Cray Wanderers 4 Dulwich Hamlet 3

Ryman Isthmian League Division One South

Saturday 28^th April 2007

Season's end and a jamboree atmosphere at Hayes Lane as Dulwich went down by the odd goal in seven in an entertaining if perplexing afternoon. Most of the first team regulars were given the afternoon off bronzing themselves upon the wide open spaces of Hayes Lane's antediluvian terraces whilst watching the bulk of this season's championship winning reserve squad given the chance to strut their stuff in front of the fans, gaining some valuable match practice ahead of their President's Cup semi-final at Northwood this coming Wednesday. Also lacing up his boots was manager Wayne Burnett, hoping to pass on the benefit of his playing days to the youngsters. Dulwich's head honcho might have carried the weight of experience though like almost half the team this was his full league debut in Pink and Blue.

Earthquakes might have rocked Kent in the early hours but there was little earth shattering in the opening exchanges as two sides with pride the only prize, struggled to motivate themselves on a warm afternoon when the weather and the football were more suited to a pre-season knock-up game against some county league village team.

Jamie Cheeseman struck a speculative effort wide from the edge of the area whilst Michael Power muscled his way past a brace of defenders only for his shot to be blocked and, after a nervous bout of Ping-Pong in the box, the ball was unceremoniously hoofed to safety as Ross Lover readied himself to pounce.

22 minutes and Dulwich had the ball in the net as David Milton tucked away the ball from close range, providing the final polish to a storming Phil Williams charge down the left wing but a raised flag from the assistant on the opposite side of the park stifled celebrations, the man in black's eagle eyes spotting that Williams' final pull back had come from behind the dead ball line. That disappointment served only to rally the Hamlet and two minutes later they had latched on to the lead as Theo Fairweather-Johnson ran on to a slipped pass, stretching a leg out to rifle the ball through ‘keeper Grant Hall who managed to get a hand to the stinging drive but could not keep the ball from its intended target.

The reply from the Wands was almost instantaneous, Pink and Blue parted like the Red Sea allowing Michael Power to charge through unhindered and level matters with an adroit finish past the exposed Simon Overland. Stunned Dulwich should have restored their lead just two minutes later when Cheeseman rolled a pass into the path of Williams, taking advantage of a defence oblivious to his run, but the giant figure of Grant Hall spread himself before him, clawing the ball away as Williams attempted to lift the ball over the prostrate custodian.

Half an hour on the clock and the troublesome Power was at it again, tripping past the last covering defenders on the edge of the Hamlet area, but his precise chip, aimed for the top corner of the net, found only the top of crossbar.

Fairweather-Johnson struck a good chance inches too high after neat footwork had left his marker flat-footed before Lewis Wood wasted a glorious opportunity to put his side in command. Left unguarded he was the grateful recipient of a well-placed cross field pass but his attempt to lob Overland with a first time volley proved fruitless as the ball cleared the net with something to spare though fellow striker Junior Baker seemed fooled stopping in his tracks as he trotted over to celebrate.

Tyro winger Milton threatened again when he collected the ball wide on the right wing, setting a course for goal as he zipped across the face of the area before letting fly from the D but to Grant Hall's relief the strike fizzed just over the crossbar.

Stoppage time at the end of the half, two minutes of it elapsed, and David Hall gave Cray the lead, dancing in from the right before hammering a low drive into the bottom corner of the net leaving Overland rotted to the spot.

Matters would swiftly deteriorate as Cray took control of the game in the early stages of the second half. A languid offside trap allowed Baker a clear run on goal and it took a marvellous tackle from Nicolas Plumain haring back to disrupt the striker's shot the eventual effort insubstantial. Hamlet failed to learn their lesson and when Baker tangled with Plumain in the area less than 60 seconds later, referee Mr Butler was left with no opinion but to point to the spot. Having come on for his sibling Lewis at the break, the mantle of penalty taker rested on Jamie Wood, the loyal servant of the Wands dispatching a textbook effort driven low and hard into the bottom corner of the net.

Launching a mass breakout from a failed Cray corner, a Dulwich attack, spearheaded by a rampaging Williams, promised much but after the midfielder had slid a pass wide to Cheeseman on his right, the return pass into the six yard box was too far ahead of Williams. Soon after Dulwich's defence went AWOL as an attempt to play the offside trap failed spectacularly. Baker timed his run down the left to perfection, drawing Overland as the keeper came to meet him, before unselfishly rolling the ball across to Power who had left the last of the Hamlet defence in his wake. Nary an easier goal for Cray's returning hero as the ball was slammed into the untended net.

Disquiet from the Hamlet faithful but then a combination of circumstances contrived to throw Dulwich a lifeline. Throwing himself at the feet of Daniel Jones, Cray ‘keeper Grant Hall caught his studs in the parched turf, his agonised writhing indicative that something was badly amiss. Six minutes sustained treatment was not enough and whilst the stricken custodian was borne from the field gloves and jersey passed to Al-James Hannigan. As all this transpired, Dulwich were making a key substitution Williams withdrawn to be replaced by Mazin Ahmad. Within a minute Hamlet had wormed a way back into the game as Jones overlapping down the left, hammered in a stunning finish high into the top near corner of the net.

