Dulwich Hamlet 0 Worthing FC 2
Ryman Isthmian League Division One South
Saturday 25th August 2007
The old hunter's adage "Never trust a wounded animal" ignored at the Hill as against a Worthing side racked by injury and stuffed with reservists called up from the second string and Youth XI, Dulwich failed to take advantage, rarely threatening visiting 'keeper Rikki Banks' net. Indeed the Rebels proved themselves adept at gobbling up Hamlet's long range bombing raids out of defence, Hamlet's strikers starved of the ball as the scattergun delivery frequently found a red-shirted head rising highest to pump the ball away.
Bar a half chance for Daniel Morris when Banks' charge from goal to head away a long punt almost ended in tragedy for the Worthing Number One as Morris lofted the ball back over the stranded Banks only to miss the target, the first half belonged to the visitors encamped at the Greendales end of the ground. Soon after Worthing might well have taken the lead but for a magnificent show of the goalkeeper's art from Chuck Martini as he reacting with impeccable timing, diving to his left to pluck a half volley out of the air as Matt Phelan was left unattended in the penalty area to meet a flicked on free kick. Like a horsefly on hot day, the ever-buzzing Phelan proved a thorn in the side of the Hamlet defence, going close again soon after. Corners too proved a problem for Hamlet, gargantuan Rebels skipper Ben Andrews ubiquitous in meeting them unchallenged but unable to combine power and accuracy for the vital breakthrough, a bullet header flashing over, precise efforts cleared or caught.
Sonny Cobbs stoked his cannon and let fly from a free kick, a rasping drive that sped wide of the far upright of Martini's goal. Phelan snapped at Hamlet's right flank, turning to leave Harry Vitalien bemused before a mightily struck attempt on goal tore across the face of goal with nary a Worthing appendage on hand to turn it home.
Jaded Hamlet made an early change as the out-of-sorts Phil Williams made way for Craig Braham. At last there seemed a spark lit in the final few minutes of the half, as Dulwich's at last got into attacking gear. A desperate lunge on a rampaging Ricky Dobson, haring down the left, earned Karl Akehurst a booking but Hamlet's frustration in front of goal lingered. The candle of hope still burned as the second half got underway though it was Worthing who might have struck first as Sam Gargan swept up a low pass in from the left, turning sweetly in the D but striking the ball straight at the waiting Martini.
A pass neatly laid into his path, the goal yawned before Shawn Beveney, but power won over precision as his strike crashed into the netting behind the goal. Andrews again troubled the Hamlet at a corner, winning the ball but Akehurst wasting his skipper's good work lashing the ball skywards and over the net. Stalemate looked the likely outcome, particularly when the freak goal option evaporated after Dean Lovegrove chanced his arm from 30 yards, a haphazard bounce almost catching out a startling Martini, bouncing over him as he clawed at the air but thankfully clearing the crossbar too.
An hour gone and a new injection of inspiration was needed. Dulwich looked for it in Mazin Ahmad, the trickster soon in the thick as the action as Leo Day's ugly challenge brought Hamlet a free kick. Ahmad whipped the ball into the six yard box but Banks' was not to be fooled, diving forwards to gather as Stanley Muguo went in for the kill.
The fleet foot of callow youth, teenage trainee Gargan set his sights on goal but unselfishly slipped a pass into strike partner Richard Hudson, only for the chance to go begging as the shot was launched into the void. Released on the left Beveney scampered into the area, whipping the ball into the danger area, but echoing his namesake Banks was secure confidentially throwing himself amongst the much and boots to pluck the ball to his bosom. A moment later the Rebels were rising again as that industrious irritant Phelan wove inside from the wing, a low drive beating Martini but ricocheting back off the upright. Gargan reached the rebound first but as he rolled the ball across the face of the gaping goal, an offside flag spared his blushes. An unpleasant challenge on Braham from Day earned the Worthing midfielder a final warning, referee Gary Jerden expressive sign language brooking no further infringements on pain of dismissal.
Space for Benson Kpaka ten yards outside the box, a mishit effort into path of Muguo almost converted but the strike had no intensity within in. Not that that could be said for the game's opener 12 minutes from time though fortune played a part in Gargan's steamhammer shot that broke the deadlock. Having picked up a pass from fellow Brighton boy Cobbs, Gargan's first attempt sprung back off a Hamlet defender but the rifle had been charged, the flint was flicked and, from fully thirty yards from goal, the ball was sent crashing into the far corner of Martini's net, the flying dive of the Hamlet 'keeper all in vain.
A clumsy challenge on Muguo as chased a pass to the goal line, splayed his legs beneath time but neither official saw transgression in the tackle, the lifeline of a penalty denied. Hamlet heads slumped, the hearts of the threadbare Rebels leapt. On a teenage rampage Gargan met Hudson's delivery with a textbook header downward, this time Martini would thwart him. However the youngster would have revenge five minutes from time as Hudson, a morning injury doubt belied the pain with a skip and dance through the Hamlet's defence, rolling across to Gargan to provide the icing on the cake with a simple side foot home.
Teams:
DHFC: Chuck Martini; Harry Vitalien; Ricky Dobson; Benson Kpaka; Shayne Mangodza; Steve Aris (Capt.); Shawn Beveney; Anton Innocent; Daniel Morris (Mazin Ahmad 62); Stanley Muguo; Phil Williams (Craig Braham 34)
Substitutes not used: Daniel Jones; Cedric Kabongo; Sheikh Ceesay (GK)
WFC: Rikki Banks; Dean Lovegrove; Sonny Cobbs; Stuart Axten; Ben Andrews (Capt.); Karl Akehurst; Matt Phelan (Callum Murray 90); Leo Day; Richard Hudson (Michael Demetriou 87); Sam Gargan; Jamie Brotherton (Misui Mlynowski 76)
Goalscoring:
1-0 WFC Sam Gargan 78th minute
2-0 WFC Sam Gargan 85th minute
Match Officials
Referee: Mr Gary Jerden (Grays, Essex)
Assistants: Mr Andrew Woodruff (Byfleet, Surrey) & Mr Gareth Mays (Epsom, Surrey)
Attendance: 286
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