Corinthian-Casuals 1 Dulwich Hamlet 4
Ryman Isthmian League Division One South
Saturday 1st March 2008
Ryman Isthmian League Division One South
Saturday 1st March 2008
"Non Licet Omnibus Adire Corinthum", quoth Horace, "Not everyone is able to go to Corinth". Once mighty Corinth was renowned for the lavish lifestyle of its denizens, famed for the temple prostitutes of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, who serviced the prosperous traders and powerful potentates who made this city their home. Most celebrated of all these, Lais, was whispered to possess extraordinary abilities and charged tremendous fees to those who wished to avail themselves of her favours. For ancient Corinth substitute suburban Tolworth, ancient temples to the Gods replaced by nondescript bowling alleys rattling to the constant hum of traffic rushing past, heading somewhere else. Down an alley beyond the iron rail, lies King George’s Fields, grand name, if humble home now to the Casuals of Corinth. To drag your humble scribe away from his humble breakfast of plovers’ eggs, finest Whitstable oysters upon a bed of crushed ice and all washed down with the 1787 Chateau Lafite to these inhospitable environs, the ultimate sacrifice.
Rescued by the vagaries of reorganisation in seasons past, Casuals are once more haunted by the spectre of relegation though the shadow of that dreaded shade seems to have lifted from those who cling proudly to their amateur ethos despite Mammon’s creeping fingers. A sterile goalless draw at Champion Hill less a month previous had helped eased that threat and perhaps this contributed to an, at times, blasé performance from the hosts, though such indifference might have a sting in the tail should the Young Men of Horsham continue to upset their betters in the final weeks of this season.
Struggling oppositions had upset the Hamlet last week, with Hamlet’s usually reliable defence undone thrice by lowly Whitstable. The changes were rung. Steve May dropped back to his accustomed right back role. Ryan Bernard moved into a central midfield holding role, freeing Benson Paka to attack with greater regularity, but it meant no place in the starting line-up for Stanley Muguo. Recalled too was Sebastian Schoburgh who had spent many games straining at the leash on the sidelines, and at liberty at last to gnaw at Casuals left flank.
A shimmering spring sun had replaced the squalls and showers that buffeted the land the night before. Warm weather, almost autumnal, cast a pre-season spell upon the contest with neither side able to settle into any sort of rhythm in the early exchanges, neat but inconclusive. First chance fell to the Hamlet with left-winger, Bill Chattaway, striking a fizzed angled drive from the far corner of the penalty area across the face of home ‘keeper Colin Harris’ net. Casuals were like lightning, appearing in brief flashes and heading nowhere. Meshach Nugent collected the ball on the brink of the six yard box, the ominous presence of Chris Horwood looming over him, unable to turn and fire off a shot as he found himself crowded out.
Nary a clear-cut chance for the hosts in a disjointed, directionless first 25 minutes until one time teen tyro at Champion Hill, now vintage Casuals, Tyrone Myton chanced his arm with a ferocious shot from distance but drawn ever further from the target as it spun through the air.
Perhaps this was the spark haphazard Hamlet needed. Two minutes later and Schoburgh teamed up with an overlapping May, the latter’s low cross skipped over in the middle to allow Chattaway to rifle in a shot at the back stick, one that brought the best out of Harris as he battered the ball around the post. False dawn this was not for another two minutes spun by to Dulwich’s opening goal, as a long free kick was launched into the Casuals penalty area. Nugent rose highest to flick the ball on, and with a Greek chorus of static defenders as his backdrop, Charlie Taylor pounced on the ball to stab a shot under Harris, now sans defense.
Flagellated on the wings, Casuals shrunk back as the red tide swept forwards. 34 minutes and it could, nay should, have been two nil. Frisky young Taylor, relishing his role as a rapier foil to his strike partner’s bludgeon broadsword, danced his way through tackle and tackle, some legit some less so albeit in the Dulwich eyes only. Reaching the backline he selflessly dragged the ball back to Nugent, standing some six yards from goal, Casuals granted a stay of execution as Matt Smith thrust out a leg to block Nugent’s placed shot on the line. Nugent would have his moment though. Come the 41st minute and Schoburgh tormenting Chocolate and Pink, toying with those who had the temerity to attempt a tackle, slipped a pass into Nugent, hovering on the fringes of the area. Grace was replaced by muscle as Nugent threw off the throng of defenders that had engulfed him, turning away to rattle a low drive deep into the far bottom corner of Harris’ net.
