Dulwich Hamlet 0 Maidstone United 0

Ryman Isthmian League Division One South

Saturday 24^th March 2007

Table-topping Stones departed Champion Hill much the happier after this pulsating stalemate, combined with a late Leatherhead equaliser at Hastings, cemented their position at the head of the pack. For Dulwich though much soul-searching ahead as the season enters its final throes, a third winless outing on the spin dropping them perilously close to the trapdoor out of the play-off places. The goalscoring prowess that so lit up the league not long ago seems to have withered on the vine just as the lock has been turned on defence, once notoriously porous now more miserly than Moliere's Harpagon.

Dulwich welcomed back Captain Fantastic, Jamie Coyle, after injury had ruled him out of the disappointing draw on Whyteleafe’s Saharan sward whilst recalling Serge Musungu to the starting line-up in place of Leigh Bremner. Ominously too the Stones were at full-strength, though they chose to make two switches from the side that had struggled to put down the challenge of Horsham YMCA a week earlier, promoting one-time Hamlet reserve Alex Tiesse to the starting line-up in place of Lynden Rowland whilst the tricky Nick Hegley took the place of Simon Austin. It was the latter player who to prove the Stones greatest weapon in attack, his unwavering appetite for assault on the Hamlet right flank a constant source of irritation to the Dulwich defence.

Despite season's end mere weeks away, the early spring sunshine of Church Road had been replaced by a biting, chilly wind, flecked with icy rain but for the 611 huddled into Champion Hill the white heat of a lusty encounter was enough to ward off the worst of the elements. Stalemate this may have been but Shawn Beveney out on the right wing opened up space on the right wing for a tempting cross but with no one waiting for the delivery, ‘keeper Pat Mullin was able to make a comfortable collection. A hearty challenge by Aaron Lacy on Gavin Dayes in the centre-circle as he drove up field laid the foundations for a swift counter from the visitors, Mo Takalobighashi sneaking in behind Coyle to meet an oblique pass over the defender. Cutting back he attempted to beat Simon Overland at his near post but was denied as the big Hamlet custodian dropped on the ball with Tiesse hovering. Not long after a deep Maidstone corner was flicked on to Ryan Takalobighashi. Stones skipper Sam Tydeman found the lively Hegley who furnished Takalobighashi with a neat flicked delivery, the striker letting rip with a furious effort as he fell, the ball seemingly destined to rent the net until Overland flung himself high to tip the explosive shot on to his crossbar. 33 minutes and Royston's intervention not only cut out a Hamlet attack on the right but his pass up the line sent Hegley scampering away down the wing, his cross picking out Takalobighashi only for the hitman to stab the ball wide from close range. A clumsy challenge gave the Stones a free kick and the chance to atone but after the ball had pinged around the Dulwich area, it fell to Royston, the burly defender slashed at his shot and driving the ball well wide of the far post. Fortune favoured the Hamlet goal once more within two minutes as Hegley turned on the gas to cut a swathe through the Hamlet's right flank, a shot deflected across the face of goal, Takalobighashi unable to provide the killer touch as the ball bounced across his path at the back stick. Maidstone quickly made menacing moves once more as another who had graced the Pink and Blue, Errison Ahwan got his head to a free kick but Overland was quick to claim the ball as Takalobighashi threatened.

If Dame Fortune had smiled upon the Hamlet defence, she soon turned her gaze away from the hosts as Stones custodian Mullin benefited from a large dose of luck to deny Musungu. The ball slipped into the marauding Dulwich striker after Dayes and Beveney had swapped passes in the middle of the park, Musungu bear an onrushing Mullin to the ball, attempting a sweet chip over the ‘keeper only for the ball to bounce off the head of an oblivious Mullin before being cleared to safety.

The second half was a reprise, full-throttle, full-throated, Dulwich claiming a greater share of the chances, Stones continuing to threaten. Worrying early moments for the visitors as their inspirational leader, Tydeman fell awkwardly under challenge in the centre circle, rived by the healing hands and magic of sponge of physio Tim Warden. A Hamlet free kick pumped in was won by the head of Dayes, the ball cleared only to Williams but he larruped his volley wide of the target. Key weapon in the Stones, the ballistic throw-ins of Craig Roser had been dealt with efficiently by the Dulwich rearguard, that was until the 55^th minute when one was allowed to bounce only for Tiesse to waste the chance, weakly stabbing wide of the far upright.

Again Hegley ripped at the Hamlet flank's, turning inside Coyle, dribbling the ball along the back line before pulling the ball back into the six yard box only for Overland to smother the ball at the second attempt. Tiesse paid the price for his miss soon after as Rowland rose from the bench to replace him.

All afternoon Dayes and referee Atkin left out a dangerous Hamlet move stillborn, the referee calling play back for an innocuous foul on Dayes that saw substitute Barton cautioned.

Two minutes of "normal" time remained, though stoppage time stretched out to infinity. On came Mazin Ahmad for Musungu to intensify the pressure on the Stones goal. 45 minutes, Coyle swept the ball in from the right wing, Dayes leapt highest to win the header, the ball dropping at the feet of Damien Scannell but the ball larruped high over the goal. Five minutes into injury time, Beveney muscled away the challenges of the Trojan Royston and his skipper Tydeman and, from 25 yards, unleashed a strike, laced with venom, that fizzed agonisingly wide of the top corner of Mullin's net. Still the Hamlet threw all at the Stones. Deep, deep into the time added on the Hamlet came so close to snatching victor. Breaking fast out of defence, the Stones rearguard was ripped apart by a Pink and Blue tidal wave, the ball working its way to an unmarked Ahmad attacking wide on the right. From an acute angle Ahmad let rip but his fierce shot found its match in Mullin who launched himself right to batter the ball away and frustrate Hamlet at the death.

Teams:

DHFC: Simon Overland; Jason Turley; Gavin Dayes; Justyn Roberts; Jamie Coyle (Capt.); Lewis Tozer; Shawn Beveney; Kenny Beaney; Serge Musungu (Mazin Ahmad 43); Damien Scannell; Phil Williams

Substitutes not used: Stanley Muguo; Leigh Bremner; Nicolas Plumain; David Milton

Cautions: Gavin Dayes

MUFC: Pat Mullin; Nathan Paul; Craig Roser; Errison Ahwan; Mario McNish; Ryan Royston; Sam Tydeman (Capt); Aaron Lacy; Mo Takalobighashi (Jason Barton 79); Alex Tiesse (Lynden Rowland 60); Nick Hegley (Simon Austin 80)

Substitutes not used: Lee Shearer; Michal Czanner (GK)

Cautions: Jason Barton

Attendance: 611

Officials:

Referee: Mr Warren Atkin (Crawley)

Assistant Referees: Mr Wayne Ingram (New Malden) & Mr John Ryan (Worcester Park)