Eastbourne Town 1 Dulwich Hamlet 1

Eastbourne Town 1 Dulwich Hamlet 1
Ryman Isthmian League Division One South
Saturday 5^th January 2008

Junior Baker's 66^th minute equaliser helped secure a share of the points at struggling Eastbourne, but after a poor performance in filthy conditions, Hamlet were glad of at least that. Had the hosts taken but a fraction of the chances that they created or been blessed of a modicum of the good fortune that often deserts hose fighting for survival at the wrong wend of the table then Dulwich might well have been making their way back from the seaside with their tails firmly between their legs. An stunning save from Sheikh Ceesay after just six minutes prevented Town’s skipper Danny Simmonds giving his men an early fillip as the latter’s free kick from five yards outside the penalty area, neatly lifted and curled over the Hamlet wall, was expertly tipped away at full stretch by the Dulwich custodian.

At the gallop, enfilading Eastbourne kept up the intense pressure on their lacklustre guests, a whipped cross in from the left by the overlapping Ben Putland tipped on to the crossbar by the overworked Ceesay. Soon after Dulwich’s defences should have been breached when the dangerous Peter Cooper defeated Shayne Mangodza in aerial combat for a leftwing cross, Mark Goodwin ghosting in betwixt ‘keeper and defender to nod the ball over a stranded Ceesay but tortured Town’s fans would have to wait before they could celebrate scoring as the striker’s bopped header looped over the crossbar.

Come the 21st minute and Eastbourne claimed a merited, if fortuitous, opener as Cooper let rip from distance, the low dribbler from 25 yards out zipping across the sodden turf, catching Ceesay unawares as the ball buried itself in the bottom corner of the net. Galvanised by the goal, the buccaneers of Eastbourne went raiding once more, fast frigates an armada of yellow as Dulwich’s penalty area became a war zone. Let loose on the flank, Goodwin lashed in the sweetest of crosses towards the predatory Liam Baitup, goalscorer extraordinaire, flinging himself in the direction of the delivery but failed to make any connection, though the pleas of the aggrieved Baitup suggested he felt some underhand defensive artifice had robbed him of the opportunity.

Too often off the pace, at times shambolic, Dulwich struggled to contain the pace of Eastbourne’s rocket-powered attacking threat, a yellow tide sweeping down the Saffrons. However Fortuna was watching over the Hamlet, for as for all the Town aggression they could not extend their lead, ill fortune and desperate defending colluding to keep the wolf from the door and the ball from the net. Twice in as many minutes Eastbourne toyed with the emotions of their long-suffering fans who had cheered their heroes to the Sussex County League glory half a year previous, only to see them bullied and beaten for their tuck money and points, week in and week out as they moved up to Big School, fags to the Flashmans of the Isthmian League. Simmonds pinpoint delivery of a free kick had the Hamlet defence all at sea as the muddied Putland flung himself full-length to connect with a forceful header, the effort beating the outstretched fingertips of Ceesay but cannoning against the woodwork. How Eastbourne did not double the lead with mere moments will remain a mystery to all. Amidst flailing boots splashing through the slick of watery mud in his six yard box the intrepid Ceesay ventured to block at the feet of goalscorer Cooper but the greasy ball squirmed away into the path of Baitup, the striker prodding the ball past the prostrate Ceesay and goalwards, only to be thwarted as Mangodza, on guard duty behind his fallen ‘keeper, scythed the ball to safety from his own goalline.

Hamlet supremo Craig Edwards was in a fit of vapours beside his dugout and beside himself. His Sergeant-Major’s bark had had little bite until now. Five minutes left until the break and at last Hamlet found life and spirit that had been absent. Forcing a corner, the subdued Sebastian Schoburgh pummelled a delivery into the six yard box where Town’s number one flapped at the passing ball. The screw turned as player after player tried in vain to punch a shot home. Eventually a defender’s boot forced the ball away as far as the edge of the penalty area to where Stanley Muguo lurked, a fierce low strike beating the nervous-looking Scott Andrews between the sticks, the jittery custodian recued at the last as the drive was blocked by the boot of Luke Denton on the line. Still the pressure ensued an angled switch to Schoburgh lingering on the wing but Mangodza’s header was poor as unmarked he bopped the ball well wide after brushing aside his markers.

