Dulwich Hamlet 1 Chipstead 1

Dulwich Hamlet 1 Chipstead 1
Ryman Isthmian League Division South
Saturday 8th March 2008

May I have your attention please?
May I have your attention please?
Will the real Dulwich Hamlet please stand up?
I repeat, will the real Dulwich Hamlet please stand up?
We're gonna have a problem here..

Clouds lowering, fans glowering as disjointed Dulwich, the promotion party in their sights, could only salvage a point against an earnest Chipstead, whose early season anguish is long behind them. With a mid-table position now firmly cemented, the Chips find themselves harbouring hopes of a top half finish in their maiden season in the Isthmian League. For Dulwich that last seat aboard the whirligig of the play-off remains theirs to win or lose, with first one challenger then another nudging ahead before slipping back, Walton & Hersham in midweek, Sittingbourne today beaten by stragglers, Worthing finding a late surge to hold 5th place for this weekend. Dulwich’s visit to Woodside Road upon Good Friday grows in import with each passing game.
But back to today’s events. Injury woes had disrupted the preparations of Craig Edwards and the management. Marc Cumberbatch was lost to the starting line-up with Ryan Bernard dropping back into central defence from that pivotal role in midfield where he had been so influential in the demolition of the Casuals a week previous. Stanley Muguo was recalled to a midfield that lacked the calming influence of the gargantuan Bernard stripped from engine room; pell-mell play confronted by industrious Chippies not enough to provide the service for Hamlet’s vanguard.
Leaden skies foretold what was to come as the guests, late of the Combined Counties, and upon their maiden competitive visit to Champion Hill, made fair weather beneath the foul, forcing a litany of corners in early play. However, despite all the hurly-burly in the Hamlet penalty box, Dulwich affrighted too often as bombardment intensified, but bodies before the ball thwarted the Chips. Fred Fleming had a close range shot charged down before the quarter hour as the ball refused to be cleared. A rumble of thunder? No the grumblings of the denizens of the Hill as the ball wormed its way through to Sam Butler, a alert Sheikh Ceesay somehow scrambling the ball off the toes of the advancing winger.
Not until the 20th minute did Dulwich menace the goal of Andy Parkinson but it was almost a glorious goal to wipe away what little memories had been garnered so far, Benson Paka capping a determined drive, letting fly with a furious strike on the volley, Parkinson snaffling the shot as one might a cannonball. A sup of that formula that turns Hamlet Hyde into Jekyll, Sebastian Schoburgh emerged from the pocket of his marker, turned on the gas and swirled over a deep cross to the back of the six yard box. Spring heeled, Charlie Taylor, leapt above his marker, angling the header back to goal but unable to beat Parkinson. Galloping into the attack Steve May carved a hole in defence, but perhaps panicked with his effort, a searing drive but lashed wide of the angle.
Chipstead’s Butler limped from the field to send the visitors awry and at last the pendulum seemed to swinging in Hamlet’s favour. Schoburgh delivered a deceptive corner, the defence drawn en masse to the front post whilst lurking in the rear was the true target, Meshach Nugent. Ducking to bullet a header beyond Parkinson the stalemate was about to be broken it seemed. But no! With the ‘keeper beaten, Cheops found a saviour in the woodwork as the ball rebounded back into play from the inside of the far upright.
