Burgess Hill Town 0 Dulwich Hamlet 1

Burgess Hill Town 0 Dulwich Hamlet 1
Ryman Isthmian League Division One South
Tuesday 25th November 2008

As the 300 Spartans did at the Battle of Thermopylae, so the Hamlet when ranged against the world, or at least the perceived injustice of three points lost through the supposed carelessness of administrators rather than upon the field of play. But unlike the valiant men of King Leonidas, Craig Edwards’s little band of men emerged triumphant once more and reclaimed those three points after narrow triumph against a Burgess Hill side languishing in the lower reaches of the table. How the Hillians had ploughed such a trough of despair remains a mystery to your scribe for on a strangely balmy evening at a sparsely populated Leylands Park, the hosts dug into their hearts to delve out an attitude and endeavour that might have brought them something other than another defeat against less determined opponents. Early chances spurned had they been converted might have brought an end to their seemingly interminable barren run but served only to inspire a Hamlet side to slim victory, though had the woodwork not played such a role as twelfth man that triumph might have been more pronounced.
With Billy Chattaway serving the second of his one match suspensions, Dulwich supremo Edwards made changes in the rearguard with the newly-returned Shayne Mangodza, skipper Marc Cumberbatch and Gallic colossus Cedric Ngakam building a defensive wall across the back. This freed up Peter Martin for a more prominent attacking role down the flank whilst Scott Simpson was able to unleash his attacking bent upon the defence of the Hillians. In midfield the prosaic belligerence of Junior Kaffo came in for the poetic artistry of Theo Fairweather-Johnson. Despite their demolition at the hands of Fleet at the weekend, Burgess Hill boss Jamie Howell put in trust in his players, with the only change from that rout the return of Matt Piper to the starting line-up in the stead of Reuben French.
If the points deduction was sinking in it certainly showed in the lacklustre opening from the Hamlet with Burgess Hill, keen to shake off the heavy chains of that winless run, displayed an aggression and attacking intention that cheered the hearts of their long-suffering support. Three minutes in and, after excellent footwork, a delightful chip back from the by-line by Richard Hudson found an unguarded Ben Johnson in the middle but he could only dink his header over the crossbar. Moments later Jamie Lunan’s clearance was nodded back in the path of Hudson by Johnson, returning the favour, but despite cantering away from his markers, the Hillian skewed his shot wildly wide of the target bringing a collective groan from the Burgess Hill Moaners’ Step.
Dulwich rejoindered, albeit with a friendly helping boot from their hosts. A free kick swung in deep to the back of the box might have skipped harmlessly wide but Scott Harris decided to help it on his way, a hefty wallop destined to sneak inside the near post until Craig Stoner reacted smartly to push the wayward strike behind though too late to spare the flush from his colleague’s cheeks. Hamlet pressed, forced a corner and amidst the mêlée Simpson stretched out a toe to stab the ball against the crossbar.
Industrious Hillians matched loftier opponents blow for blow, Danny Gainsford a goliath for the Hill to beat away the Lunan Launches when they rained in, errant shooting from the assiduous Hudson and partner in crime Dan Beck to blame for an untroubled net at the opposite net. A scrambled corner saw Gainsford’s powder-puff header easily cleared off the line and though Johnson pounced upon the loose ball, weight of numbers saw his follow-up blocked.
In dying moments of the half, Martin zipped up the right wing curling in a cross from the corner flag that swung across the six yard box to be met by Daryl Plummer, strangely anonymous til now, but tortuously twisting as he met the ball on the volley, only for Nick Fogden to throw his body ‘twixt goal and ball. Like a good foot soldier he repeated the feat as Laurent Hamici snaffled up the loose ball and unleashed a bazooka blast towards Stoner’s goal. For a moment Dulwich were caught cold and having won the ball from Ngakam in dubious circumstances, retribution was exacted by Stanley Muguo to halt the Hillians’ skipper as he threatened to burst through the last line of defence. Muguo’s act earned him a caution but it was not in vain for the danger had been quashed.
Barely had the second half began and Dulwich had cracked home a stunning goal. Quickly quaffed ale saw the travelling troubadours of the Hamlet out in time to witness Simpson motoring through No Man’s Land, Hamici to the left of him, Benson Paka to the right of him. The Hill must have expected him to go to his strike partner but instead he slipped the ball wide right to the galloping Paka, the midfielder turning on the gas to beat his marker on the outside and from an improbable angle threaded the ball through the eye of the needle, lashing the ball a millimetre inside the near post of Stoner as he watched, incredulous.
The night now belonged to the Hamlet. A Paka free kick was met by Cumberbatch, Gulliver amongst the Lilliputians, a looping head lopping the top of the crossbar. Danger signals for the Hillians once more as right wing cross evaded all to be nodded back across the face of the six yard box by Plummer, Harris furiously lashing the ball clear as the Pink hoard bore down on him. Harper skidded a low-drive free kick wide of Lunan’s upright as Burgess Hill searched for an equaliser but once more they had the woodwork to thank for keeping the Hamlet within range, as Hamici broke free of the offside trap, beating a statuesque Stoner with a curled effort, the ball cracking against the crossbar.
A reoccurrence of injury forced Martin from the field and meant a switch in tactics, if not ambition, for the Hamlet. On for the wingback came Gary Noel, relieving Simpson of his striking duties, Simpson dropping back to cover the left back spot. Noel came close to announcing his arrival in clarion style, a slip by Gainsford letting him in on goal but the fast reacting Stoner denied him getting down swiftly to smother a shot.
Burgess Hill played all their jokers, though the openly laugh came at the expense of referee Mr Woodward who rather harshly cautioned Hillians sub Jon Lansdale for tug on Plummer. Still there was time for Hillians’ star performer, Mr Woodie Woodwork to get in on the act once more, this time denying Hamici for a second time, the Hamlet hitman clipping in an amusing free kick, floating over Stoner but bouncing off the top of the crossbar. It seemed as if Hamlet had done enough but then a carelessly conceded free kick gave the hosts one last throw of the dice, the ball blasted in and met with a full-bodied header from Hudson, but so wide of the mark this scribe wondered why the referee was awarding a goal kick rather than corner!
Defeat perhaps unjust for valiant Hill, but with phantoms haunting the Hamlet at every turn, the exorcism of lost points has begun.

Teams:
BHTFC: Craig Stoner; Nick Fogden; Matt Piper; Scott Harris (Ashley Carr 60); Danny Gainsford; Zac Beda (Peter Martin 85); Steve Harper (Capt); Lloyd Cotton; Richard Hudson; Dan Beck; Ben Johnson (Jon Lansdale 74)
Substitutes not used: Rueben French; Colin Hunwick

DHFC: Jamie Lunan; Peter Martin (Gary Noel 64); Shayne Mangodza; Benson Paka; Cedric Ngakam; Marc Cumberbatch; Daryl Plummer; Stanley Muguo; Laurent Hamici; Junior Kaffo; Scott Simpson
Substitutes not used: Theo Fairweather-Johnson; Nick Ogbanufe; Mamadou Meite-Sissocko; Sheikh Ceesay

Goalscoring:
1-0 DHFC Benson Paka 47th minute