Hampton and Richmond Borough Youth 5 Dulwich Hamlet Youth 0

Hampton and Richmond Borough Youth 5 Dulwich Hamlet Youth 0
The FA Youth Cup – Sponsored by Eon – Preliminary Round
Wednesday 10th September 2008

Having rattled home seven goals in their opening Kent Youth League game at the weekend, Tom Pratt leading the way with a hat trick in that demolition of Dartford (North), the boot was firmly switched to the other foot as the young Beavers blitzed the Hamlet with a fistful of goals of their own. Truth be told this scoreline did not reflect the Dulwich’s performance, battling and feisty but punctuated with too many errors in key areas, but did not give the lie to a Hampton side that created the bulk of the chances and punished even the tiniest mistake with unerring efficiency. Me thought I was in Suburbia not Germany!
As early autumn leaffall fluttered around them The Beavers had the accelerator on early, right winger Tom Kanek a constant threat and had Jack Whitbey larruped the ball wide and high, his early penetration on the flank might have been rewarded with a goal. Dulwich hit back with Louis Sprusen’s ball flicked on by Dean Grant into the path of the overlapping Metin Ramadan, a sweet low drive just wide of ‘keeper Joe Talbot’s near upright. Not long after Sprusen fed Ruen DeSilva overlapping down the left, a neat chipped cross into the near post flicked cunningly across the face of goal by Pratt’s head.
Free in the box Spencer Wakeman wasted a golden opportunity as he nodded Kanek’s cross into the arms of the waiting Danny Baldwinson before Josh Guichard was picked out of three red shirts unguarded on the edge of the area only dwell on the opportunity too long and drive his effort into the body of Baldwinson. The Red Tide swept on, Wakeman’s daring 25 yard chip floated just over. Baldwinson made a breathtaking close range block to batter out Liam Camis venomous volley from 8 yards. Another Kanek cross seemed destined for a red head until big Olly Bell at centre half hooked the ball safety, his Hampton harassers as much annoyance as a pair of gadflies.
That storm weathered Dulwich re-gathered themselves for a brief respite as a corner was one but Bell could only hook the ball over the bar as Sprusen’s header fell to him. Back came the Hampton boys, again marauding down Kanek’s flank. Dithering almost cost Hamlet a goal as a weak attempt to clear the ball only reached Guichard lurking on the corner of the penalty area, but surprise at the gift got the better of him and an attempt to chip the ball into the net bothered none but the starlings roosting amidst the arbour.
The hard work seemed done as half time approached but them Dulwich shot themselves in the foot not once but twice in the space of two short minutes. On 43 minutes the ball was lost in the middle of the park, a pass sent forward to Camis scampering in pursuit with Bell blocking his route, but a misplaced attempt to clear the ball from the Hamlet centre half gave him extra impetus and Camis was hotfooting it towards goal with Bell in his wake. A drilled finish low into the bottom corner gave Baldwinson no chance. If that was gutting, a second goal almost on half time would rip the heart from the Hamlet. Kanek’s cross seemed too deep, an easy gather for Baldwinson but for an instant his concentration went, the ball vanished in the floodlights and it slipped from his grasp to fall at the feet of a startled James Wheeler, who kept his composure to guide the ball into the net gaping before him.
Wheeler would once more be the recipient of Baldwinson largesse two minutes into the second half, a killer blow from which Hamlet could not recover. The young Hamlet custodian inexplicably allowed a speculative shot, maybe even a mis-hit cross, from the young Beaver, wide out on the left wing, to squirm through his arms and into the net behind him. Another nail in the coffin came on 55 minutes when Jordan Waller added a fourth from a free kick to leave Dulwich with naught but pride to chase. Of course this opened up more chances for Hampton but off-key shooting keep the scoreline below the bounds of embarrassment as long-range efforts from Abu Rayhan and Liam Camis went wide of the target. Even went the number favoured the hosts with players in the majority, a crunching Bell tackle left Wakeman’s ears ringing with a peal to match the finest campanile. However the defence was AWOL with a quarter hour left as Camis claimed his second, Baldwinson bravely blocking at the striker’s feet but powerless as the rebound was curled beyond him.
Lesser teams might have curled up to wait the final whistle but hearts still pumped pink and blue, and for ten minutes, Dulwich held an ascendancy that had been strange to them for too long. A drop ball swept out to Daniel Craig haring down the left, his cross into the six yard box met by Grant, winning the ball against taller, more numerous, opposition but nodding the ball over the crossbar. A Dulwich corner dropped to Micky Mullane but from 8 yards out he larruped the ball over the bar and as if to heap the pain on, Pratt galloped away of the last defender in a carbon copy of Hampton’s opener, only to drag his effort wide of the near post.