Try as they might to protect the venerable Hannigan between the sticks Cray's defence was powerless to stem a breathtaking run from Ahmad that cut the deficit to a single goal with still 11 minutes remaining. Taking possession of the ball on the halfway line, Ahmad kicked into a higher gear as he breezed through vain Cray efforts to suffocate his charge through the home rearguard. Slipping deftly past the last defender, his final task was a simple one as he coolly tucked the ball home into the far bottom corner of the net.

With the game on tenterhooks, Ahmad opened up the defence with a ball into fellow substitute Serge Musungu but his attempt to chip Hannigan lacked the distance, the relieved stand-in making a comfortable gather. A minute later the new Number One made a less conventional save as Milton profited from Jones' storm run to the by-line, meeting his colleague's pull back with a fierce low drive towards the near bottom corner, one Hannigan kicked away at the foot of the upright.

The fight back dreams came within a gnat's breath of evaporating with 3 minutes left as the defence let Baker ghost in behind them once more. Overland rushed from his line, a vital block denying the Wanderers' wraith. Power latched on to the rebound, cheers for his hat-trick stillborn in the throats of the Cray acolytes as Billy Manners, covering back, headed the goal bound effort out from under the crossbar. Dulwich defiance had been stilled. Baker nodded a header into the side netting as normal time drifted into stoppage time.

The custodian's curse struck again as Hannigan was struck on the shoulder bravely diving amidst a flurry of feet as the ball was drilled into the six yard box. A brief bout of R&R for Hannigan and some tender treatment from both physiotherapists meant he could resume for the extended added time ahead. Hamlet pressed but an equaliser eluded. Even when they had the ball in the net 8 minutes over the allotted 90, fate favoured the hosts. Burnett was the enraged victim as he believed he had claimed a share of the points arriving at the back stick to power home a header from Ahmad's deep, deep cross from the right wing. Much to his chagrin, the assistant referee ruled that he had done so from an offside position. Under his breath, he might have whispered in the direction of the referee, "I hate you Butler!"

Merely a minute elapsed before the last blast of Mr Butler's whistle signalled game's end and season's end. For both sides promotion hopes had slipped away after leading the table earlier in the season. Envious eyes will be cast at those who claimed their seats at the play-off poker party in the Last Chance Saloon, something that was within the Hamlet's grasp until the latter days of this term. 'Til summer's lease is ended your faithful scribe will hie himself away to some darkened place until once more the boots are dubbined up and thwack of willow upon leather is replaced by that of leather upon leather.

Teams:

CWFC: Grant Hall (Gareth Graham 72); Danny Whelan; Colin Luckett; Julian Curnow; Al-James Hannigan; Dean Morris (Adam Young 63); Ross Lover; David Hall; Junior Baker; Michael Power; Lewis Wood (Jamie Wood HT)

Substitutes not used: Chris Eather; Jimmy Beauchamp

DHFC: Simon Overland; Matt Dean (Jason Turley 79); Daniel Jones; Billy Manners; Nicolas Plumain; Wayne Burnett; Kevin George; Jamie Cheeseman (Serge Musungu 60); Theo Fairweather-Johnson; David Milton; Phil Williams (Mazin Ahmad 72)

Substitutes not used: Stanley Muguo; Daniel Morris

Attendance: 264

Officials:

Referee: Mr Stuart Butler

Assistant Referees: Mr Simon Finnagan & Mr Daniel Wyatt

Goalscoring:

0-1 DHFC: Theo Fairweather-Johnson 23^rd minute

1-1 CWFC: Michael Power 24^th minute

2-1 CWFC: David Hall 45^th minute (+2)

3-1 CWFC: Jamie Wood 54^th minute (Penalty)

4-1 CWFC: Michael Power 62^nd minute

4-2 DHFC: Daniel Jones 73^rd minute

4-3 DHFC: Mazin Ahmad 79^th minute

Dulwich Hamlet 3 Ashford Town 3

Ryman Isthmian League Division One South

Saturday 21^st April 2007

The last home game of the season, and with the last blast of the whistle came confirmation that the Hamlet had failed in their quest for the consolation of a place in the play-offs. Two stunning late strikes from Daniel Morris had rescued a point for Dulwich, an equally stunning save from Ashford's sprightly custodian Jake Whincup denying substitute Shawn Beveney a winner out of the blue deep into stoppage time had prevented them taking all three and keeping the dream alive until the final day of the season. However this was a game that was a microcosm in reverse of all Hamlet's woes this season, ineffectual in the opening, deadly at the death. Cray await in 7 days time, but thoughts will surely turn now to next term and the ameliorations to a fine footballing side that needs a thread of steel through the elegant silk.

Manager Wayne Burnett made a number of changes to his starting line-up in the wake of the Walton reverse a week hence, recalling Jason Turley at full back in place of Nicolas Plumain, heavily weighting his attack with Leigh Bremner, Daniel Morris, Serge Musungu all making a reappearance. His opposite number John Cumberbatch, freed from the threat of relegation, was able to bring back the much-travelled Steve Sodje in attack, denied him in defeat at Fleet in midweek.

