Dartford FC 1 Dulwich Hamlet 1

Ryman Isthmian League Division One South

Saturday 31^st March 2007

The barren, wind-battered approach to Princes Park is purgatory but as one crests the hill the first glimpse of the Darts' new home draws little breath that remains from one's body. Buried under bricks and mortar by the greedy hands of the developers, Watling Street was Victorian Gradgrind to sparkling new Princes Park, a 21^st century stadium boasting all the "green" credentials, solar panels for power, rain recycling systems to water the playing field, sustainable wood. For your humble though this meant a blanket smoking ban, an anxious wait until half-time before one can draw on a gasper. Fortunately the buzz of a pulsating contest meant the usual nicotine hit went almost unmissed.

Three wins out of four for the hosts would mean naught should they lose today. A single change saw Tommy Osborne return having missed an unconvincing 4 goal defeat of bottom club Corinthian-Casuals with injury. Meanwhile hamlet boss Wayne Burnett shuffled his pack in an attempt to gain a much-needed three points after three games without a win, Mazin Ahmad and Leigh Bremner restored to the starting line-up whilst Serge Musungu and Williams dropped to the bench.

Dulwich threatened after just four minutes when Jamie Coyle swept a low cross into the six yard box, the ball allowed to wend its way to Damien Scannell whose attempt to force the ball home was foiled by a combination of ‘keeper and defender, fellow striker Bremner unable to connect with the rebounds. However it was the Darts who were first to find the net, putting the hosts on course to cement their place in the play-off pack whilst seriously damaging the ambitions of the visiting Hamlet. 7 minutes gone, Eddie McClements robbed Coyle of the ball, an intricate run into the box though a brace of challenges taking him clear of the defence only from big Hamlet custodian Simon Overland to bravely block at the feet of the onrushing wingman. But with the Dulwich rearguard missing in action Overland was left defenceless as first Brendon Cass then Jay May tried to bundle the loose ball home, May succeeding where his compatriot had failed.

If the vocal hordes of Darts aficionados had expected that goal to spark an black and white avalanche, their hopes soon evaporated as Dulwich dominated play but could not find the Philosopher's Stone that might turn the base metal of their domination into the gold of goals. Ahmad chanced his arm with a long range free kick, the ball buzzing a foot too high over Darts goalie, Tony Kessell's crossbar.

A momentary lapse in defence for the Hamlet almost let in May once more after Cass had slipped a neat pass into him, but Justyn Roberts composed tackle in manner of the late lamented Bobby Moore robbed the Dartford man of the chance to double his tally. Faced by the massed phalanxes of home defenders, Kenny Beaney attempted to curl the ball beyond Kessell from the corner of the penalty area, a defender's involuntary intervention almost assisting him as the deflection left Kessell flat-footed but relieved as the ball bounced wide of his near upright. A deep cross from the left, swirling on the wind, was met by the head of Mark Green, the ball nodded back across the face of goal with the Darts deadliest weapons, May and Cass, in attendance but each seemingly frozen as the ball bounced harmlessly wide of the post.

Custodian Kessell played a key role in keeping the Hamlet from bringing the contest back to parity, smartly off his line twice in quick succession first to gather the ball as Bremner burst past the static central defenders in his quest to reach a clearance headed back then as Scannell zipped through the defence, stealing the ball off the Hamlet man's toes with an outstretched leg as Scannell prepared to round him. The lively Scannell continued to ask questions of the home defence, neat skills on the edge of the box but a shot blocked by a mass of black and white. Kessell was again called into action after Shawn Beveney, recipient of the ball on the right wing, spun away from a brace of dumbfounded markers before curling in an angled shot that a diving Kessell did well to push away, a defender's knee completing the job as Bremner went hunting for the rebound. Dulwich's defence had still not learnt the lessons of May's opener and with just two minutes of a pulsating half remaining, abundant white shirts flooded the Hamlet penalty area, McClements sweeping the ball across to Ryan Hayes who in turn attempted to find Cass only for a last-gasp tackle from skipper Jamie Coyle to lash the ball behind for a corner.

