Dulwich Hamlet 3 Whyteleafe 1

Dulwich Hamlet 3 Whyteleafe 1
Ryman Isthmian League Division One South
Tuesday 4th November 2008

On a blustery Tuesday evening Dulwich delivered a rapid riposte to their FA Trophy exit barely 48 hours earlier inflicting a sixth defeat in seven games upon perennial bogey boys, Whyteleafe.
Dulwich quickly seized the initiative and almost took the lead in the third minute when Walid Matata headed narrowly over the angle of post and bar from Daryl Plummer's cross. 'Leafe's Rob Tolfrey was by far the busier 'keeper and after cutting out a dangerous cross from Laurent Hamici, he denied Daryl Plummer when the winger was clean through. Shortly afterwards Matata squandered another gilt-edged chance when he got past Tolfrey, but allowed a defender to rob him with the goal gaping.
After that imposing if stuttering start, Dulwich went ahead in the 25th minute courtesy of Matata's maiden goal in pink and blue. Starting his first game since limping from the field early in the season opener, Matata was expertly poised to take advantage when Jamie Lunan's booming free kick into the post was flicked on by the head of skipper Marc Cumberbatch causing consternation in the 'Leafe six yard box. As 'keeper Rob Tolfrey scrambled to claw the ball away Matata was on hand to hook the ball into the net off the 'keeper's hand.
Whyteleafe threatened briefly when Denva McKenzie unleashed a fierce shot which was well held by Jamie Lunan, but we were soon pressing again and just before half-time Scott Simpson shot wildly over the bar when a fine run down the left by Plummer laid the foundations.
Dulwich were made to pay though for not taking further chances 'ere the second half had truly begun. Wide left, Andrew Martin larruped a deep ball across the box towards Nicky Greene, who had graced the Hill on Saturday in Fisher monochrome. Greene showed excellent poise to nick the ball past Billy Chattaway leaving him man to man with Jamie Lunan who stood not a ghost of chance as Greene pulled the trigger and bulleted the ball past him at close range.
Fears of a 'Leafe revival were not realised and with Laurent Hamici to the fore Hamlet went hunting their lost lead once more. The Hamlet's leading hitman danced a merry dance on the edge of the area, sent to the ground on the very brink of the box but the man in black gave naught but a shrug of indifference. A sniper's bullet from distance almost found its target but the range was off.
Call it greed, call it self-possession Hamici singlehandedly teased and twisted through the green wall, as effective as winter shrub. Lucky for the 'Leafe they had Tolfrey to rescue them as he blocked Hamici' initial effort. The rebound was seized upon, Tolfrey beaten with the drive but this time it was Adam Broomhead as saviour, the surly centre-half hacking the ball off the goal line.
In the 71st minute Matata struck once more to show the Hamlet faithful what they had missed. A free kick whipped across seemed too deep but Daryl Plummer rescued to surrender the ball to the by-line, keeping it in play, skipping around Asher Hudson before chipping the ball to the back of the six yard box. A crashing downward header from Cumberbatch was blocked on the line by Tolfrey but the loose ball was easy prey for the predatory Matata, smashed gleefully into the net from a few feet out.
Rampant Dulwich made victory certain with rare scares when Hamici's jet powered acceleration sent him free of a sluggish 'Leafe defence. Escaping down the left wing with green shirts floundering behind him, he bore down on the now exposed Tolfrey, the custodian powerless as bazooka boots sent a piledriver beyond his despairing dive and into the bottom far corner of the net.

Teams:
DHFC: Jamie Lunan; Ryan Bernard; Billy Chattaway; Benson Paka; Cedric Ngakam; Marc Cumberbatch; Daryl Plummer; Kevin Lott (Junior Kaffo 80); Laurent Hamici; Walid Matata (Gary Noel 80); Scott Simpson
Substitutes not used: Kyle Graham; Alim Sesay; Sheikh Ceesay

WFC: Rob Tolfrey; Asher Hudson; Michael Harney; Ali Reeve; Adam Broomhead; Jason Goodchild; Denva McKenzie; Sol Patterson Bohner (Ronnie Green 60); Andrew Martin; Paul Scott; Nicky Greene
Substitutes not used: Alhajie Jabbie; Cedric Kabongo; Michael Riley; Carlton Murray-Price

Goalscoring:
1-0 DHFC: Walid Matata 26th minute
1-1 WFC: Nicky Greene 48th minute
2-1 DHFC: Walid Matata 71st minute
3-1 DHFC: Laurent Hamici 83rd minute

Officials:
Referee: Mr John O’Brien
Assistant Referees: Mr Stephen Earl and Mr Mark Ford