The Nuts'n'Bolts danced to the Hamlet's tune in the early stages but if the build-up was rhapsodic, little passes interwoven across the park, the final note grated, penetration severely lacking from the hosts. Skilful work from Damien Scannell down the right saw a tempting ball hammered across the six yard box but with not a single Pink and Blue shirt in attendance the chance went begging. Bremner burst past a diving Whincup as the ball was slipped to him in the area, the fingertips of the ‘keeper brushing the ball away from the feet of the striker and preventing him driving in a first time effort. Instead he elected for the pull back as yellow shirts swarmed back to cover and again the opening was lost. Best effort for the Kent boys came when Kennickson Jarrett-Elliott let fly with a sweet drive on the run, Hamlet custodian Simon Overland swiftly down to smother before dragging the ball back into his clutches as Sodje waited to Hoover up any spillage.

25 minutes and Morris slid through a perfect pass to the marauding Bremner, once more proving too fast for slovenly defenders, who let rip with a screaming rising drive from a tight angle that drew an exceptional save from Whincup, the shot singing his gloves as he leapt to his left to tip the strike again angle of crossbar and post. Teasing and probing, Scannell's frequent sorties down the flanks had flat-footed defenders pleading in vain for offside each time they were left in his fiery wake. Oh for an old-fashioned centre-forward, cast out of the Willie Lillington or Ronnie Murrock mould, to provide the final flourish to Scannell's artistry!

As Hamlet plugged away to no avail, the Nuts'n'Bolts threatened once more as the half hour ticked by. Nick Wright, on loan from Championship side Birmingham City, snatched the ball from the feet of Turley before motoring down the right to deliver a teasing cross into the heart of the Hamlet area. Jason Stuart managed to get his head to the cross, though the effort was wayward it might well have dropped kindly for Jarrett-Elliott arriving at pace at the far side of the box. Only a vital interception for skipper Jamie Coyle rescued Dulwich, the ball hooked to the safety of a corner. Wright again played the role of provider as he was the lucky recipient of a horrible miskicked shot that found him raiding down the wing, Coyle again the saviour as he hooked the ball away at the last with Sodje hovering. From the corner, the ball reached Asa Hall, another of the Blue Boys from St Andrews and a one-time England Youth International, loitering outside the area, the defender's penetrating run deserving of a reward but a cross cum shot was comfortably plucked out of the air by Overland.

Having played provider without success the rampant Wright took it upon himself to launch a last Ashford attack before half-time beckoned. Snatching the ball from Turley he set his radar on goal, hitting a forceful drive on the march that Overland got down smartly to parry but Sodje was loitering to pick up the scraps and with the Hamlet defence in abeyance, took the opportunity to smash the ball high into the net of the prostrate Overland.

Perhaps the goal provided the focus Hamlet needed for before a minute had elapsed they were back on level terms as the electric Scannell took it upon himself to slice open the defence, his focus in stark contrast to the early tentative play of the Hamlet. Collecting the ball on the right wing, slipped up a gear, cut back inside, drifting past defenders as if they were statues before hammering a low, incisive strike into the bottom near corner of Whincup's net.

Demi-temps, égalitié. Turley did not reappear for the second half, instead the young Frenchman, Plumain, took his stead, coming close to announcing his arrival with a goal within 60 seconds of the restart. A half-hearted clearance was headed back by Plumain towards Morris lingering on the fringes of the area, the forward flicking the ball into the path of the defender who had continued his run. Whincup, alert to the danger, charged from his line to smother the ball bravely at the feet of Plumain.

Three minutes later and Dulwich's rearguard was spectacularly breached, as pushing up, they lost sight of the diminutive Stuart, the Ashford number 9 turning on the gas as he chasing a slide rule pass. Overland came from his line but a cheeky chip from Stuart left him stranded and he could only watch as Stuart motored on to nod the ball in the now unguarded net.

A Plumain free kick swept across the six yard box to be met by the head of Coyle at the back of the box but a firm downward failed to trouble Whincup. Mugging the last man Plumain, a man on a mission, chased the ball down only for Whincup to rush out battering Hamlet man to the ground and ball away in the same instant. Still Hamlet should have capitalised for the ball ran to Bremner but a moment's indecision and an off-key strike saw the ball skid across goal as Whincup struggled to regain his line. Morris might have rescued the situation but an acute angle and a defender ahead betwixt ball and goal defeated him.

A series of corners followed but without reward and Hamlet were almost punished as the Nuts'n'Bolts broke swiftly. Only the commitment of Scannell denied Ashford the chance, but as he cut out the run of Sodje he was bundled to the ground, his bravery ending his match, perhaps his season, as the stretcher was called for and Scannell left the field to much deserved accolades with a torn hamstring. On in his place came Shawn Beveney.

Almost an hour had passed. Morris slammed a half-volley into the hoardings from distance. Manager and Supporters' Player of the Season Lewis Tozer made way for Mazin Ahmad as Burnett pushed the all-out attack but in the white-heat of battle, Hamlet showed the brittleness and indecision that has cost them dearly in the promotion chase. A flurry of cards greeted Ashford challenges, referee Mr Hatzidakis a breath of fresh air admonishing players not for the so-called "technical offences", looking at him in a funny way, etc but instead dispensing cautions for foul play! Sodje had already gone in the book two minutes into the half following through to leave Tozer sprawled on the turf and he was joined by Graham Porter who foul granted Kenny Beaney the chance to reprise earlier free kicks but instead proved a comfortable gather for the goalkeeper. Tom Adlington was next to incur the wrath of the man in black as he crudely attempted to cut out Plumain plundering down the left. Plumain was quickly back on defensive duties, his harrying doing enough to ensure Sodje's final strike did little to trouble Overland. However the Dulwich were again in absentia as Wright capped a storming performance pillaging a deserved third goal for the Nuts'n'Bolts after 77 minutes, rattling the ball home after a weak clearance had dropped at his feet.