A sweeping move, Billy Chattaway, the young colt, set free on the left wing by Paka’s incisive pass from the centre of the park, Chattaway winging in a low ball across the six yard box, zipping past Parkinson and bound for Nugent rumbling in at the back until Chris Head found an extra gear to hack the ball to safety. The clearance set in motion the wheel of a move that would lead to disaster. Carelessly conceded Dulwich found themselves awaiting delivery of a Chips free kick wide left, the ball’s arrival greeted with not with the stoicism but panic. Ping pong the ball flew from boot to head, dropped to substitute Jamal York, his snap shot clawed down by Ceesay but with defenders frozen Fleming would capitalise, dragging the ball down and with time for a second touch hooking the ball beyond Ceesay into the far corner of the net. From the Dulwich bench came the apoplectic tones of Craig Edwards; Ian Paisley might have berated him for his decibel level and passengers aboard a passing flight muttered reproachfully.
As if to muffle the tumult from the Dulwich dressing room, squalls swept across the arena sending the inmates scuttling for the sanctuary of the stands. The gods had been disturbed. Appeasement would come. Schoburgh chipped in the most delightful of free kicks, Taylor’s leap cried out goal but he failed to connect. Where the artist had failed, the artisan would bring succour. 51 minutes, the unsung Ricky Dobson pummelled a long pass beyond a moribund defence, Taylor cantering through to meet the ball and neatly slip the ball under the body of the exposed Parkinson as he dashed to the edge of his area.
But with the hard work done, Dulwich dozed again and but for a atrocious miss in front of goal by Danny Oakins might have found themselves back behind with 2 minutes, the Chips skipper somehow stabbing a shot wide of the goal after being left a solitary finger in front of goal.
Snake-charmer Schoburgh slipped in a pass to young Taylor to crown an expansive move, Parkinson blocking as the Hamlet forward attempted to prod the ball past him. Parkinson would quickly earn his corn as Dulwich set up camp in his penalty area for a brace of corners. A thumping header from Nugent saw the Chips’ custodian’s elastic arms tip the ball over the crossbar. Next delivery and the nemesis in gloves stretched skywards once move to brush the ball away from Bernard thundering in at the back stick.
One minute headless chickens, the next strutting peacocks, Dulwich’s play fluctuated from exhilarating to exasperating. Paka flicked a header backwards that dropped beyond the diving Parkinson, but beyond too the far post as Chattaway chased in after the ball. Bernard thumped a header into Parkinson’s midriff as he connected with a deep header but caught cold Dulwich almost found themselves torn asunder as Oakins took advantage of an acreage of space the size of Surrey to advance through non man’s land, switching wide to Scott Simpson to his left. But for the invention of Chattaway haring back, Simpson’s cross might have been the catalyst for Chipstead to regain the lead.
Champion Hill under leaden skies, lacking lightning, brief flashes, all too brief. One moment pass to draw the breath, next one to vex ultimately. Both sides guilty of spurned chances, though Dulwich more so for the Chips were relishing an expected point that would confirm their right to dine at the Isthmian table. Then with three minutes left, a bundle in the box, a ball that refused to be cleared and chip over and beyond, Schoburgh in pursuit but foiled as Parkinson slid in to hook a clearance to infinity.
Hearty applause from the acolytes of the country boys come final whistle. For Dulwich military jankers on the pitch.

Teams:
DHFC: Sheikh Ceesay; Steve May; Ricky Dobson; Benson Paka; Shayne Mangodza; Ryan Bernard; Sebastian Schoburgh; Stanley Muguo; Meshach Nugent; Charlie Taylor; Billy Chattaway (for Daryl Plummer 74)
Substitutes not used: Marc Cumberbatch; Ayoola Olatunde; Osman Sesay; Tim Roberts (GK

CFC: Andy Parkinson; Louis Clark; Chris Head; Fred Fleming; Andrew Wareing; Daryl Coleman; Craig Pitterson; Aaron Cole-Bolt; Danny Oakins (Capt); Scott Simpson; Sam Butler (Jamal York 29)
Substitutes not used: Joe Garner; Ashley Reid

Goalscoring:
1-0 CFC Fred Fleming 43rd minute
1-1 DHFC Charlie Taylor 51st minute

Attendance: 275

Officials:
Referee: Sr. Luis Pinto Nunes (Esher, Surrey)
Assistant Referees: Mr Colin Mallows (Burgess Hill, West Sussex) & Mr Simon Griffiths (Horsham, West Sussex)