After the disappointments of midweek, Dulwich finished their league with a late fightback, capped by Francis Duku’s first ever goal for the club, which ensured a top ten finish in the Ryman Premier Division. All the more pleasing were that the victims were St Albans City won had inflicted a crushing 4-1 victory over the Hamlet back in November when Dave Garland’s men were within touching distance of the top spot. That game was really the turning point of a season that promised so much as the Hamlet lost 3 of their next four league games and were dumped unceremoniously out of the FA Trophy at lowly Burnham. Ah revenge is sweet particularly when this victory robbed St Albans of third place in the division.
The success of the Reserve side in winning the Suburban League Championship was recognised with more of their number gaining call-ups. On a baking day more suited to sunbathing, Peter Garland was rested with Mark McGibbon continuing in his stead to partner Dean Green. For the opposition there was the welcome sight of that great Dulwich nemesis for too many years, Steve Clark, resting his elderly legs on the bench.
The game got off to a sensational start when, with just three minutes elapsed, the visitors were awarded a penalty after Chris Piper was tripped by Tony Chin in the box. His brother Lenny, a full-time professional with the Saints, stepped up to take the kick, but Dulwich custodian Les Cleevely made a splendid save to block his effort. First to the loose ball was Martin Randall, but once again Captain Cleevely was equal to the shot, getting down to block the follow-up. Ah, so many in the ground bemoaned, three days too late. If only he had managed one or two like this at Dagenham, Dulwich fans might still be chanting ‘Champions of London’.
However, this was to prove merely a brief respite as St Albans grabbed the lead just nine minutes later. Once again poor defending offered the Saints an opening and when the ball swung into the area it found Rob Simpson standing alone in the six-yard box from whence he bundled the ball over the line to give his side the lead.
At this stage, it seemed as if there was little way back for the Hamlet so early in the game. St Albans dominated position for vast tracts of play and constantly threatened to add to their lead but somehow the Hamlet rearguard stood firm against wave upon wave of yellow and blue attacks. It seemed as if Dulwich still suffered a hangover from Wednesday’s defeat and Noel Imber’s goal was rarely threatened. Indeed until stoppage time at the end of the half, all the Hamlet had to show on the attempts sheet was a effort from inside the box by Danny Carroll that caused more worries for anyone taking a shortcut across Greendale than the St Albans keeper.
Suddenly as the game moved into added time at the end of the half, Dulwich sprung into life. Carroll laid the ball outside to Gary Hewitt, haring up the right wing like a man half his age, and the veteran utility player, in his testimonial season, unleashed a fiery shot on the run. Despite a wicked curl on the ball that was taking the ball away from him, Imber managed to throw himself across his goal to turn the ball behind for a corner kick. Two minutes later, deep in added time, came the equaliser. Dulwich won a hotly-disputed freekick on the right side of the box and when Tony Houghton’s freekick swung in there was Carroll rising in the box to flick a textbook header beyond the grasp of Imber and just inside his right-hand post.
The second half began as dramatically as the first had finished. Six minutes in and the Saints had regained the lead with a goal straight from the Route One school. Francis Duku was penalised for climbing in the St Albans box and as Dulwich struggled to get back, Imber launched the ball upfield. Suddenly it resembled the final of the 100-metre sprint as defenders and attackers chased after the ball. Cleevely came out to meet the ball, but abruptly found himself in No Mans Land as Randall won the race for the ball and succinctly lobbed the ball over the stranded keeper and into the unguarded net.
Dulwich came back fighting and might have grabbed a second equaliser within 6 minutes. The ball was swept out to Houghton on the left who picked out Duku in the middle. The centre-half’s measured header was met by the diving head of McGibbon, receiving close attention from a defender, but went inches the wrong side of the post.
The game might have been lost had St Albans converted some of their later chances into goals but somehow Lady Luck seemed to be smiling on the Hamlet. Only fair, I suppose considering what she did from a great height on Wednesday! Cleevely pulled off another fine save to deny Randall, then was involved in the game’s most controversial moments. Attempting a back pass, Tony Chin could only look on in alarm as an evil bounce off the hard surface, threatened to deceive Cleevely. Somehow he managed to turn the ball over the crossbar for a corner. Corner? Even Dulwich fans admitted it should have been an indirect freekick for the back pass, but to their credit, the Saints accepted Mr Horwood’s decision albeit with some bemusement. They almost received retribution with Simpson’s volley from close in, but a Dulwich boot on the line denied them the pleasure.