With 7 minutes remaining Morris went close to reducing the arrears as a deep cross picked him in far reaches of the six yard box, a strike rifled wide of the back upright. Filled to the brim with attacking vigour, Plumain repeated the trick, hammering an angled drive into the side netting three minutes later. If Ashford felt left out, Tom Adlington too was to join the side netting club as time drifted away following a razor-sharp run at the Dulwich right flank.

Suddenly, from out of nowhere, the game spun on its head as Morris showed the goalscoring prowess that had been absent since he first pulled on the Pink and Blue. 88 minutes and as a cross in dropped to him he pulled the trigger and hammered an unstoppable strike through the powerless Whincup. Like a young bull after the heifer, Morris was now chasing anything that moved. Ashford were nervous. 90 minutes came, the ball reached Morris and once more the gun was loaded and result was a killer, the ball driven like a bullet into the back of the net with Whincup gasping for the air like beached flounder. Desperate to preserve a point the irate custodian hammered the ball high into the stands in an attempt to delay the restart.

As if by magic, a season that was dead and buried, mere minutes earlier had seen the life support switched back. Two minutes into stoppage and a lifebelt was thrown towards the drowning man as an excellent cross in from the left was met with a stonking volley from Beveney but Whincup snatched it away, acrobatically diving to his left to batter away the goalbound shot. Nurse, the screens please.

DHFC: Simon Overland; Jason Turley (Nicolas Plumain HT); Gavin Dayes ; Justyn Roberts; Jamie Coyle (Capt.); Lewis Tozer (Mazin Ahmad 67); Daniel Morris; Kenny Beaney; Leigh Bremner; Damien Scannell (Shawn Beveney 57); Serge Musungu

Substitutes not used: Phil Williams; Theo Fairweather-Johnson

Cautions: Nicolas Plumain

ATFC: Jake Whincup; Tom Adlington; Simon Glover (Capt); Asa Hall; Graham Porter; Steve Rowles (Marc Cumberbatch 61); Nick Wright; Gary Clarke; Jason Stuart (George Fenwick 70); Steve Sodje; Kennickson Jarrett-Elliott (Ian Ross 90+1)

Substitutes not used: Ryan Andrews; Joe Hitchings

Cautions: Steve Sodje, Graham Porter, Tom Adlington, Marc Cumberbatch

Attendance: 280

Officials:

Referee: Mr Constantine Hatzidakis (Eltham)

Assistant Referees: Mr Chris Phillips (Carshalton Beeches) & Mr Arif Khalfe (Lambeth North)

Goalscoring:

0-1 ATFC: Steve Sodje 44^th minute

1-1 DHFC Damien Scannell 45^th minute

1-2 ATFC: Jason Stuart 49^th minute

1-3 ATFC: Nick Wright 77^th minute

2-3 DHFC: Daniel Morris 88^th minute

3-3 DHFC: Daniel Morris 90^th minute

Dulwich Hamlet 0 Walton Casuals 1

Ryman Isthmian League Division One South

Saturday 14^th April 2007

Déjà vu at the Hill. Once more suave Hamlet play supposed lesser opposition off the park but once more fail to score, fail to win. That honour went instead to the Casuals' John Ambridge, switched on when all around were mentally booking their summer holidays, and stunning Dulwich with a 72^nd minute goal that dealt an all but fatal blow to fleeting play-off hopes of the Hamlet. Victory and the three points gained guaranteed that Walton Casuals will remain at this level next season, though ultimately it was unnecessary as both Godalming and Corinthian-Casuals were beaten to confirm their demotion to a lower level. For the Hamlet not one other favourable result elsewhere as narrow victories for Dartford, Dover and Fleet Town dropped Dulwich out of the play-off places for the first time in many a month.

The Pink and Blue boys opened with a crescendo of attack. First minute a deep corner to the back of the six yard box was met with aplomb by the head of skipper Jamie Coyle, Stags' leading scorer Craig Carley on duty at the back stick to flick a goalbound effort around the post. Two minutes passed and Kenny Beaney, recalled to the starting line, chanced his arm with a curling effort that licked the paintwork as it crept over the crossbar of Matthew Reed. First chance for the visitors arrived soon after when a free kick 25 yards out presented Anthony Gale with the opportunity to test Simon Overland for the first time but a crude shot was never going to find the target.

At the heart of the Hamlet attack was Damien Scannell a constant handful for the overworked orange rearguard but chances went begging too often. A quick corner saw Mazin Ahmad drive into the box, a neat pass into the feet of Scannell but a moment's dithering and an orange hoard squeezed the life from the chance. More purposeful with his next opening, Scannell turned on the heat with a powerful run, but gentled teased wide by his marker, the charge ended with a powerful shot from the angle always rising over Reed's crossbar. Put in by David Milton's through ball, Scannell again muscled past his marker, this time keeping his strike low but denied as Reed spread himself before him to block the strike for a corner. The onslaught continued as Coyle floated in a cross from the right wing finding Ahmad but having cut inside the first defender, the ball squirmed away from him and a second Walton man hacked the ball to safety.

