutes not used: Scott Edgar; Junior Baker; Tim Roberts

Attendance: 124

Officials:
Referee: Mr Wes Linden
Assistant Referees: Mr Dave Moran & Mr Alan Morley

Goalscoring:
1-0 YMCA Matt Simpson 5th minute (Penalty)
1-1 DHFC Shayne Mangodza 52nd minute
2-1 DHFC Shawn Beveney 68th minute