Casuals would have their vengeance early in the second half as a crude challenge ended his participation but those curmudgeonly defenders would find little respite as the lamed striker was replaced with a bouncing bomb in the shape of the tenacious Henry Darko. His time would come but next blood belonged to May, fast recapturing his early promise and strengthening Hamlet’s stranglehold on victory with number three on 55 minutes. A bungled Corinthian corner provided the foundations but it was Taylor who would build on those as he sprung upfield. At first he seemed to look for a shot but with homesters streaming back to smoother his charge, he looked instead to May cantering up the right unheeded. With radar set on goal, May ignored the last ditch efforts of Harris and his defence as he slid the ball beyond the advancing ‘keeper and into the back of the net via the foot of a defender.
Unpitying Hamlet would not ease up. Pent-up disappointment translated into relentless attack as Casuals became sacrificial lambs that might appease the gods of soccer. Built like a boxer, dancing like a foxtrotter, Bernard had the woodwork as, with a little jink, a touch of sway - and wallop!, he crashed a drive from distance against the crossbar. Juggling Taylor had defenders mesmerised but drilled a drive mere millimetres wide of Harris far post.
Woes for the hosts as Myton crept gingerly from the arena, victim of a suspected broken ankle. Rejigged Casuals conceded a fourth not long after. Revitalised Schoburgh won a foot race with the dogged Smith, refused to concede that the back line would succeed where Smith failed and stretching to hammer a low ball into the near post. A perfect poacher’s goal for Darko, Harris down in vain as the prowling striker steered the ball home.
Their work done, Hamlet’s fly boys of the wing made way for replacements, first Chattaway for Daryl Plummer then Schoburgh for fledgling international, Jason Hawes. Perhaps Hamlet though their work too was done, for as the last rays dappled suburbia, Dulwich dozed as a corner was delivered, capricious Carlton Murray-Price unwittingly benefitting from somnambulant defending as the ball cannoned in off his net. That apart Dulwich had rekindled their promotion dreams and as if to rub home their superiority promptly strode to the other end where Plummer would find the net with aplomb, only to stymied by a benignly munificent assistant who spared home blushes with an debatable, if ultimately superfluous, offside flag.
Automatic promotion had long since galloped over the horizon, almost certainly into the bandit country of Kent after Dover’s single-goal demolition of Tooting yesterday, but with games against four of the five teams between themselves and disappearing Dover, Dulwich know their fate belongs not in the hands of others but firmly in their own.
Rescued by the vagaries of reorganisation in seasons past, Casuals are once more haunted by the spectre of relegation though the shadow of that dreaded shade seems to have lifted from those who cling proudly to their amateur ethos despite Mammon’s creeping fingers. A sterile goalless draw at Champion Hill less a month previous had helped eased that threat and perhaps this contributed to an, at times, blasé performance from the hosts, though such indifference might have a sting in the tail should the Young Men of Horsham continue to upset their betters in the final weeks of this season.
Struggling oppositions had upset the Hamlet last week, with Hamlet’s usually reliable defence undone thrice by lowly Whitstable. The changes were rung. Steve May dropped back to his accustomed right back role. Ryan Bernard moved into a central midfield holding role, freeing Benson Paka to attack with greater regularity, but it meant no place in the starting line-up for Stanley Muguo. Recalled too was Sebastian Schoburgh who had spent many games straining at the leash on the sidelines, and at liberty at last to gnaw at Casuals left flank.
A shimmering spring sun had replaced the squalls and showers that buffeted the land the night before. Warm weather, almost autumnal, cast a pre-season spell upon the contest with neither side able to settle into any sort of rhythm in the early exchanges, neat but inconclusive. First chance fell to the Hamlet with left-winger, Bill Chattaway, striking a fizzed angled drive from the far corner of the penalty area across the face of home ‘keeper Colin Harris’ net. Casuals were like lightning, appearing in brief flashes and heading nowhere. Meshach Nugent collected the ball on the brink of the six yard box, the ominous presence of Chris Horwood looming over him, unable to turn and fire off a shot as he found himself crowded out.
Nary a clear-cut chance for the hosts in a disjointed, directionless first 25 minutes until one time teen tyro at Champion Hill, now vintage Casuals, Tyrone Myton chanced his arm with a ferocious shot from distance but drawn ever further from the target as it spun through the air.
Perhaps this was the spark haphazard Hamlet needed. Two minutes later and Schoburgh teamed up with an overlapping May, the latter’s low cross skipped over in the middle to allow Chattaway to rifle in a shot at the back stick, one that brought the best out of Harris as he battered the ball around the post. False dawn this was not for another two minutes spun by to Dulwich’s opening goal, as a long free kick was launched into the Casuals penalty area. Nugent rose highest to flick the ball on, and with a Greek chorus of static defenders as his backdrop, Charlie Taylor pounced on the ball to stab a shot under Harris, now sans defense.