The second half dawned brightly for the Hamlet though Scannell's powerful run to the edge of the area remained unembellished by a goal as the ball spun wide of the mark whilst Bremner, despite his acrobatics, could not provide the telling connection with a right wing cross. The ball flicked into his path by Beveney, Scannell let fly with a rasping shot but always twisting just that little bit shy of the net.

Subdued in the first half, Darts now rallied and but for the resilience of Dulwich custodian, Overland, might well have made the points their own. Twice in a minute Overland made vital saves at the feet of first Green then Cass as the Hamlet defence was breached too easily. Changes were made. On came Daniel Morris for his debut replacing Bremner. Ahmad made way for Musungu. Dulwich stepped up a gear. Gavin Dayes attempted to bend a shot in at the post but missed by inches. Rumbling through like a Sherman Tank, Cass broke through the last line of resistance but found Overland unflappable in adversity, the ball blocked and amidst a tumultuous gallimaufry Lewis Tozer managed a clearance under heavy fire.

The minutes ticked away. Ten minutes left, a slip from Coyle let in Tommy Osborne, haring down the left wing to deliver a low ball into May, the usually reliable hitman snatching at the opportunity to wallop the ball out of the ground. Two minutes later Steve Norman floated a long, long free kick that almost embarrassed Overland as it hung on the breeze, the big number one back-pedalling furiously to somehow stretch to the last sinew and turn the ball over the bar, freezing the celebrations of the throats of the Dartford Warblers behind the goal. Game, set and match it might been but the importance of that save magnified immeasurably as Hamlet struck the leveller through the boot of Williams, on in place of Dayes less than 10 minutes previous. Wound up and raring to go, Williams had nibbled at the Darts defence with probing runs that fell stony ground but he feasted upon a sublime chip into the angle of the six yard box, larruping a first time volley from the acutest of angles into the far corner of the stunned Kessell's net.

A point apiece might have sated had the stakes not been so high, the wolves circling as goals went in for Dover, Tooting, Hastings, Maidstone, six teams fight fighting for five seats at the promotion party. Hamlet went hunting for the winner, Scannell blocked by the legs of Kessell as he tried to finish from a tight angle. Selected as Man of the Match by the afternoon's sponsors, Kessell justified that award further plucking a free kick from the forehead of Tozer as he rose highest in the forest of players. Right at the death the Darts could not have had a more clear-cut chance to claim victory. May flicked the ball over the head of Tozer head before supplying McClements at the far post. Stretching to meet the ball, McClements drew groans of agony from the massed ranks of Darts supporters as the ball flashed agonisingly a fraction wide of the foot of Overland's post. One-apiece, a fair reward for endeavour but not what the chairmen might have ordered. The dogfight intensifies.

Teams:

DFC:

Tony Kessell, Tommy Osborne, Steve Norman, John Guest, Richard Avery, Lew Watts (Brad Potter 57), Mark Green, Jay May, Brendon Cass, Eddie McClements, Ryan Hayes (Steve Hafner 74)

Subs not used: Carl Bruce, Ryan Briggs, James Tedder

DHFC: Simon Overland, Jason Turley, Gavin Dayes (Phil Williams 74), Justyn Roberts, Jamie Coyle, Lewis Tozer, Shawn Beveney, Kenny Beaney, Leigh Bremner (Daniel Morris 63), Damien Scannell, Mazin Ahmad (Serge Musungu 68)

Substitutes not used: Nicolas Plumain, David Milton

Cautions: Lewis Tozer

Attendance: 1,409

Referee: Mr Ashvin Degnarain

Assistant Referees: Mr Ross Wooding & Mr Arif Khalfe

Goalscoring:

1-0 DFC Jay May 7^th minute

1-1 DHFC Phil Williams 83^rd minute

The players and officials line up pre-match for a minute's silence in memory of long-time Darts supporter Raymond Fuller


Have Boreham Wood fans defected?


It went that way!


Mazin Ahmad on the ball


Catch me if you can!


This week's spot the ball contest. No winners yet!


Damien Scannell attempts a shot on goal from the edge of the area


Dulwich throw up the big boys for a freekick


An acrobatic effort from Leigh Bremner but no luck this time.


Damien Scannell shapes to shoot but this effort goes wide of the mark