Teams:
H&RBFC: Joe Talbot, Jack Whitby, Abu Rayhan, Josh Guichard (Charlie Matthuis 80), Dean Inman (Capt), Robert Curtis (Jack Grinstead 66), Tom Kanek, Jordan Waller, Liam Camis (Soheil Tehrani 82), Spencer Wakeman, James Wheeler
Substitute not used: Alex Williams (GK)

DHFC: Danny Baldwinson, Micky Mullane, Dan Moosavi, Adam Griffin (Lewis Cashin 60), Olly Bell, Ike Nwanokwu, Metin Ramadan (Arnel Maga 60), Louis Sprusen, Dean Grant, Tom Pratt, Ruen DeSilva (Daniel Craig 77)
Substitutes not used: Tommy Roberts, Tom Gothard (GK)

Goalscoring:
1-0 H&RBFC Liam Camis 43rd minute
2-0 H&RBFC James Wheeler 45th minute
3-0 H&RBFC James Wheeler 47th minute
4-0 H&RBFC Jordan Waller 55th minute
5-0 H&RBFC Liam Camis 77th minute

Officials:
Referee: Mr T Pusey (Hanwell)
Assistant referee: Mr D Hookway (Shepperton) & Mr R Ellerker (Harrow)

Attendance: 65

Dulwich Hamlet 3 Corinthian-Casuals 1

Dulwich Hamlet 3 Corinthian-Casuals 1
Ryman Isthmian League Division One South
Tuesday 9th September 2008

With a rat-a-tat-tat and a five minute fusillade of goals, Dulwich came from behind against the incommodious amateurs of Corinthian-Casuals whose obdurate defence of a sixth minute lead given them by Trevor Robinson’s pistol crack strike seemed set to upset the Hamlet on home turf. However a needless push gave Dulwich a lifeline just when it seemed that all their efforts would be in vain, Laurent Hamici’s piston powered penalty levelling matters and becoming the precursor for a blitz of goals that saw that early deficit turned in what was by full time a comfortable victory and a welcome three points.
As full time blew at Folkestone the thunderous look upon the face of Craig Edwards spelt doom for those whose performances were deemed below par and much changed starting XI bore testament to the manager’s desire to ensure such debacles would not be repeated. In a night of long knifes a number of players were given final ultimatums, stay to fight and prove yourselves or find employment elsewhere. A midfield much ravaged by injury and ill-fortune was bolstered as last season Players Player of the Year, Benson Paka, returned to Champion Hill to add his high-octane engine to the Hamlet heart. Alongside him Gillingham prodigy, Charlie Howard, a midfield starlet for the Kent side, out learning his trade in the rough and tumble of the Isthmian League. In attack Junior Kaffo returned to the battering ram centre-forward role he had performed diligently, if without reward, against Broxbourne in the FA Cup whilst there was a first start for former Millwall youngster Gary Noel.
If Dulwich had suffered a lost weekend for the Casuals the previous game, victory over moneybags Ashford Town, had been a welcome relief in a winless season so far as a late fightback won them all three points for the first time this term. Though young Howard’s perceptive cross field ball almost set up Steve May in the third minute, a hurried shot skewed away from goal, the Casuals kept up the Ashford momentum with the evening’s opening goal just three minutes later as from a throw-in Robinson’s deceptive swivel left May sprawled on the turf. Whilst most might have looked for a target in the box, Robinson pulled the trigger and smacked in a drive from the angle, laced with venom and pumped with power, that gave Jamie Lunan not a ghost of a chance, beating the ‘keeper at his near post, leaving the post quivering as it cracked in off the upright.
Age before beauty, Young Hamlet’s spurs and stabs countered by the more worldly-wise Casuals, who created a number of early openings and had Dan Jackson not scuffed a clear chance might have doubled their lead before the half was half done. Dulwich’s ripostes were sharp but infrequent. Kaffo almost got on to the end of skipper Marc Cumberbatch’s header down from a free kick, a defender’s boot to the rescue as ‘keeper Colin Harris hesitated. Were Hamlet over exerting themselves? A blur of legs when they attacked but Harris mainly untroubled as the efforts failed to find the target. The final quarter hour belonged to Dulwich but somehow a goal would not come. Like cobras on steroids Simpson and Hamici badgered the visiting defence. From the edge of the area Noel dragged a shot wide of the ‘keeper’s right hand stick. Next attack and Hamici chanced his arm with a larruped strike on the volley that had Harris flustered as he scrambled to pat-a-cake the ball behind for a corner. With sands running low, Dulwich kept up a move as sinuous and twisting as a Baghdad belly dancer despite copious Casuals attempts to stall it, if only Hamici’s finish had been better.
Having slipped the reins of their minders to play in the park, Dulwich were out for the second half before the Casuals had supped their half-time teas. Svelte ideas, fortified with aggression and adrenalin and the Casuals defence was showed its years as the young pups scythed at them again and again. Simpson’s pinpoint cross in from the left wing was met by Noel, leaping upon winged feet, his header flicking wide of the back stick. Howard smacked one in from distance, fizzing low but wide of the upright.
A caution for Casuals Chris Horwood and a dangerous free kick delivered deep by Hamici, Cumberbatch perhaps unwise to eschew a diving header for a side foot which failed to connect. A flurry of cards followed Dan Jackson’s bone crunching termination of May’s run out of defence rightly punished as was Hamici’s over exuberant leap into a tackle. May’s whipped cross in from the left was met by Simpson at the back of the box but his effort was blocked.
As the wheel of time turned ever on, the hopes of Hamlet never died but it took a moment of madness from Casuals’ substitute Lee Matthews to throw Dulwich the vital lifeline of a spot kick. Howard’s bombed cross from the left seemed to be going too deep and too long for Hamici to reach until Matthews decided to give him a helping hand, the defender’s shove so strong the unfortunate Hamlet man, already in flight, was almost pushed over the crossbar! Unsurprisingly the referee unerringly pointed to the penalty mark. Surprisingly the transgressor went unpunished, though Byron Brown’s protestations earned him the amateurs’ fourth caution of the evening. The imperturbable Hamici exacted his revenge with powerful spot kick hammered home. That was the cockspur for the Hamlet revival. Nerve, sinew, muscle and energy were thrust at the visitors. On 76 minutes the ball swept across the park to Simpson the leftwing marauder. A neat pass back inside to Paka, a low cross beyond the ‘keeper and there was Noel to tie the ribbon as he tucked the ball into the gaping net, a goal capped by an acrobatic flourish for his maiden goal. A double stab to the heart for gallant Casuals as Tyron Myton earned himself a second caution and rather unCorinthian dismissals swiftly became a triple tragedy for the Tolworth team as Dulwich added a third on 79 minutes. Casuals’ Mark Towse dithered too long on the ball in the middle of the park and Hamlet were upon him like wolves upon a wounded deer. A sliderule pass sent May scampering away like a pheasant before the beaters and through Harris tried to narrow the angle it was to no avail as the Hamlet man slipped the ball coolly under his diving body.
Frustration set in for the Casuals and a badge that once waved the flag of fair play as Chronos frowned upon them. Shielding the ball by the corner flag, Hamici was hacked at repeatedly by Matthews as a piece of rump steak upon the slab of some trainee butcher. For a sixth time a yellow card was waved in the face of Corinthian, the ghosts of that great team scowled. All this led for a extended bout of stoppage time but Harris prevented further scoring by the Hamlet as made a smart save, diving to flick away an angled volley from Simpson meeting Noel’s set-up.

