Walton Casuals 4 Dulwich Hamlet 1

Westview League Cup – Second Round

Tuesday 12th September 2006

The League Cup once again faded from the memory as on the dew-dappled field of Franklyn Road, the hosts ran riot to exact swift revenge for their mauling in the previous Saturday’s league encounter. Defeat was doubly disappointing for, despite several changes from Saturday’s victorious line-up, Hamlet were frustrated in their finishing whilst strewing errors like confetti in defence to provide as great a contribution to the hosts’ goals as their own desire for vengeance.

Injuries restricted the Walton selection, the hosts making a number of changes in defence and missing Saturday’s goalscorer Chris Morrison. Hamlet’s changes were less enforced, the names of Cedric Meeko and Chris Hurst appearing in the starting line-up for the first time since pre-season whilst up front the twin teenage terrors of Sol Pinnock and Carlton Murray-Price led in the line in the stead of Luke Cornwall and the rampant Chris Dickson. How glad the Casuals defence must have been not to face the twin threat of the goal machine’s boot and tongue!

With a point to prove, both sides were at each others throats like hungry wolves from the off. If Saturday’s encounter had started tamely this was pure blood and guts football, neither team shirking the tackle. Frequently the feisty became the foul and had a more authoritative official taken the whistle cards of either hue might have been fluttering through the night air with disturbing regularity.

First chance fell to the Hamlet as Pinnock showed strength and determination to battle the ball from a defender but cutting into the area from the left he drove a low shot across the goal. Walton’s Craig Carley might well have opened the scoring soon after, ghosting in at the back of the box, to nod the ball goalwards but finding only James Pullen’s hands. Springing from the traps Dulwich swiftly moved the ball upfield and Pinnock was again in but again an angled shot on the run fizzled wide of the far post.

Conceding a corner after Pullen had tipped over a blazing volley from Greg Ball, Dulwich dozed off as the dead ball was delivered, Ball taking full advantage to beat Pullen and plant a firm header home at the near post. Fortune favoured the brave as manful defending kept Hamlet from drawing level within two minutes. Overlapping wide Ohran Stewart collected a freekick to lash a low cross into the six yard box met first time by Lewis Tozer, a maiden goal only prevented by John Ambridge’s lunging block. The hard running Walton man would return to haunt the Hamlet later but first Dulwich would restore the game to parity. Executed in classic simplicity, Murray-Price showed a clean pair of heels to the defence as he latched on to a pass drilled to perfection from midfield and finished with aplomb giving keeper Matthew Reid no chance as the ball was forcefully driven past him.

As the cauldron bubbled, the pace and passion never relented. Ambridge came to his side’s rescue in spectacular fashion denying Pinnock with a goalline clearance after the striker had brought down a left wing cross, beaten his marker and lashed a rapier sharp drive past Reid. Winning medals too in the trenches was Dulwich skipper Gavin Dayes, his perfectly timed tackle robbing Ball as a Scott Harris pass threatened to sent the forward scampering clear on goal. Dayes’ work was not done and like a flash he was back in action to rattle David Ocquaye off the ball with a juddering tackle. With half-time mere moments away, the simmering tension finally boiled over as Nicolas Plumain became involved in a contretemps following a crunching tackle. Things turned ugly as several players became involved, the referee impotent, while all around him was threatening chaos. Tempers finally calmed, Plumain became the recipient of the evening’s first caution.

Lessons clearly not learnt Dulwich found themselves trailing again 6 minutes from the restart as a carbon-copy goal saw Ambridge inflict further pain upon the Hamlet as he arrived unheralded at the near post to nod the ball just inside the upright. Hard as they ran Hamlet could not force an equaliser. Plumain came close at the end of a magnificent move but from the corner of the six yard box his attempt to clip the ball over Reid was plucked from the air by the keeper.

Victims of their own inability to clear their lines, the Hamlet slid further behind as the hour mark ticked by. Skipper Scott Harris, a powerhouse leader in the middle of the park, was allowed too much space in the area, but his two efforts were blocked. Still the ball remained in the danger area, one hopeful punt upfield and the peril would have receded. Instead Carley was given the opportunity to drive in a shot from close range; Pullen was beaten and Walton were ecstatic.

Into the arena of youth, stepped the venerable warrior Wayne Burnett to add steel and experience, to goad his charges from the frontlines. But Walton were infused with confidence, Dulwich ragged, Ocquaye’s storming run unchecked but unproductive as his final shot was gathered. The Hamlet though were in charitable mood as the distributed ball was lost almost instantly and Ball was hand to take full advantage, giving Pullen not a ghost of a chance as he slammed home one of his easier goals.

Fortunately things did not get worse for the Hamlet as Carley missed a great late chance for number five meeting a deep left wing cross that beat the Dulwich defence but miskicking with the goal at his mercy.

Teams:

WCFC: Matthew Reid; Ryan Adams; Kristian Webb; Chris Woodward; David Meechan; John Ambridge; Anthony Gale; Craig Carley; Greg Ball; Scott Harris (Capt); David Ocquaye

Subs not used: Chris Morrison, Jack Watkins, Steve Sutherland, Paul Westram; Danny Andrews (GK

DHFC: James Pullen; Danny Moore; Nicolas Plumain; Cedric Meeko; Gavin Dayes (Capt.); Lewis Tozer; Chris Hurst (Matt Dean 69); Ohran Stewart; Sol Pinnock; Carlton Murray-Price; Phil Williams (Wayne Burnett 69)

Subs not used: Daniel Nwanze; Chris Dickson; Jason Turley

Attendance: 40

Officials:

Referee: Mr Colin Lymer (Mayford)

Assistant Referees: Mr Vince Penfold (Addlestone) & Mr Simeon Potter (Sutton)

Goal Scoring:

1-0 WCFC Greg Ball 17th minute

1-1 DHFC Carlton Murray-Price 27th minute

2-1 WCFC John Ambridge 51st minute

3-1 WCFC Craig Carley 60th minute

4-1 WCFC Greg Ball 67th minute