Folkestone Invicta 2 Dulwich Hamlet 0
Ryman Isthmian League Division One South
Saturday 6th September 2008
Ryman Isthmian League Division One South
Saturday 6th September 2008
After exertions of the FA Cup it was back to league action for the Hamlet as they travelled down to the Kent coast to take on in-form Folkestone Invicta, newly relegated from the upper echelons of the Isthmian League, but among the favourites for a speedy restoration to the Premier Division in light of three wins out of four in their past league outings.
The wide open spaces of the Buzzlines Stadium, beneath the chalk cliffs of Ken, the venue, but buzzing was something Hamlet did little of in a subdued performance which rarely rose above the mediocre. Craig Edwards had a joker in his hand with Ryan Bernard utilised in the battering-ram centre forward role, but his poker hand was regularly trumped by a Invicta defence that refused to buckle and employed gamesmanship of the lowest order, players hitting the deck wit such regularly the local constabulary were last seen scouring the vicinity for snipers hiding amongst the undergrowth.
The home pleaders showed their cards early with a brace of contentious claims for a spot kick ere the quarter hour had passed. Handball was the first shout, waved away by referee Mr Allum, the man in black similarly unpredisposed to award a penalty when James Dryden flung himself to the floor in the area proclaimed a Dulwich hand had sent him tumbling.
A festering undercurrent of malice left a sour taste upon this contest, exacerbated when Lee Spiller limped from the field of play after just 19 minutes a victim of his own malevolence as he crunched into a late tackle on Tyran James. The free kick awarded against the now-departed miscreant created the best chance s far of a lacklustre game, the ball dropping to Mo Coly whose dipping 30-yarder was neatly tipped over by a back-pedalling Charlie Mitten. At the opposite end Dryden flashed a cross-shot across the Dulwich six yard box to cap a flowing move involving Andy Pugh and Jimmy Jackson out on the left flank.
Having allowed so much nastiness from both sides a free rein Mr Allum finally remembered he had brought his cards though Matt Bourne’s playacting as Laurent Hamici lunged in for the ball was as great a contributing factor as the Hamlet man’s challenge.
The Hamlet’s makeshift centre-forward, Bernard, showed those whose regular trade this striking business the way to goal with the first true effort on goal shortly after the half hour, Bernard’s header from James’ chipped in pass on target but lacking the power to trouble Mitten. Bernard’s frustration with an offside decision soon after saw him join Hamici in the book as Mr Allum took exception to his vociferous plaint.
The dread deadlock was finally broken as Folkestone amateur dramatics saw them awarded a free kick on the edge of the area. With Dulwich dithering over the construction and placing of the wall, Dryden, in no mood for procrastination, neatly curled the ball up and over the wall, beyond the clawing fingers of Jamie Lunan and into the corner of the net.
A third Hamlet caution before the break as Liam Friend showed what the theatre had missed and football, perhaps to its regret, had gained, tumbling to the turf over Simpson’s outstretched leg with a squeal that would have dogs converging upon the Buzzlines in packs. Hoodwinked Mr Allum brandished the yellow as the miracle working physio had him up and running quicker than you can say “take up your bed and walk”!
Subdued by goal and cautions, Dulwich were a shadow of a team in the second half, timid in the tackle for fear of Mr Allum notebook, impotent in attack. Invicta smelt that fear and sent in the storm troopers to wreak havoc upon the Hamlet goal. Early chances to claim three points went begging as Dryden blasted extravagantly wide when Jackson’s pinpoint delivered free kick found him unguarded in the area. Cedric Ngakam came to the rescue, clearing when skipper Lee Gledhill drilled the ball in from the right.
When that rare chance for the Hamlet materialized, it was wastefully thrown away, as evidenced on the 57 minutes when great approach work from James set up Daniel Nwanze, only for the big man to shoot tamely into the body of Mitten.
Though Dulwich had been poor in most, if not all departments, the travelling fans had found their scapegoat in Mr Allum, not that he did much to dissuade them from their belief with his decisions, none more so than when Michael Everitt seemingly rained a blow upon the prostrate Steve May after the two had tangled.
A fine chip in from Billy Chattaway proved just too long for Hamici, the young left back returning from delivery duties to defensive ones as he was perfectly placed on the goal line to hack away Dryden’s goalbound effort. Vital defending at the other end as Hamici spun and shot across, a defender’s toes turning the ball in the hands of the diving Mitten. If doors of hope had creaked open with that opportunity, they were slammed shut in the face of the Hamlet in the 78th minute. Pugh collected a drilled pass through the middle from teammate Jackson before sidestepping Lunan and applying a composed finish. A third was on the cards when Jackson delivered a first class free kick on to the head of James Everitt but he could not get enough purchase on the header with Lunan down smartly to smoother.
If the rigor mortis had long since set in, there was a brief animation of the Hamlet in the final throes of the contest, Mitten forced into a stunning save to turn a blazing Hamici drive over the crossbar, Marc Cumberbatch meeting the resultant corner with a firm header but wide of the mark.
The wide open spaces of the Buzzlines Stadium, beneath the chalk cliffs of Ken, the venue, but buzzing was something Hamlet did little of in a subdued performance which rarely rose above the mediocre. Craig Edwards had a joker in his hand with Ryan Bernard utilised in the battering-ram centre forward role, but his poker hand was regularly trumped by a Invicta defence that refused to buckle and employed gamesmanship of the lowest order, players hitting the deck wit such regularly the local constabulary were last seen scouring the vicinity for snipers hiding amongst the undergrowth.