DHFC: Jamie Lunan, Steve May, Billy Chattaway, Benson Paka, Cedric Ngakam (Ryan Bernard HT), Marc Cumberbatch, Gary Noel, Charlie Howard, Laurent Hamici (Daryl Plummer 90), Junior Kaffo, Scott Simpson
Substitutes not used: Peter Martin, Mohamed Coly, Sheikh Ceesay (GK)
Cautions: Laurent Hamici

CCFC: Colin Harris, Carlos Talbot (Lee Matthews 37), Byron Brown, Chris Horwood (Capt), James Rieve, Joe Funicello, Tyrone Myton, Luke Edghill, Dan Jackson , Steve Omonuo (Joe Nwoko 65), Trevor Robinson (Mark Towse 75)
Substitutes not used: Richard Price, Paul Smith (GK)
Cautions: Tyrone Myton, Chris Horwood, Dan Jackson, Byron Brown, Lee Matthews
Dismissal: Tyrone Myton 75 (Second Caution)

Goalscoring:
1-0 CCFC Trevor Robinson 6th minute
1-1 DHFC Laurent Hamici (pen) 73rd minute
2-1 DHFC Gary Noel 76th minute
3-1 DHFC Steve May 79th minute

Attendance: 192

Officials:
Referee: Mr Michael Webb (Woking, Surrey)
Assistant Referees: Mr Gareth Mays (Epsom, Surrey) & Mr Stefan Malczewski (Ashtead, Surrey)

Folkestone Invicta 2 Dulwich Hamlet 0

Folkestone Invicta 2 Dulwich Hamlet 0
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.

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