Youth Team returns

After a year’s hiatus, Youth Team football returns to Champion Hill with Dulwich Hamlet resuming playing membership of the Southern Youth League. Who can forget the unprecedented success of recent years when Dulwich twice won their division and went on from there to achieve even greater success clinching the overall Championship in the end of season playoffs in 1998 and 1999? In 1998, Dulwich also reached the final of the League Cup, but were defeated by Chipstead in a stormy final at Kingstonian.

Those teams have also seen the likes of Veli Hakki, Dean Palmer, Michael Azzopardi, Michael Ebanks and Marcus Dussard step up into the First Team. Previous to them the Youth Team had also featured the likes of Steve Watts, now with Leyton Orient, Carl Cort and Tommy Tyne, plying their trade at The Den, and Marlon King, recently signed by Gillingham for £250,000 from Barnet.

Attempting to emulate the success of Micky Read and latterly Steve King, John Kasapi will be steeping into some very big shoes as he takes charge of Dulwich Hamlet Youth in the Southern Youth League. He comes to us via Welling United, where his under 16’s achieved much success in the Kent Youth League. Obviously the first season will be a learning experience as the intention is start with primarily an Under 17 side, but in re-establishing the team, the hope it that more success will follow. As proved in the past the opportunity is there for players to progress through the ranks.

This season Dulwich will be competing in the Central Division alongside Banstead Athletic, Carshalton Athletic, Chipstead, Croydon FC, Kingstonian, Sutton United, Tooting & Mitcham, Walton & Hersham, Whyteleafe and Woking. Home games are on Wednesdays at Champion Hill usually with a 7-30 p.m. kick off and admission costs a mere £2 (£1 concessions), extremely good value for money since this also includes a programme. You may even gain bragging rights when you can state to your chums, ‘I saw so-and-so in the Youth Team before he made the First Team’.

Before the season starts there are a number of friendlies – brief details below:

Sunday 13th August: Thamesmead Town (A)
Wednesday 17th August: Holmesdale (A)
Sunday 20th August: Swanley Furness (A)

At the moment I am lacking the full details re kick-offs and locations although I hope to include these in the Spurs programme. The season then kicks off in earnest on Sunday 27th August with a trip to Sutton United. This is followed by another friendly game although details are still being finalised. The first home game is the following Wednesday when Carshalton Athletic are our guests here at Champion Hill. Come along and cheer on the Hamlet stars of the future.