25 minutes of near total Dulwich dominance but nothing to show for it. Walton almost capitalised as the Dulwich failed to pick up the run of John Ambridge to the near post in anticipation of a corner, the big centre-half meeting the ball with a gentle flick of the head but failing to find the target. Normal service was quickly resumed as Scannell rampaged down the right, taking a detour along the by-line before pulling the ball back into the heart of the penalty where a host of Hamlet hovered. However, the restaurant was overstaffed, Gavin Dayes and Shawn Beveney jousting with one another in pursuit of the same ball, the result an impotent shot that trickled back into the gloves of Reed.

The constant raids of the Hamlet opened up great swathes of space in defence, more ambitious sides might have exploited them more though Jermaine Hinds was guilty of woeful finishing after being picked out unguarded on the right, the rangy fullback flashing a wild shot across the six yard box that posed more danger to late arrivals through the turnstiles than to Overland's goal.

Fortune's frown seemed fixed upon the Hamlet. 34^th minute, Scannell gain ripping a hole in the Stags' left flank, a low cross hammered to the near corner of the six yard box. Stretching out a leg, Ahmad beat Reed to the ball as the tyro ‘keeper attempted to smother the danger, but could only look on in anguish as the ball hopped wide by the merest of margins. A minute later and a Milton run worried the defence, so much that, in the words of referee Mr Smith, he was "clipped" as he burst past Michael Cobden. The delivery was spot on, the header from Justyn Roberts deadly but again the goal remained unbreached as the big centre-half was denied a third goal in as many games, his header smacking against the uppers of the crossbar.

Dulwich defensive doors opened, letting in the dangerous Carley but Lewis Tozer provided salvation with a perfectly timed saving tackle. Hamlet failed to clear the danger, the ball finding Greg Ball whose pot shot from distance provided welcome relief from the inaction for the Dulwich custodian, though Overland's pouching of the ball was comfortable.

44 minutes a cross field ball found Milton in the clear on the left. From the angle of the penalty area, he espied the corner of the net, attempting to curl the ball beyond Reed and into the far corner of the net, but at the last the Walton custodian flung himself full length to shovel the ball around the upright. With half-time galloping ever closer, Dame Fortune had just time for one more evil trick before the break. The resultant corner hammered into a crowded area, Beveney with a shot like a howitzer lashing the ball towards goal from barely 4 yards away, only to see the ball smash against his captain on the goal line.

Perhaps lifted by half-time updates from their relegation rivals, Walton seemed more animated more ambitious in the second half. Three minutes in and Gale lobbed a shot wide of the post from close range after a corner had pinged about in the Hamlet box. Soon after Hamlet threatened, a corner cleared, redelivered by Beaney but despite getting the better of Hinds, Coyle could only loop his header harmlessly over the crossbar. A quick and the Artful Dodger of the wing, Ahmad cut inside a leaden-footed Hinds, lashing a shot goalwards from 22 yards but always, always rising just too high.

Carley showed a clear pair of heels to a pursing Hamlet defence, or so he thought, the last ditch tackle of Roberts proving vital as the free-scoring midfielder was denied, his effort from 12 yards out deflected wide.

A flurry of subs, Phil Williams steeping on for Ahmad, the Stags pulled off their talisman, a limping Carley replaced by Kristian Webb. Sandwiching these replacements came the afternoon's first caution, Dayes complimenting of Mr Smith's officiating not reciprocated by the man in black, who brandished a yellow card in the face of the errant Dayes.

An adrenaline fuelled charge from wing back, Nicolas Plumain, the ball flicked into Beveney, the big Guyanese providing the return pass, the move spoiled at the last as Plumain launched an wayward strike, high, wide and none too handsome. Milton fouled and a free kick to the Hamlet gave Beaney the chance to reprise his goal against Dover in more prolific times, all the notes were there, only the coda was absent, the ball curled towards the top corner but too high by inches. Methinks the groundsman might be checking the goals for subsidence so often have Hamlet worried the woodwork in recent weeks.

A free kick wide by the dugouts, launched deep by Gale but sailing over the outstretched hand of Overland. As Overland went to collect the ball for the anticipated goal kick, Mr Smith pointed for a corner, his eagle eyes spotting a perceived touch from the ‘keeper. If only Dulwich had been as alert at the corner, well-worked though it was, Dulwich defenders stood like statues as Scott Harris slipped the corner to an unmarked Greg Ball who in turn found Ambridge had the simplest of tasks to slot the ball home.

Within minutes, ill-starred Dulwich would be denied the chance to draw level from the penalty spot. A deep corner swept across the face of goal, collected by Coyle at the back of the box. He attempted redelivery but was thwarted by Hinds, charging the cross down in the manner of a rugger full back. Outraged Hamlet turned on the man in black but the hands that all had seen seemed to have eluded his vision. As if to rub salt in the wounds, Bremner found the net with nine minutes left, turning in Milton's wayward strike after nodding back a long ball forward, only for the assistant referee's upraised flag to halt the celebrations.

