Chatham Town 0 Dulwich Hamlet 3

Ryman Isthmian League Division One South

Tuesday 21^st November 2006

A true test of character for the Hamlet as they joined battle with the men of Kent for the second time in three weeks, coming into this game on the back of a brace of disappointing home reverses and looking to steady the ship as the first chills of winter tinged the evening gloom with flecks of ice. Stubborn and frustrating, the Chats had proved at Champion Hill succumbing only to a single Shawn Beveney goal. One might have perceived that they would be more open on their home patch, once known as "Alderman Winch's Enclosed Ground", now more prosaically dubbed "The Sports Ground". However their attritional style had proved successful since defeat at the Hill and manager Phil Miles was in no mood to abandon his philosophy as containment, until a first half of chasing shadows and a two goal deficit forced his hand. Act one of this Passion Play had been Hamlet the king, two goals to the good and seemingly on cruise control to victory. Act two and the shadows evaporated, the hosts emerged from their self-imposed shell and at times Dulwich lived on a knife-edge, better finishing and the final scoreline might have had a red tinge to reflect Chatham's evening attire and Dulwich faces.

Growing in stature and confidence, young keeper Chris Lewington reclaimed the gloves from Alan Hughes. Elsewhere Jake Daniel made impressive full debut but the star of the show, one Sol Pinnock in attack. When Beveney returns from his international sojourn in the Caribbean, he will find the hungry young striker entrenched in that striking role; this evening's excellently taken brace a reminder to his manager of his prodigious talents.

Four minutes in and Hamlet posted intent. Kenny Beaney's free kick arrived. A dozing defence failed to pick up the defensive leviathan that is Justyn Roberts, the centre half meeting the ball with a delicate flick of the head but with keeper John Whitehouse frozen to his line the attempt drifted a smidgeon the wrong side of the back post. Three minutes later and Dulwich sliced the defence open again with a rapier like move that saw Pinnock set up Eniola Oluwa. Managing to just keep his balance the electric winger attempted an audacious chip from the acutest of angles, only to see Whitehouse stretch to his fullest to pluck the ball from the air. Playing Aunt Sally, Whitehouse must have been mighty relived when, moments later, Chris Dickson rifled in shot after creating the space for himself on the edge of area. The intervention of a defender's foot deceived Whitehouse, but the ball, squelching through the muddy goalmouth, was shy of its target by the merest of margins.

By fair or foul, Chatham deemed to halt the Hamlet's penetration but this was to prove their undoing. Phil Williams dancing dribble was brought to an untimely end two yards outside the area. A glint in the eye of young Pinnock, the free kick within range of his deadly boot. Whitehouse called a wall to defend his net, but to no avail, the Great Wall of China itself would not have kept this one out, Pinnock launching a 20 yard goal seeking missile that left Whitehouse rooted to the spot.

Though Dulwich continued to hold the upper hand, the goal seemed to suck the sting from their attack. Indeed Chatham might well have gained a surprise equaliser as a rare attack of note saw lone striker Luke Harvey, drift into space on the right wing, delivering a pinpoint cross towards Ross Finn out jumping Jason Turley at the back of the box, but looping his header harmlessly over Lewington's crossbar.

Silky skills versus iron tackling, another free kick for the Hamlet and once again Chatham were made to pay. Hesitancy in defence combined with the determination of Dulwich skipper Jamie Coyle and the lead with doubled. As Beaney delivered the ball, the home defence stood like wooden soldiers, Whitehouse waited. One bounce on the penalty spot, diminutive defender Bradley King looked to shadow the ball behind but looming above him Coyle, the angle was tight but the header was unerring, Whitehouse desperately trying to cover but beaten as the ball was bulleted past him.

Sniper's Alley, Chatham's defence overworked as they struggled to pick off Hamlet raids on the left, on the right, left again, down the middle. Further out than before Pinnock again fired in a free kick, clipping the firing of a larger and almost hoodwinking Whitehouse. A wicked bounce left Steven Best floundering and let in Dickson but he flashed at his chance blasting the opportunity in the frame of Whitehouse spread before him. For the prolific Dickson it was to be one of those nights; moments before the break Pinnock pulled a ball back across the face of goal but his fellow striker was left frustrated as he failed to apply the finishing touch.

Needs must when the devil drives and the tortoise became the hare as Chatham added a second striker. Suddenly it was a different, more even game. An excellent ball in but Beaney was denied at the back of the six yard box by Whitehouse. Seconds later and Hamlet found themselves exposed, Rob Denness's powering run setting up Darren Smith to pick out Harvey alone in the box, a diving header magnificently tipped over by Lewington. The red tide continued to crash against the Pink and Blue barricade. A free kick, bombed into the box, landed at the feet of Robert Goodger but he failed to exact punish rolling his effort wide of the post. Soon after Harvey set up Denness but Lewington proved his equal, narrowing the angle and smothering the drive.

Having been under the cosh for a good quarter hour, the Hamlet made a rare breakout. A crude challenge, late and high, on Pinnock brought a caution for the transgressor and a free kick for the Hamlet. Again Chatham's defence went into sleep mode, Whitehouse expecting an easy gather spared a red face as Dickson arrived out of nowhere but somehow lifted his volley over the unguarded goal.

Thalia had deserted the Hamlet, the carefree and idyllic poetry of their play eclipsed by the dogged, doggerel of their earnest hosts. Denness frustrated once more as he tried to run on to a through ball only to find Lewington cleared the danger with a vital hoof to the sidelines. Two minutes later and the luckless Denness again failed to punish lax defending, neatly chipping the ball back into the hands of the Hamlet keeper as he was found in space on the edge of the area. At last the net rippled for Chatham but Harvey's drive had found only the side netting as Lewington calmly watched the effort zip past his post.

With that the last vestiges of a fight back flittered away in the darkness. David Moore had replaced Oluwa, the vintage Jaguar for the showroom Porsche, and the substitute saw a low strike from the edge of the box deflected for a corner. Run the clock down, a double substitution, an over intricate corner then a more gratifying method of time-wasting, goal number three. The ancient tannoy, last used by Mr Chamberlain on his return from Berlin, at last crackled into life to announce Whitehouse as Man of the Match. A curse upon him for moments later he was picked the ball from his net, beaten at his near post by Pinnock with a sweet drive on the turn, having swept aside vain defensive efforts to dispossess him.

Hard-won victory brought with it further joy as news filtered through the ether that erstwhile table toppers Fleet Town had been held at home by Burgess Hill. Once more Nike was on the side of the Hamlet as they reclaimed pole position after their weekend of inactivity.

Teams:

CTFC: John Whitehouse; Bradley King; Robert Goodger; Daniel Larkin; Andrew Boyle; Steven Best (Wayne Brown 89); Darren Smith; James Lyons (Adam Douglas 69); Luke Harvey; Rob Denness; Ross Finn (Thomas Binks 72)

Substitute not used: Nick Botting (GK)

DHFC: Chris Lewington; Jason Turley; Nicolas Plumain; Justyn Roberts; Jamie Coyle (Capt); Jake Daniel; Eniola Oluwa (David Moore 82); Kenny Beaney (Cedric Meeko 90); Sol Pinnock; Chris Dickson; Phil Williams (Billy Warner 90)

Substitutes not used: Daniel Jones; Gavin Dayes

Attendance: 136

Officials:

Referee: Mr M McCoy (Whitstable, Kent)

Assistant Referees: Mr P Knight & Mr S Rowden

Goalscoring:

0-1 DHFC Sol Pinnock 11^th minute

0-2 DHFC Jamie Coyle 29^th minute

0-3 DHFC Sol Pinnock 89^th minute