Broxbourne Borough Victoria and Elm 1 Dulwich Hamlet 2

Broxbourne Borough Victoria and Elm 1 Dulwich Hamlet 2
The FA Cup – Sponsored by E.On – Preliminary Round replay
Tuesday 2nd September 2008

Dulwich Hamlet dispensed with troublesome Broxbourne at the second time of asking but not without human cost in full-bloodied battle at the Goffs Lane home of their South Midlands Spartan League hosts. The headaches began before the kick-off as Steve May was delayed on his way from work making kick-off with a matter of minutes to spare, a vital cog might have been for May was to move into the centre back role with skipper Ryan Bernard on the bench. 15 minutes of no holds barred football, not tackling but grabbling more suited to a Saturday afternoon at Catford Town Hall with Kent Walton behind the mike. One half expected some stage-managed granny to bolt from the stands, brollie poised to strike down some poor unfortunate whose tackling had riled her. Instead it was a brace of players doing the marching, back down the rudimentary tunnel to the dressing rooms as Peter Martin took exception to a two footed lunge from the Boro’s Saturday saviour and after blows had been traded referee Gavin Muge had not alternative but to brandish a red card and send the crestfallen pair slopping sluggishly to an early shower. The thinning of the numbers should have favoured the hosts, an out and out striker sacrificed for them, a right back for the Hamlet but instead once the blueness had seeped from the night air it was Dulwich who exploited space to take the lead. The ball wheedled out to Scott Simpson, lurking out on the left wing and with defenders snapping a his heels he drove to the edge of the area to let rip with a fierce low drive that gave Mark Virgo in the host goal little chance of rescuing his laboured defence.
If this was promise of a Dulwich rampage it struggled to materialise for though the Hamlet held the noses under lock and key for much of the half they could not make enough of the chances that came their way. A spectacular scissors kick by Fas Koroma, drafted in the hitman role, failed to come off whilst all Broxbourne could muster in reply was a shot well off the mark as a low cross was drilled in from the left. On the very brink of the break it should have been a second for once as Simpson’s industry on the wing, determination and tricky in the box, saw a chipped cross pick out Laurent Hamici rattling in at the back of the box only to misfire with his shot and see the ball flash across the goal and beyond the opposite post.
Barely had the players left the sanctuary of the changing rooms than battle was joined once more. The ebullient Hamici blazed in the opening attack then not long after saw a bullet drive heading for a chink in the top corner of Virgo’s net clawed away by the alert custodian. Mr Muge’s card toaster was soon pinning ready once more as a prehistoric challenge from Bradley Poole saw him become the second Boro’ boy booked.
The high work rate was certainly taking its toll on both XIs and mistake might prove telling. Fortunately when presented with the ball in just such a situation Lee Teagle was not to take advantage of the munificence of the Hamlet, instead shooting straight in the midriff of Jamie Lunan, to whom the ball had been a stranger for much of the preceding hour and a quarter.
Then with ten minutes to go it all went pear-shaped as a booming throw-in caused consternation in the Dulwich defence, the ball was not cleared fully and in the melee a free kick was conceded on the far edge of the area. A severe case of “after you, Claude” as the ball was drilled low across the penalty spot, players of either hue shying from the ball until Matt Kearney struck a booty to stab the ball home from 5 yards out.
What was left in the tank for the Hamlet? Would this be a dagger through the heart that had sustained them so long in a furious battle? The dark shadow of extra-time, maybe even penalties, was cast over Goffs Lane but Dulwich sipped once more from the well of courage. Five minutes were left, a corner was one and rising to meet the delivery as Poseidon from the waves was Marc Cumberbatch, arching to meet the ball with a venom-laden header too powerful for Virgo as it singed his outstretched gloves on it way to the back of the net. Red in shirt, red in blood, red in heart, Dulwich had clinched a place in the next round, a visit to Oxhey Jets. But still this enthralling evening had a bitter postscript. An overjoyed Lunan launched into a jig of joy to which the homesters took exception along with Mr Muge who took his evenings card count to seven, a trio of reds (2-1 to the Hamlet) and quartet of yellows all to the hosts.

Teams:
DHFC: Jamie Lunan, Peter Martin, Billy Chattaway, Alex Fiddes, Steve May, Marc Cumberbatch, Fas Koroma (Tyran James 65), Dan Nwanze, Laurent Hamici, Junior Kaffo, Scott Simpson
Substitutes Not Used: Ryan Bernard, Gary Noel, Erron Dussard, Danny Baldwinson
Cautions: None
Dismissals: Peter Martin, Jamie Lunan

BBV&EFC: Mark Virgo, Dan Odamo (Danny May 77), Rob Kemble, Lee Teagle, Matt Watts, Junior Langsbury (Michael Noble 63), Gary Taylor (Matt Kearney 77), Bradley Poole, Rob Tungett, Ryan Wade, Mark Brennan
Substitutes not used: Lloyd Opara, Obey Murefu (GK)
Cautions: Bradley Poole, Junior Langsbury, Matt Watts, Lee Teagle
Dismissal: Ryan Wade

Goalscoring:
1-0 DHFC Scott Simpson 17th minute
1-1 BBV&EFC Matt Kearney 81st minute
2-1 DHFC Marc Cumberbatch 84th minute