All hands to the pump for the Hamlet as minutes turned into seconds, normal time into stoppages. Coyle, a captain leading his men out of the trenches and in the theatre of war, moved up to a traditional centre-forward role. Twice he had the chances, twice they were spurned. The 90^th minute, a huge welly up the park was won by the spring heeled Bremner, the ball dropping to Coyle but the shot off the mark. Two minutes had been eroded from stoppage time when Coyle again had the chance to rescue something from the wreckage. Scannell, shimmying and shallying down the right, before supplying a pinpoint cross, Coyle meeting the ball with all the power but none of the accuracy. When the Mr Smith's final whistle pierced the air soon after, a deathly pall hung over Champion Hill. Not one note of applause, not one upraised voice in anger. Dulwich's season may not yet be dead but some might already be measuring up the corpse for its shroud.

Teams:

DHFC: Simon Overland; Nicolas Plumain; Gavin Dayes; Justyn Roberts; Jamie Coyle (Captain); Lewis Tozer; Shawn Beveney (Leigh Bremner 72); Kenny Beaney (Serge Musungu 78); David Milton; Damien Scannell; Mazin Ahmad (Phil Williams 61)

Substitutes not used: Theo Fairweather-Johnson; Jason Turley

WCFC: Matthew Reed; Jermaine Hinds; Michael Cobden; Steve Sutherland; John Ambridge; Michael Cayford; Anthony Gale (James Crowe); Craig Carley (Kristian Webb 62); Greg Ball; Scott Harris; Sol Patterson-Bohner

Substitute not used: Luke Dowling

Attendance: 264

Officials:

Referee: Mr Eamonn Smith (Surrey)

Assistant Referees: Mr Andrew Woodruff (Surrey) & Mr Michael Argile (Surrey)

Goalscoring

0-1 WCFC John Ambridge 72^nd minute

Tooting and Mitcham United 1 Dulwich Hamlet 1

Ryman Isthmian League Division One South

Monday 9^th April 2007

Still unbeaten on their travels to Imperial Fields, the Hamlet still left the home of their earnest rivals somewhat unfulfilled despite a draw that ended a long run of victories for Billy Smith's boys. Whilst the point for Tooting looks set to cement their place in the play-offs, Dulwich manager Wayne Burnett was instead lamenting the two points lost as both Dover Athletic and Fleet Town closed the gap on fourth place Hamlet to a single point. For those two contenders the dubious luxury of a game in hand. For Dulwich the mission is simple, win all three remaining games and put the pressure on their rivals to do likewise.

Laboured though it was victory over Horsham had buoyed the Hamlet ahead of the Easter Monday derby encounter, though Tooting had set the standard with four victories in eight muscle-sapping days. For the Terrors this was a fifth game in ten days, perhaps lassitude would prove a greater enemy than their guests. They certainly looked asleep when Dulwich took the lead after just 3 minutes. A free kick wide out on the left was swung in by Mazin Ahmad and with ‘keeper Dave King dreamily coming to collect, Justyn Roberts drifted in unobserved, eeting the ball a yard in front of King and nodding a simple header into the unguarded net.

King's hands looked safer when he casually gathered a long distance effort from Jamie Coyle but the Tooting number one was almost embarrassed again as Shawn Beveney, playing in an orthodox striking role, robbed Joe Vines of the ball as King dithered but his blushes were spared by Jason Pinnock who had rushed back to cut out the Hamlet man's pull back across the empty net.

On the quarter hour a Tooting free kick promised much but, flinging himself headlong, Joe Vines could not find the target with a diving header. Joe's striking sibling, Paul, tried to get in on the act but was beaten to the ball by the head of Coyle, though the Hamlet skipper came within an ace of doing his opponents job for him, the back header almost deceived Simon Overland between the sticks for the Pink and Blue boys. The fearsome feet of Paul Vines were soon on show though with a cracking strike on the run from all of 25 yards but an unruffled Overland made light work of gathering the effort.

Ten minutes to the break and the pace of Damien Scannell keeps the ball from running for a throw in. An adroit pass found Beveney, neatly spinning off his marker Joe Vines but his attempt to smack the ball inside King's near upright failed to trouble the keeper. Two minutes later and Joe Vines was once again the victim of Beveney muscle as the Dulwich man won the chase for Scannell's through ball. For a moment the goal beckoned as Beveney took the ball round the prostrate King but on a dusty, end of season pitch the ball bobbled below his feet and King was able to stretch out a hand and whip the ball off his toes.

A frenzied final few minutes saw Ronnie Green lash over a threatening cross from the left wing, Overland battling ahead of Paul Vines and Ben Abbey to connect with a vital punch before a Hamlet shout for a penalty died on the wind, Romauld Bouadji's body check on Serge Musungu seem as innocuous by referee Mr Crouch. Injured in the process, Bouadji required attention from the trainer, the third Tooting player to do so in the half after King and Joe Vines. Those delays would prove telling as Paul Vines continued his irresistible scoring run with a poached equaliser four minutes into stoppage time. Hamlet were culpable in not clearing their lines though twice they had the chance and twice they reneged on the opportunity. The ball fell at last to Paul Vines on the edge of the penalty area and spinning on a sixpence to meet the ball he lashed a shot toward the far bottom corner of the net that left Overland standing as it ricocheted in off the base of the upright.

A lesser Hamlet might have buckled but the fighting spirit was much in evidence in a second half that promised much, delivering all but further goals and the ubiquitous red card that this encounter almost demands. 10 minutes in, a corner belted hard to the back of the six yard box is met by a towering header from Coyle, King's defender again roving his saviours as the ball is hacked off the line. From a throw Abbey turned on the ball to attempt a goalward strike only to find a Pink and Blue body blocking his path. A moment later Scannell hit the accelerator pedal, cut in from the right wing and dispatched a torpedo on target that King could only pat away. Beveney latched on to the rebound but defenders, like monochrome wasps, crowded him out.