Within a minute the electric pace of Billy Chattaway locked the right flank of the hosts, a cross whipped frighteningly into the heart of the Eastbourne six yard box where Henry Darko flung himself ahead of his marker to flick the cutest of headers but rising away from the far top corner of the net.

Having seen the threat of Schoburgh neutralised by the smothering defensive traits of Matt Aldread, Dulwich made a change at the break bringing on Junior Baker in his stead and reshuffling the rest of the pack. Uncomfortable in his alien position of right back Muguo surrendered that place where he had replaced the absent Sol Patterson-Bohner, to Ricky Dobson whilst Chattaway slipped back to fill in the left back role. The defensive readjustments took a while to bed in and Eastbourne nearly took advantage as Baitup slipped the chains of the offside trap, or so he thought, before lofting the ball over a strangely nonchalant Ceesay. That nonchalance was well placed though as assistant’s flag was up as soon as Baitup latched on to the ball, negating his “score” much to the chagrin of the home contingent, worse was to come for these hardy individuals, bred on success but now sucking at the drying teat of a relegation scrap. Catching Hamlet cold with a leftwing raid, the Town had a batch of players queuing up unguarded in the middle for the eventual delivery but the chance went to waste as Luke Denton lashed at the ball sending it spinning well wide of the inviting target before him.

Survival seemed the watchword for the Hamlet but at last the promise of those final throes of the first 45 began to sprout buds of hope. A Hamlet breakout, having nullified yet another Eastbourne raid, saw Chattaway cantering away down the left wing, flaying the ball low into the six yard box where Darko dived in to meet the delivery only to divert the ball over the crossbar from close range.

The 66th minute at last brought respite for the Hamlet as Darko galloped free of the last line of defence dragging his drive across the diving Andrews but striking the base of the far post. All was not lost though for Baker was sniffing around at the back post and as the ball rebounded into his path, he managed to force the ball home, bundled the ball over the line a yard shy of the line. Furious Eastbourne complained bitterly that a flag should have gone up against the scorer but yellow supplications to the officials went unanswered. Mr Rendall and his team further earned the approbation of wronged Eastbourne as the ill-starred Baitup was once more deprived of a goal by an offside flag, going in amidst the mud and bullets to stab a low rightwing cross into the net ahead of a diving Ceesay but all to no avail.

Late changes for the Hamlet as the endgame began, Dulwich hunting for a vital winner, albeit underserved should it arrive. Eastbourne, meanwhile would find themselves anxiously defending a point that by rights, offside “goals” notwithstanding, they felt should have been a home and hosed trio. But for inspired, diligent defending, particularly from an old hand at the back, the veteran Stuart Playford, wider of girth than in his heyday but producing vital tackles when Dulwich threatened to rob his team of its scant reward. A thumping block denied Benson Paka after the Hamlet midfielder had hacked a path in from the rightwing before unleashing a strike 16 yards out from goal. Not long after and Playford’s tackle proved telling as he cut out Baker’s delivery en route to Shawn Beveney whipping it off his feet on the fringes of the area as the home defence held firm in the face of a Pink and Blue whirlwind.

Still Mr Rendall and his assistant had to run the gauntlet of home supporters’ invective but had but a handful of home chances been converted Hamlet should have been back on the metaphorical bus long, long before the final whistle.

Teams:
ETFC: Scott Andrews; Matt Aldread; Stuart Playford; Luke Denton; Ben Putland; Peter Featherstone; Danny Simmonds (Capt.); Adam Davidson; Liam Baitup; Peter Cooper; Mark Goodwin
Substitutes: Steve Dallaway; Simon Catt; Alex McKay; Charlie Francis; Gary Brockwell

DHFC: Sheikh Ceesay; Stanley Muguo; Ricky Dobson; Benson Paka; Marc Cumberbatch; Shayne Mangodza; Shawn Beveney (Capt); Sebastian Schoburgh (Junior Baker HT); Henry Darko (Vitor Tavares 80); Lumumba Amena (Jason Hawes 80); Billy Chattaway
Substitutes not used: Justin Fevrier, Tim Roberts (GK)

Attendance: 230
Officials:
Referee: Mr Lloyd Rendall (Durrington)
Assistant Referees: Mr R Wilkins (Worthing) & Mr J Pike (Hurstpierpoint)

Goalscoring:
1-0 ETFC Peter Cooper 21st minute
1-1 DHFC Junior Baker 66th minute