Ashford Town (Middx) 2 Dulwich Hamlet 2

Last year, Ashford Town came mighty close to causing an upset against Dulwich in the Surrey Senior Cup, eventually going down by the odd goal in five in a cracking match. Last Saturday the hosts almost pulled off another shock victory. After suffering a early setback, conceding two early goals, the Hamlet fought their way back into this game scoring twice in the second half thanks to a disputed penalty and a stunning strike from substitute Veli Hakki.
Dave Garland introduced a number of changes from the previous Saturday’s reverse at Whyteleafe, bringing in a number of players whose contributions had been instrumental in bringing the Suburban League Championship to Champion Hill the previous season. Lee Macken and Caleb Kamara-Taylor both made their first starts of the pre-season, whilst Dean Green, shorn of his peroxide locks, returned after missing the defeat at Church Road. Newcomers Dave Argent and Dave Richards also started. Missing though was Peter Garland.
Having finally gained election to the Isthmian League, after a number of years of trying, the hosts were anxious to prove their suitability for the higher echelons of the pyramid against opposition three divisions above them. Despite the fact that this as their first warm-up match, there was no sign of ring rustiness as they took the game to the Hamlet from the off. With just three minutes on the clock Ashford stunned the travelling support when Tony Chin’s high tackle in the box was deemed illegal by the referee. Tony Nolan’s spotkick came straight out of the textbook as he blasted the ball into the top corner of the net, sending Les Cleevely the wrong way.
Although Michael Azzopardi sent a low shot from outside the box skidding wide of goalkeeper Paul Burgess’s left hand post, the majority of the traffic was heading in the direction of Cleevely’s goal. With the defence at six and sevens it was only a magnificent saving tackle from Mark Garland that prevented the second after a poor offside trap had been breached leaving Cleevely exposed. This was merely a delay of the inevitable and in the 12th minute the home side extended their lead through Tony Eggington. The tall striker brushed aside all attempts to dispossess him before beating Cleevely inside his near post with a clinical finish from just inside the penalty area.
The same player could have made it 3-0 within 2 minutes but as unable to turn in ??’s shot across the goal at the back post. Memories of that disastrous 6-0 slaughter at Croydon, back in 1998 started to flood back.
Dulwich tried to respond, but could not break down a stubborn defence ably marshalled by Burgess in goal. Azzopardi and Michael Ebanks provided some tempting crosses but too often the forwards were outjumped by markers or the cross simply failed to find a Pink and Blue shirt waiting. A number of corners were forced as the half wore on, but Burgess was commanding in his area. Although he rarely seemed to catch the ball, chances afford by his punched clearances were seldom seized upon by Dulwich. Macken grazed the crossbar with one effort but the Hamlet had little to show for their efforts.
Four minutes from time, Burgess made an uncommon mistake, flapping at one in an interminable series of corners. The ball fell at the feet of Chin, but he could not re-enact his Cup Final goal as a bevy of defenders flung themselves at his goalbound effort, blocking it on the line.
Trailing 2-0 at half-time, the manager led his players to the dressing room with a face like thunder. A roasting was deserved and a second half fightback needed if an embarrassment was to be avoided.
A number of changes were made at half-time, most influential being that of Veli Hakki. Also on were Sheldon Brown and George Gibson, members of that victorious Reserve side. Gibson particularly impressed, relishing the chance to impress the First Team management and linking up well with Bobby George.
After Ashford’s Andy Frost, Dulwich’s tormentor in the Surrey Senior Cup, had wasted a good opening, blasted high and wide when well placed, it became the George and Gibson Show as the pair probed at the home defence. Only a brave save at George’s feet from Burgess prevented him putting the Hamlet back in the game, chasing Ebanks measured pass. Then a moment of controversy gave him another opportunity after Dulwich were awarded a penalty after the ball struck a defender’s hand close to the edge of the box. Referee Mr Day was convinced and barely had the ball been placed on the spot, than George was wheeling away in delight have put the ball into the bottom corner of the net beyond the keeper’s outstretched fingertips.
Dulwich seemed rejuvenated and it was no surprise when four minutes later the scores were levelled. A Dulwich attack seemed to be faltering under weight of numbers, but when the ball fell to Hakki 25 yards out, there was only one thought in his mind. The ball left his foot like shell from a cannon. Burgess leapt to his right but was left grasping at thin air as the ball flew past him and into the back of the net via the upright. A crowd, which had been appreciative if a little indolent in the sweltering sunshine, applauded this wonderful effort to the rafters.
Still half an hour to go and despite this being a friendly neither side seemed content with the draw. Cleevely was forced into a fine stop at the base of his post to deny ?? the chance to restore his side’s lead. All the while Dulwich’s youthful continued to pose problems for Ashford’s defence, particularly when Dominic Barclay replaced Mark Garland with ten minutes left on the watch.
Five minutes from the end it took the timely intervention of Noel Frankum, to deny Ashford a third after the offside trap was sprung once again. From the resultant corner a wide header gave ?? the opportunity to score, but his shot posed more danger to the aircraft leaving nearby Heathrow than to the Dulwich goal.
In stoppage time, Dulwich might have gained an unjust victory. First Gibson flatfooted his marker before firing a shot into the side netting, and then with almost the last kick of the game Barclay looked odds-on to score only for Burgess to turn his powerful low drive on to the post via his right boot.

Team:
1. Les Cleevely
2. Tony Chin
3. Michael Ebanks
4. Dave Argent
5. Mark Garland
6. Dave Richards
7. Michael Azzopardi
8. Caleb Kamara-Taylor
9. Dominic Barclay
10. Dean Green
11. Lee Macken
Subs (all used):
12: Sheldon Brown
13: Noel Frankum
14: Bobby George
15: George Gibson
16: Veli Hakki
17: Steve ??