The Hamlet made a change, Ahmad replaced by Leigh Bremner as the game plan changed from raiding to all out assault. Within a minute of taking the field, Bremner was in the thick of things going down under the challenge of Bouadji as the two were in hot pursuit of long ball down the middle. The man in black was unimpressed, Bremner's disappointment echoed by that of the travelling faithful.

Dulwich daydreaming in the middle of the park saw the ball given away to Green, his electric pace the potential undoing of the Hamlet but Roberts came to the rescue, sweeping across to dispossess the pocket rocket as Overland's goal hove in view.

The last quarter hour saw Dulwich move into overdrive in search of that elusive winner, their opponents stretching aching sinew of aching limbs, catching the minutest breath as they fought manfully to preserve that unbeaten run. It should have been ended with 13 minutes left as the Hamlet missed the most glorious of chances to once again reclaim the lead. A booming clearance from the boot of Overland was the starting gun for a headlong chase won by Scannell, who held off his marker before squaring the ball across to Bremner. All the goal beckoned but from the edge of the six yard box, the horrified Bremner slotting the ball straight into the hands of a mightily relived custodian. The substitute had a chance to make amends within a minute as the Tooting defence almost buckled under the weight of full blown attack. A free kick half-heartedly cleared to Scannell lurking in the D was hammered back in to Beveney, his effort rolling under King but as Bremner went hunting to stab the ball home, it was the unlikely figure of Paul Vines in first to lash the ball to safety from off his own goal line. Moments later the Tooting number 9 was back in familiar territory, meeting Green's right wing cross with a looping header that made Overland stretch to the limit in plucking the ball out of the air.

Never moribund in its closing stages, victory could still have gone to host or Hamlet. Another penalty claim, more in hope than expectation as a Hamlet header struck an upraised Tooting hand. Then a present of the ball made to Pinnock but spurned like Granny's Christmas jumper as Overland got the angles right, diving right to clutch the winger's angled shot.

Teams:

T&MFC: Dave King; Colin Hartburn; Dean Hamlin; Matt York; Adam Broomhead (Capt.) (Jamie Findlay 72); Romauld Bouadji; Jason Pinnock; Joe Vines; Paul Vines; Ben Abbey; Ronnie Green

Substitutes not used: Eben Allen; Aaron Day; Danny Carroll; Sheikh Ceesay (GK)

Cautions: Romauld Bouadji 48 (Delaying Free Kick)

DHFC: Simon Overland; Jason Turley; Gavin Dayes; Justyn Roberts; Jamie Coyle (Capt.); Lewis Tozer (Kenny Beaney 89); Shawn Beveney; Nicolas Plumain; Serge Musungu; Damien Scannell; Mazin Ahmad (Leigh Bremner 66)

Substitutes not used: Phil Williams; Daniel Morris; David Milton

Cautions: Jason Turley 45 (Foul); Gavin Dayes 45+1 (Dissent)

Attendance: 350

Officials:

Referee: Mr Ian Crouch (Eltham)

Assistant Referees: Mr Peter Georgiou (Wandsworth) & Mr Ahcene Yahiaoui (Loughborough Park)

Goalscoring:

0-1 DHFC Justyn Roberts 3^rd minute

1-1 T&MUFC Paul Vines 45^th minute (+4)

Dulwich Hamlet 4 Horsham YMCA 1

Ryman Isthmian League Division One South

Saturday 7^th April 2007

With a convincing result but unconvincing performance the boys from Champion Hill at last broke their four draw streak to return to winning ways. Ultimately the game was a comfortable victory over this season's surprise package, Sussex County League Champions Horsham YMCA; though in the early exchanges it seemed as if the Hamlet were already in post-season mode such was the sluggishness of their play. It took a 19th minute goal for the visitors and the introduction of Mazin Ahmad in its aftermath to give Pink and Blues the wake-up call they so badly needed.

Frustrated by Fleet in midweek the encounter saw Leigh Bremner replace Daniel Morris in the vanguard whilst Jason Turley reclaimed the left back spot from Nicolas Plumain. Having put the cat amongst the pigeons with a late, if doomed to be fruitless, charge towards the play-offs, the YMCA were determined not to be overawed though their cause was assisted by a Hamlet side that barely simmered in Easter sunshine. YMCA had already threatened before their early breakthrough, Scott Kirkwood looking in vain for a penalty after colliding with Jamie Coyle, having neatly flicked the ball past him. Soon after the same player failed to take advantage of free kick 2 yards outside the box, lashing a shot always curling wide of the mark in the wake of an over elaborate set piece. No such lack of precision from Steve Davies in the 19th minute, the burly number 9 eluding the Hamlet defence as Matt Russell rolled a pass into his path and from the corner of the six yard box, he planted the ball in the far corner of Simon Overland's net with as much ease as his namesake might pocket the black at The Crucible.