The home pleaders showed their cards early with a brace of contentious claims for a spot kick ere the quarter hour had passed. Handball was the first shout, waved away by referee Mr Allum, the man in black similarly unpredisposed to award a penalty when James Dryden flung himself to the floor in the area proclaimed a Dulwich hand had sent him tumbling.
A festering undercurrent of malice left a sour taste upon this contest, exacerbated when Lee Spiller limped from the field of play after just 19 minutes a victim of his own malevolence as he crunched into a late tackle on Tyran James. The free kick awarded against the now-departed miscreant created the best chance s far of a lacklustre game, the ball dropping to Mo Coly whose dipping 30-yarder was neatly tipped over by a back-pedalling Charlie Mitten. At the opposite end Dryden flashed a cross-shot across the Dulwich six yard box to cap a flowing move involving Andy Pugh and Jimmy Jackson out on the left flank.
Having allowed so much nastiness from both sides a free rein Mr Allum finally remembered he had brought his cards though Matt Bourne’s playacting as Laurent Hamici lunged in for the ball was as great a contributing factor as the Hamlet man’s challenge.
The Hamlet’s makeshift centre-forward, Bernard, showed those whose regular trade this striking business the way to goal with the first true effort on goal shortly after the half hour, Bernard’s header from James’ chipped in pass on target but lacking the power to trouble Mitten. Bernard’s frustration with an offside decision soon after saw him join Hamici in the book as Mr Allum took exception to his vociferous plaint.
The dread deadlock was finally broken as Folkestone amateur dramatics saw them awarded a free kick on the edge of the area. With Dulwich dithering over the construction and placing of the wall, Dryden, in no mood for procrastination, neatly curled the ball up and over the wall, beyond the clawing fingers of Jamie Lunan and into the corner of the net.
A third Hamlet caution before the break as Liam Friend showed what the theatre had missed and football, perhaps to its regret, had gained, tumbling to the turf over Simpson’s outstretched leg with a squeal that would have dogs converging upon the Buzzlines in packs. Hoodwinked Mr Allum brandished the yellow as the miracle working physio had him up and running quicker than you can say “take up your bed and walk”!
Subdued by goal and cautions, Dulwich were a shadow of a team in the second half, timid in the tackle for fear of Mr Allum notebook, impotent in attack. Invicta smelt that fear and sent in the storm troopers to wreak havoc upon the Hamlet goal. Early chances to claim three points went begging as Dryden blasted extravagantly wide when Jackson’s pinpoint delivered free kick found him unguarded in the area. Cedric Ngakam came to the rescue, clearing when skipper Lee Gledhill drilled the ball in from the right.
When that rare chance for the Hamlet materialized, it was wastefully thrown away, as evidenced on the 57 minutes when great approach work from James set up Daniel Nwanze, only for the big man to shoot tamely into the body of Mitten.
Though Dulwich had been poor in most, if not all departments, the travelling fans had found their scapegoat in Mr Allum, not that he did much to dissuade them from their belief with his decisions, none more so than when Michael Everitt seemingly rained a blow upon the prostrate Steve May after the two had tangled.
A fine chip in from Billy Chattaway proved just too long for Hamici, the young left back returning from delivery duties to defensive ones as he was perfectly placed on the goal line to hack away Dryden’s goalbound effort. Vital defending at the other end as Hamici spun and shot across, a defender’s toes turning the ball in the hands of the diving Mitten. If doors of hope had creaked open with that opportunity, they were slammed shut in the face of the Hamlet in the 78th minute. Pugh collected a drilled pass through the middle from teammate Jackson before sidestepping Lunan and applying a composed finish. A third was on the cards when Jackson delivered a first class free kick on to the head of James Everitt but he could not get enough purchase on the header with Lunan down smartly to smoother.
If the rigor mortis had long since set in, there was a brief animation of the Hamlet in the final throes of the contest, Mitten forced into a stunning save to turn a blazing Hamici drive over the crossbar, Marc Cumberbatch meeting the resultant corner with a firm header but wide of the mark.
FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Charlie Mitten, Lee Gledhill (Capt.), Mark Green, Liam Friend, Matt Bourne, Michael Everitt, Lee Spiller (James Everitt 19), Andy Pugh, James Dryden, Nick Humphrey, Jimmy Jackson
Substitutes not used: Byron Walker, Josh Burchell, Liam Dickson, Naff Jevons
DULWICH HAMLET: Jamie Lunan, Steve May, Billy Chattaway (Peter Martin 81), Mohammed Coly, Cedric Ngakam, Marc Cumberbatch, Tyran James, Daniel Nwanze (Gary Noel 66), Laurent Hamici, Ryan Bernard (Fasineh Koroma 66), Scott Simpson
Substitutes not used: Junior Kaffo, Sheikh Ceesay
Goalscoring:
1-0 FIFC: James Dryden 35th minute
2-0 FIFC: Andy Pugh 78th minute
Officials:
Referee: Mr Rob Allum
Assistant Referees: Mr Jon Stone and Mr Leigh Crowhurst
Attendance: 307
No comments:
Post a Comment