Dulwich Hamlet 4 Whitstable Town 3

Dulwich Hamlet 4 Whitstable Town 3
Ryman Isthmian League – Division One South
Tuesday 28th October 2008

“Hold fast to dreams, For if dreams die, Life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly, Hold fast to dreams, For if dreams go, Life is a barren field, Frozen with snow”
"Pah to global warming" said Mother Nature, as the first flakes of winter’s snow fluttered down upon Champion Hill, chilling the extremities of those braving the stroke of her chill fingers upon their frail bodies. For warmth the footballing faithful gathered around a fast and furious dogfight, a cauldron of a contest, bubbling over with carefree play and like a filling winter stew laced with drops of fortifying football and dotted with fulsome dumplings, tasty goals that will live long in the memory of those for whom the snow flurries held few fears. Previously impecunious in offence, the Oystermen of Whitstable splurged as their own goalscoring credit crunch were but a myth, twice battling from behind, snatching a lead mid way through the second half, only to surrender to a barrage of breathtaking bullets, first from Benson Paka then from the silent assassin, Scott Simpson, his 80th minute winner breaking the hearts of the Men of Kent.
Master mason Craig Edwards had been out in pursuit of new building blocks for the house of Hamlet, adding the experienced midfielder Kevin Lott, once of mighty Dover, to bring a cool head to the midfield crucible. The new boy introduced himself to his classmates in fine fashion after barely three minutes had elapsed. As smooth as a professional billiards hustler, his pass laid the foundations for Laurent Hamici’s opening goal, Picking up a cleared corner, he rolled the ball into Hamici lurking on the brink of the penalty area, the Hamlet hitman swinging around to leave his marker ghostwatching before drilling the ball low across the diving Kevin Fewell and into the far bottom corner of the net. Second half Hamlet had started a little earlier than expected, but the Oystermen were unfazed. Five minutes had passed and a free kick carelessly conceded wide on the left. Jack Tanner’s delivery a food [parcel to starving men and his skipper feasted, Liam Quinn climbing highest to delicately flick his header beyond the statuesque Jamie Lunan, the ball nestling inside the far post.
As the thermometer slid down, the temperature on field rose. Whitstable won a free kick a couple of yards beyond the Dulwich box, a crashing drive cannoning back off the Pink and Blue wall. Billy Chattaway larruped the ball out of harm’s way, his clearance the catalyst for a Hamlet breakout as Hamici outsprinted the defence. Fewell though was on the mark with a smart save to deny Hamici a second.
Call it naivety; call it candour, Whitstable’s open, free flowing play, a stark contrast to stale, timid Walton, played into the hands of the Hamlet. Eight exciting minutes, another Hamlet corner and amidst the melee, a sliced attempt at clearance cannoned down at an angle from the belly of the crossbar. Howls of anguish from the knot of fans behind the assistant referee as he failed to flag for a goal. The flow of pink and blue became an inexorable tide. Simpson unleashed a screaming free kick, none of your namby-pamby curled but a full blooded belter that left scorch marks on the woodwork as it ripped past. Hamici set up Simpson moments later, this time the shot hammered just over. A booming Cedric Ngakam throw finds Hamici; all hands to the pump as Whitstable block his effort.
A brief respite from defensive duties for the travellers with Danny Dolton’s audacious long-range effort spinning mere millimetres over the crossbar of Lunan. However it would be Hamlet reaping the rewards as they finally converted a chance, albeit in suspicious circumstances, to regain the lead on 32 minutes. The momentum came from Chattaway, in full flow up the left flank, his pass picking out Simpson, possessed of stallion speed turning on the power as he charged into the area. His cross shot beat Fewell and was turned in on the goal line by Daryl Plummer, who cast a nervous glance towards the assistant, but when no flag came began an embarrassed jig of joy. Embarrassment was writ large upon the faces of the Hamlet defence as once more he lead erased in quick and easy fashion. Ian Pulman’s wing wizardry was a joy to behold, but tackles were as ethereal as angel’s breath, Peter Martin brushed away, big Ryan Bernard humbled, Pulman dancing his way through before coiling the ball past Lunan.
Profligate Hamlet may well have restored a lead warranted by opportunity if not execution when 5 minutes before the break, a left wing cross was dropped into the penalty area. Simpson bounced off Hamici as his colleague won the battle for the ball, spinning to smack in a drive from the corner of the six yard box, a fearsome drive that brought the best from Fewell as he clawed away the stinging shot at his near post.
The dressing rooms must have been surreal places at the break, both managers presumably elated at the offensive performances of their respective charges yet apoplectic at defensive laxity on both XI’s parts.
An early Hamlet push that saw Hamici a fraction away from Paka’s drive across the face of goal was all in vain as the Oystermen were allowed to take the lead for the first and only time of the evening. Architect of their opener Tanner escaped on the right, taking his time before whistling a cross into the area. The chances to clear were there but half-hearted and it would take a man of substance to impose order. Unfortunately that man wore red; Paul Ainsworth controlled the wayward ball, pipping a pass to the prolific Dan Wisker who needed no second invitation to crack away his fourth goal in successive games.
An infusion of ambition fuelled the Men of Kent. Despite their lowly league position and the need for points, they resisted the temptation to shrink back into their shells and hide that precious pearl, three points. Pulman could have added to the Whitstable advantage not long beyond the hour mark, a crisp tackle in the middle of the park paving the way for a rampant Pulman to steam away from Bernard and Marc Cumberbatch, only deprived of a second goal by Luna’s smart save low to his right hand post.
Dame Fortune had a hand in the Hamlet’s equaliser coming in the 73rd minute. Simpson’s electric run set the night alight. A lay back to Hamici who pulled the trigger on what should have been a shot but instead it flew into the path of Paka, charging at full pelt towards goal. A first time drive from a chain away pinged down from the underside of the crossbar and this time there was no doubt the ball had crossed the line.
No surrender from either bench, from either XI. Hamlet brought on Walid Matata for his long-awaited debut, Whitstable bolstered the midfield with the experience of Clint Gooding. The night though would belong to a man who had been in the fray from first whistle to last. Ten minutes remained, the snow was flurrying around the Hill. Simpson in space on the left was the beneficiary of a mischievous back heel from Hamici. Red shirts swarmed around him but strength told, Simpson switched the ball to his supposed weaker right foot and lifted a curling, twirling drive over and above the fumbling fingers of Fewell and into the net.