Flagellated on the wings, Casuals shrunk back as the red tide swept forwards. 34 minutes and it could, nay should, have been two nil. Frisky young Taylor, relishing his role as a rapier foil to his strike partner’s bludgeon broadsword, danced his way through tackle and tackle, some legit some less so albeit in the Dulwich eyes only. Reaching the backline he selflessly dragged the ball back to Nugent, standing some six yards from goal, Casuals granted a stay of execution as Matt Smith thrust out a leg to block Nugent’s placed shot on the line. Nugent would have his moment though. Come the 41st minute and Schoburgh tormenting Chocolate and Pink, toying with those who had the temerity to attempt a tackle, slipped a pass into Nugent, hovering on the fringes of the area. Grace was replaced by muscle as Nugent threw off the throng of defenders that had engulfed him, turning away to rattle a low drive deep into the far bottom corner of Harris’ net.
Casuals would have their vengeance early in the second half as a crude challenge ended his participation but those curmudgeonly defenders would find little respite as the lamed striker was replaced with a bouncing bomb in the shape of the tenacious Henry Darko. His time would come but next blood belonged to May, fast recapturing his early promise and strengthening Hamlet’s stranglehold on victory with number three on 55 minutes. A bungled Corinthian corner provided the foundations but it was Taylor who would build on those as he sprung upfield. At first he seemed to look for a shot but with homesters streaming back to smoother his charge, he looked instead to May cantering up the right unheeded. With radar set on goal, May ignored the last ditch efforts of Harris and his defence as he slid the ball beyond the advancing ‘keeper and into the back of the net via the foot of a defender.
Unpitying Hamlet would not ease up. Pent-up disappointment translated into relentless attack as Casuals became sacrificial lambs that might appease the gods of soccer. Built like a boxer, dancing like a foxtrotter, Bernard had the woodwork as, with a little jink, a touch of sway - and wallop!, he crashed a drive from distance against the crossbar. Juggling Taylor had defenders mesmerised but drilled a drive mere millimetres wide of Harris far post.
Woes for the hosts as Myton crept gingerly from the arena, victim of a suspected broken ankle. Rejigged Casuals conceded a fourth not long after. Revitalised Schoburgh won a foot race with the dogged Smith, refused to concede that the back line would succeed where Smith failed and stretching to hammer a low ball into the near post. A perfect poacher’s goal for Darko, Harris down in vain as the prowling striker steered the ball home.
Their work done, Hamlet’s fly boys of the wing made way for replacements, first Chattaway for Daryl Plummer then Schoburgh for fledgling international, Jason Hawes. Perhaps Hamlet though their work too was done, for as the last rays dappled suburbia, Dulwich dozed as a corner was delivered, capricious Carlton Murray-Price unwittingly benefitting from somnambulant defending as the ball cannoned in off his net. That apart Dulwich had rekindled their promotion dreams and as if to rub home their superiority promptly strode to the other end where Plummer would find the net with aplomb, only to stymied by a benignly munificent assistant who spared home blushes with an debatable, if ultimately superfluous, offside flag.
Automatic promotion had long since galloped over the horizon, almost certainly into the bandit country of Kent after Dover’s single-goal demolition of Tooting yesterday, but with games against four of the five teams between themselves and disappearing Dover, Dulwich know their fate belongs not in the hands of others but firmly in their own.
Teams:
CCFC: Colin Harris; Matt Smith; Russell Banyard; Scott Hassell; Chris Horwood (Capt); Tyrone Myton (Paul Hunt 69); Luke Gay; Ayokule Olusesi; Hinga Amara; Carlton Murray-Price; Daniel Green
Substitutes not used: Ben Ward; Richard Price; Martin Dunne; Paul Smith (GK)
DHFC: Sheikh Ceesay; Steve May; Ricky Dobson; Benson Paka; Shayne Mangodza; Marc Cumberbatch; Sebastian Schoburgh (Jason Hawes 84); Ryan Bernard; Meshach Nugent (Henry Darko 51); Charlie Taylor; Billy Chattaway (Daryl Plummer 79)
Substitutes not used: Stanley Muguo; Tim Roberts (GK)
Attendance: 124
Officials:
Referee: Mr K Haines
Assistant Referees: Mr A Williams & Mr R P Wells