With quarter of an hour left on the clock came a new set of tactics from manager Dave Garland. Off came McGibbon to be replaced by Dean Palmer. Up front in McGibbon’s stead went Duku, who has been threatening to become a striker for the past few games. Not that it was realised at the time but this was to be an inspired decision.
There seemed little sigh of a breakthrough as the game moved into its final throes and so two final substitutions for the Hamlet. Making his second appearance for the first team was Marcus Dussard, switching with a man, Hewitt, who made his debut for Dulwich when his replacement was still in nappies. Also there was a debut for Michael Ebanks, a lively left back who has progressed through Youth and Reserve ranks to earn his crack at first team football, replacing Tony Houghton. Both slotted in well and bode well for the future.
That first substitution paid dividends with just five minutes to go. The ball made its way across the field to Palmer, in acres of space on the halfway line. Relishing the freedom to run at the defence, he advanced towards the goal, playing a neat one-two with Duku, before shaking off the challenge of Turner to slot the through the narrow gap between Imber and his left-hand post.
Then bang on the ninety minutes, the Hamlet completed a magnificent comeback. A needless foul on Veli Hakki by David Pratt saw the injured party whip in an inviting freekick that Imber managed to knock behind with Mark Garland steaming in. The danger intensified went the corner came in, falling to Dussard behind the defence. The youngster’s inch-perfect cross was met with the most delicate of glancing headers from Duku, leaving Imber rooted to the spot as the ball flashed past him for the winner. The big defender turned striker’s delight was unconfined. If the referee had allowed him a lap of honour, I am sure he would have obliged.
So three points to end the season with, but nowt in the trophy room for the first team. Dave Garland set himself the target of a top ten finish at the start of the season, and that has been achieved. However there is sure to be some dissatisfaction after the magnificent run at the start of the season. The success of the Reserves and the youngsters that have made the step up certainly bodes well for the future on the pitch. Now for a short summer break and it starts again come August.
The success of the Reserve side in winning the Suburban League Championship was recognised with more of their number gaining call-ups. On a baking day more suited to sunbathing, Peter Garland was rested with Mark McGibbon continuing in his stead to partner Dean Green. For the opposition there was the welcome sight of that great Dulwich nemesis for too many years, Steve Clark, resting his elderly legs on the bench.
The game got off to a sensational start when, with just three minutes elapsed, the visitors were awarded a penalty after Chris Piper was tripped by Tony Chin in the box. His brother Lenny, a full-time professional with the Saints, stepped up to take the kick, but Dulwich custodian Les Cleevely made a splendid save to block his effort. First to the loose ball was Martin Randall, but once again Captain Cleevely was equal to the shot, getting down to block the follow-up. Ah, so many in the ground bemoaned, three days too late. If only he had managed one or two like this at Dagenham, Dulwich fans might still be chanting ‘Champions of London’.
However, this was to prove merely a brief respite as St Albans grabbed the lead just nine minutes later. Once again poor defending offered the Saints an opening and when the ball swung into the area it found Rob Simpson standing alone in the six-yard box from whence he bundled the ball over the line to give his side the lead.
At this stage, it seemed as if there was little way back for the Hamlet so early in the game. St Albans dominated position for vast tracts of play and constantly threatened to add to their lead but somehow the Hamlet rearguard stood firm against wave upon wave of yellow and blue attacks. It seemed as if Dulwich still suffered a hangover from Wednesday’s defeat and Noel Imber’s goal was rarely threatened. Indeed until stoppage time at the end of the half, all the Hamlet had to show on the attempts sheet was a effort from inside the box by Danny Carroll that caused more worries for anyone taking a shortcut across Greendale than the St Albans keeper.