Teams:
DHFC: Jamie Lunan; Peter Martin; Billy Chattaway; Benson Paka; Ryan Bernard; Marc Cumberbatch; Daryl Plummer; Cedric Ngakam; Laurent Hamici; Kevin Lott (Walid Matata 76); Scott Simpson
Substitutes not used: Junior Kaffo; Gary Noel; Ryan Bernard; Sheikh Ceesay (GK)

WTFC: Kevin Fewell; Gary Sayer; Danny Tipple; Liam Quinn (Capt.); Marcos Perona; Rob Thomas; Jack Tanner; Mark Munday (Sam Denley 90+1); Dan Wisker (Clint Gooding 76); Ian Pulman; Danny Dolton
Substitutes not used: Mick Lingham; Dan MacVickar

Goalscoring:
1-0 DHFC Laurent Hamici 3rd minute
1-1 WTFC Liam Quinn 5th minute
2-1 DHFC Daryl Plummer 32nd minute
2-2 WTFC Ian Pulman 37th minute
3-2 WTFC Dan Wisker 56th minute
3-3 DHFC Benson Paka 73rd minute
4-3 DHFC Scott Simpson 80th minute

Officials:
Referee: Mr Peter Georgiou (Earlsfield)
Assistant Referees: Mr Luis Pinto Nunes (Kingston-upon-Thames) & Mr Vince Penfold (Addlestone)

Attendance: 223