Attendance: 170

Dulwich Hamlet 0 Bury Town 3

Dulwich Hamlet 0 Bury Town 3
The Carlsberg FA Trophy – Second Round
Sunday 2nd November 2008

This game was all but over as a contest almost before the quarter hour was out as dozy Dulwich surrendered three goals in the first 18 minutes allowing Bury Town a comfortable cushion which was never truly threatened despite Dulwich territorial domination for much of the remainder of the game. Daredevil defending, tackling timed to perfection, and confident ‘keeping from Marcus Garnham kept the Hamlet at bay and sent the visitors into the 3rd Round of the Trophy and another trip south, this time to Hampton & Richmond Borough.
Lackadaisical defending gifted Bury a lead after just three minute. Michael Steward whipped in a low cross from the right flank and with Dulwich’s defence impersonating a Madame Tussaud’s exhibit, striker Sam Reed zipped into the space behind them and tucked the ball past a wrong footed Jamie Lunan.
Excellent cover tackling from the much-vaunted Tom Bullard in defence thwarted a promising Hamlet attack, but then heartbreak for the Hamlet as Reed, under the watching eye of a Derby County scout, let fly from fully 35 yards out, Lunan slow to react as the ball beat him low at his left hand upright.
A third goal on 18 minutes completed Hamlet’s nightmarish opening. Reed was a whisker away from a hat trick as he flung himself at Stewart’s tempting ball in from the flanks. The ball was trapped on the backline by Lee Reed, his initial effort beating Lunan but cleared off the line by Cedric Ngakam. However the ball fell kindly for the same player and this time Reed made no mistake.
Thoughts of a cricket score troubled the mind, but perhaps with an eye on a big pay day awaiting them in the FA Cup six days hence, Bury took their foot off the gas, content to soak up Dulwich pressure, magnificent defending squeezing the life from each Hamlet threat. Marc Cumberbatch popped a close range header over the crossbar from Kevin Lott’s free kick. Laurent Hamici, hardworking but with a constant blue shadow, briefly shook off Bury shackles to latch on to Scott Simpson’s nod down but larruped his volley over the crossbar. As halftime approached Billy Chattaway’s threaded pass seemed inch perfect for Simpson but Sam Nunn, a constant minder, forcing him off balance at the key moment.
Three minutes after the restart an excellent opportunity for Hamlet to snatch a lifeline. Simpson hooked effort had Garnham clawing at the air, Hamici looping a header over him. Daryl Plummer went in pursuit but up went the flag for offside.
Walid Matata came on in place of Amine Djoumbe, playing out of position in the cursed right back role, a striker replacing a makeshift defender. A free kick awarded on the edge of the area once more presented Hamlet with hope. Plummer drove the ball low and goalwards but the blue wall went unbreached.
A fine save from Garnham to batter away Plummer’s volley, Matata with time, too much time, and placing his effort wide of the mark from 8 yards out. The Hamlet pressure unrelenting, the Bury defence unyielding. Hamici delivered, Cumberbatch rose and fell meeting the ball with a firmly planted header but Garnham was down to smoother. Even when Garnham was at last beaten, the referee’s whistle came to his rescue, the ‘keeper impeded as he came for a free kick, Ngakam taking advantage to nod the ball in but in vain. The young custodian was back in flying form soon after as Hamici’s rocket volley was clawed away at the near post in spectacular fashion.
Dulwich stacked the cards, strikers Junior Kaffo and Gary Noel on in place of midfielders Lott and Plummer, a fifties throwback with such a forward laden line-up. One goal might have unnerved the blue boys but resilience remained even when the loss of midfielder Lee Smith saw them play out the game with just ten men.

Teams:
DHFC: Jamie Lunan; Amine Djoumbe (Walid Matata 55); Billy Chattaway; Benson Paka; Ryan Bernard; Marc Cumberbatch; Daryl Plummer (Gary Noel 85); Cedric Ngakam; Laurent Hamici; Kevin Lott (Junior Kaffo 78); Scott Simpson
Substitutes not used: Alim Sesay; Sheikh Ceesay

BTFC: Marcus Garnham; Stuart Walker; Ben Coker; Gavin Johnson; Sam Nunn; Tom Bullard; Lee Smith; Michael Steward; Sam Reed (Andrew Wood 85); Liam Barrett (Steve Bugg 73); Lee Reed (Ashley Sloots 85)
Substitutes not used: James Paterson; Dean Greygoose (GK)

Goalscoring:
1-0 BTFC Sam Reed 3rd minute
2-0 BTFC Sam Reed 9th minute
3-0 BTFC Lee Reed 19th minute

Officials:
Referee: Mr Andy Parker
Assistant Referees: Mr Glen Tilley & Mr Jeff Stanley

Attendance: 245