Suddenly as the game moved into added time at the end of the half, Dulwich sprung into life. Carroll laid the ball outside to Gary Hewitt, haring up the right wing like a man half his age, and the veteran utility player, in his testimonial season, unleashed a fiery shot on the run. Despite a wicked curl on the ball that was taking the ball away from him, Imber managed to throw himself across his goal to turn the ball behind for a corner kick. Two minutes later, deep in added time, came the equaliser. Dulwich won a hotly-disputed freekick on the right side of the box and when Tony Houghton’s freekick swung in there was Carroll rising in the box to flick a textbook header beyond the grasp of Imber and just inside his right-hand post.
The second half began as dramatically as the first had finished. Six minutes in and the Saints had regained the lead with a goal straight from the Route One school. Francis Duku was penalised for climbing in the St Albans box and as Dulwich struggled to get back, Imber launched the ball upfield. Suddenly it resembled the final of the 100-metre sprint as defenders and attackers chased after the ball. Cleevely came out to meet the ball, but abruptly found himself in No Mans Land as Randall won the race for the ball and succinctly lobbed the ball over the stranded keeper and into the unguarded net.
Dulwich came back fighting and might have grabbed a second equaliser within 6 minutes. The ball was swept out to Houghton on the left who picked out Duku in the middle. The centre-half’s measured header was met by the diving head of McGibbon, receiving close attention from a defender, but went inches the wrong side of the post.
The game might have been lost had St Albans converted some of their later chances into goals but somehow Lady Luck seemed to be smiling on the Hamlet. Only fair, I suppose considering what she did from a great height on Wednesday! Cleevely pulled off another fine save to deny Randall, then was involved in the game’s most controversial moments. Attempting a back pass, Tony Chin could only look on in alarm as an evil bounce off the hard surface, threatened to deceive Cleevely. Somehow he managed to turn the ball over the crossbar for a corner. Corner? Even Dulwich fans admitted it should have been an indirect freekick for the back pass, but to their credit, the Saints accepted Mr Horwood’s decision albeit with some bemusement. They almost received retribution with Simpson’s volley from close in, but a Dulwich boot on the line denied them the pleasure.
With quarter of an hour left on the clock came a new set of tactics from manager Dave Garland. Off came McGibbon to be replaced by Dean Palmer. Up front in McGibbon’s stead went Duku, who has been threatening to become a striker for the past few games. Not that it was realised at the time but this was to be an inspired decision.
There seemed little sigh of a breakthrough as the game moved into its final throes and so two final substitutions for the Hamlet. Making his second appearance for the first team was Marcus Dussard, switching with a man, Hewitt, who made his debut for Dulwich when his replacement was still in nappies. Also there was a debut for Michael Ebanks, a lively left back who has progressed through Youth and Reserve ranks to earn his crack at first team football, replacing Tony Houghton. Both slotted in well and bode well for the future.
That first substitution paid dividends with just five minutes to go. The ball made its way across the field to Palmer, in acres of space on the halfway line. Relishing the freedom to run at the defence, he advanced towards the goal, playing a neat one-two with Duku, before shaking off the challenge of Turner to slot the through the narrow gap between Imber and his left-hand post.
Then bang on the ninety minutes, the Hamlet completed a magnificent comeback. A needless foul on Veli Hakki by David Pratt saw the injured party whip in an inviting freekick that Imber managed to knock behind with Mark Garland steaming in. The danger intensified went the corner came in, falling to Dussard behind the defence. The youngster’s inch-perfect cross was met with the most delicate of glancing headers from Duku, leaving Imber rooted to the spot as the ball flashed past him for the winner. The big defender turned striker’s delight was unconfined. If the referee had allowed him a lap of honour, I am sure he would have obliged.
So three points to end the season with, but nowt in the trophy room for the first team. Dave Garland set himself the target of a top ten finish at the start of the season, and that has been achieved. However there is sure to be some dissatisfaction after the magnificent run at the start of the season. The success of the Reserves and the youngsters that have made the step up certainly bodes well for the future on the pitch. Now for a short summer break and it starts again come August.
Team:
Les Cleevely, Gary Hewitt (14: Marcus Dussard 82), Veli Hakki, Danny Carroll, Mark Garland, Francis Duku, John Cross, Tony Houghton (15: Michael Ebanks 82), Dean Green, Mark McGibbon (12: Dean Palmer 76), Tony Chin
Man of the Match: Gary Hewitt: Give that man a drug test. How can he still perform this well at his age? Covered every blade of grass, provided good service and almost grabbed a goal.
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