Replacing the out-of-sorts Shawn Beveney with the Mazin Ahmad proved a masterstroke by Hamlet supremo, Wayne Burnett, the tricky winger adding an instant buzz to the Dulwich attack. Three minutes later and the sides were back on level terms. Ahmad whipped in a cross, tempting and teasing. Lewis Tozer, staying up after a corner, threw himself at the ball, his header springing up off the turf to cannon against the crossbar as ‘keeper Dean Ruddy stretched in vain. Following up on the rebound was Justyn Roberts, neatly nodding the ball home past a helpless custodian.

A Phil Williams trademark charge up field promised much but a trio of defenders closed around him and the chance died. YMCA threatened again as the Hamlet defence opened up and Davies slipped a pass across the face of the area to Dan Sackman. Overland stayed alert though, flinging himself at the Horsham striker's feet to block, the rebound off Sackman knocked for a corner.

Williams set off once more on a foray into YMCA territory before being crudely barged off the ball by the lumbering Ellis Hooper. Less lenient officiators might have seen his challenge worthy of dismissal but Mr Daly chose merely to caution the offender. Dulwich would exact more painful punishment from the free kick. Kenny Beaney provided the delivery, the unfortunate Hooper stuck out a lanky limb, leaving Ruddy flat-footed as his defender's intervention diverted the ball against his own upright. Quickest to the rebound was Leigh Bremner, reinforcing his poaching credentials as he slammed the ball under the diving Ruddy to put Dulwich ahead.

Six minutes later a Ruddy clearance was returned with interest and as Damien Scannell chasing the lopping pass, he seemed to be impeded as he took a swing at the ball. The assistant referee was quick to signal an infringement and despite the protestations of the YMCA boys, referee Mr Daly pointed to the penalty spot, booking skipper Tom White for the apparent transgression. The comments continued as Ahmad waited to take the spot kick, defender Dean Carden's critique earning him his side latest caution. Unfazed by al this, Ahmad steeped up to the mark and unleashed a fierce strike to dispatch the ball into the back of the net as Ruddy flung himself the wrong way.

Dulwich might well have further cemented their lead before the break. Williams run ripped through the heart of the YMCA rearguard, his pass releasing Bremner, too fast for the last line of defence but snatching at his chance. The final shot full of venom but always rising over the Ruddy crossbar. Were it a boxer the YMCA woodwork might well have been withdrawn from the fray, so much punishment was it taking. In stoppage time, Roberts rose highest to meet a corner, his header crashing back off the battered crossbar.

The half-time break seemed to dull the Hamlet momentum, YMCA almost punishing them early on with a quickly taken free kick on the edge of the area. Fortunately Overland remained vigilant, smothering a low drive from Nick Levett, using the referee as cover as he sneaked into the box. Even the dismissal of Hooper for a second caution, skittling over Gavin Dayes as the Hamlet man ran on to Beaney pass down the left flank of the YMCA, failed to ignite the fire of the Dulwich attack.

Still Ruddy was kept on his toes, a flying save preventing an own goal from Glen Woodburn as Ahmad's left wing cross cannoned off him. Within a minute he was back in action, saving from Beaney, a curling shot out of the D after Scannell's run from the wing had been smothered on the edge of the area. Scannell himself was denied; his run performing open heart surgery on the beleaguered YMCA defence before a well-struck low drive was parried away by the diving Ruddy at the base of his right-hand post. Cutting in from the wing, Ahmad sent a rising shot just over the crossbar before a low Scannell strike on the run was touched on to his post by Ruddy. Ahmad and Bremner linked up well after the winger had brought inside from the right wing, the forward flicking the ball into the path of Scannell but from 12 yards out he struck his effort into the body of a relived Ruddy. The ubiquitous Scannell found Bremner overlapping on the right. Neatly sidestepping his marker, Bremner lashed a cross into the six yard box towards substitute David Milton, the inopportune intervention of a defender seeing the ball loop over the bar of Ruddy. At last in stoppage time, the tireless Scannell gained reward for his industry, tucking the ball home after an excellently worked move, though it took a fortuitous deflection off a covering defender to deceive Ruddy.

Teams:

DHFC: Simon Overland; Jason Turley; Gavin Dayes (David Milton 68); Justyn Roberts (Nicolas Plumain 56); Jamie Coyle (Capt); Lewis Tozer; Shawn Beveney (Mazin Ahmad 20); Kenny Beaney; Leigh Bremner; Damien Scannell; Phil Williams

Substitutes not used: Daniel Morris; Serge Musungu

YMCA: Dean Ruddy; Dean Carden; Nick Levett; Ellis Hooper; Jamie Lovegrove; Tom White (Capt.); Matt Russell (Dan Taylor 58); Dan Sackman; Steve Davies; Andy Ottley (Richard Greenfield 75); Scott Kirkwood (Pat Massaro 80)

Substitutes not used: None

Cautions: Ellis Hooper; Tom White; Dean Carden

Sent off: Ellis Hooper (2^nd Caution)

Attendance: 237

Officials:

Referee: Mr Stephen Daly (Woolwich)

Assistant Referees: Mr Craig Hicks (Sutton, Surrey) & Mr Andrew Roberts (Kingston-upon-Thames)

Goalscoring:

0-1 YMCA Steve Davies 19^th minute

1-1 DHFC Justyn Roberts 22^nd minute

2-1 DHFC Leigh Bremner 32^nd minute

3-1 DHFC Mazin Ahmad (Penalty) 38^th minute

4-1 DHFC Damien Scannell 90^th minute