Officials:
Referee: Mr Gavin Muge
Assistant Referees: Mr Geoff Graham & Mr Adrian Waters

Attendance: 94

Dulwich Hamlet 1 Broxbourne Borough Victoria and Elm 1

Dulwich Hamlet 1 Broxbourne Borough V & E 1
FA Cup (Sponsored by Eon) Preliminary Round
Sunday 31st August 2008

Dulwich and Broxbourne will have to do it all again on Tuesday after Gavin Wade’s 85th minute equaliser meant the Spartan South Midlands Premier Division side were allowed to escape with a share of the spoils in a below par match when few players in Pink and Blue could be satisfied with their performances. Had Hamlet managed to find a higher gear this game might have been put to bed long before that heart-breaking equaliser, all the more gutting that it would come from a mistake from usually sure-footed skipper Ryan Bernard. First chance fell to the visitors; Junior Langsbury stabbed the ball over the bar from close range in an unseemly goalmouth scramble, Dulwich struggling to find their feet, almost as if a sluggish Sunday hangover dulled their skills. However the Hamlet soon grabbed the whip hand and Fasineh Koroma was a whisker away from connected with the ball as Laurent Hamici larruped a drive across the face of the six yard box. Consolation though for the energetic Koroma as he was on hand to drive Dulwich into the lead on the quarter hour. Scott Simpson jet powered free kick was too hot to hold for Broxbourne ‘keeper Mark Virgo and as the ball spilled from his hands Koroma was on hand to stab the ball home under the falling custodian.
The game slipped into a morass of midfield muddling as Broxbourne’s pressing kept the Hamlet from their free flowing best. Little to report until Jamie Lunan was testing for the first time in anger as Dan Nwanze was robbed of the ball by Tony Burke, the onetime Potters Bar man, driving on to set up Mark Brennan, but thought his long range shot clipped off a defender, the deviation in flight was not enough to deceive Jamie Lunan. Spurred into direct action Dulwich were galloping back on the attack with Simpson spinning off his marker but with his shooting satnav on the blink larruping a fierce rising shot over the crossbar from 14 yards out. Though Boro' had the ball in the side netting soon after the chances were going the way of the Hamlet but something was lacking, accuracy. Tyran James skewed a strike off target, right-footed Koroma’s left-wing cross was clawed away by Virgo from the marauding Simpson, Hamici off the mark as he latched to the loose ball.
An escape for the Hamlet as Lunan was caught in No Mans Land but Brennan blew the chance as he stretched to balloon the ball over the unguarded goal. The relentless Koroma seemed the best channel for the Hamlet and twice in closing stages of the half he came close a curled effort deflected wide then a smart save from Virgo denying him in stoppage time.
Bit of a soggy pudding the second half. A long distance screamer from Hamici flew well wide of the top corner. The same player turned provider a cracking cross an agonisingly inch too far in front of Simpson who flung himself with reckless abandon at the ball as it fizzed across his face. An extra inch might have been so vital for connection would surely have equalled a goal. Some excellent industry from Hamici created the opening for himself but a skewed shot fell short of troubling the ‘keeper.
A quartet of replacements as half a half went by, Broxbourne’s were to prove the more production as the Boro’ shuffled their pack, Wade the lion wolf in attack. But for the leg of Lunan, blocking a close range of effort, Wade might have been a hero of Hertfordshire sooner than he did. Still with 5 minutes left Wade’s moment would come as Bernard slipping as he went to block a pass the ball running cruelly into the path of the Boro’s frontman who would run on to larrup the ball beyond a powerless Lunan.
Urgency now running Hamlet heads, a penalty shout fell on deaf ears as Bernard, now adding his weight to the attack, helped a pass on Billy Chattaway, the ball striking a defender’s hand in flight. Chattaway had the chance to rescue the Hamlet from the midweek ordeal of a trip north of the Thames after substitute Gary Noel wide left had picked him out in the middle. But at the death the Boro’ found another hero in the spindly form of Virgo, not once but twice denying Chattaway, blocking at his feet then spreading his hands across as the young wing back tried to force the ball home.

Teams:
DHFC: Jamie Lunan; Steve May, Billy Chattaway, Alex Fiddes (Erron Dussard 67), Ryan Bernard (Capt.), Marc Cumberbatch, Tyran James (Peter Martin 84), Daniel Nwanze, Laurent Hamici, Scott Simpson (Gary Noel 67), Fasineh Koroma.
Substitutes not used: Junior Kaffo, Danny Baldwinson
Cautions: Peter Martin
BBV&E: Mark Virgo; Gary Taylor (Capt.) (Dan Odamo 67), Rob Kemble, Lee Teagle, Matt Watts (Michael Nathan 88), Junior Langsbury, Danny Ward (Rob Tungatt 67), Bradley Poole, Ryan Wade, Mark Brennan, Tony Burke
Substitutes not used: Danny May, Obey Murefu (GK)
Cautions: Danny Ward, Rob Tungatt

Goalscoring:
1-0: DHFC Fasineh Koroma 15th minute
1-1: BBV&E Ryan Wade 85th minute

Officials:
Referee: Mr Philip Knight (Canterbury)
Assistant Referees: Mr Robert Ayling (Dover) & Mr Tim Amans (Ramsgate)

Attendance 164