Dulwich Hamlet 1 Horsham YMCA 0

Dulwich Hamlet 1 Horsham YMCA 0
Ryman Isthmian Division One South
Tuesday 21st August 2007

A single Daniel Morris goal after 26 minutes was all it took for the Hamlet to make a winning start to their home campaign against a sterile YMCA XI who seemed more concerned with keeping the game scoreless as long as possible. With wise old heads added to the defence, Chuck Martini taking over between the sticks and Steve Aris making his debut at centre-half as skipper, Dulwich might have been well able to contain the attacking threat of YMCA had they chosen to pose a more consistent one. Two good early chances for the visitors served only to disguise their stifling intent, Dan Taylor neatly cutting back inside his marker to chance his arm from 25 yards out on the left wing ensuring Martini got in some early custodial practice. Five minutes later a rightwing cross almost had Dulwich snookered found Steve Davies with the goal at his mercy but he failed to find the target with his header from close range.
Instead it was Dulwich launching the greater offensives only to be frustrated time after time by well-marshalled backline that snared the Hamlet forwards in their insidious offside trap. 25 minutes Matt Duffield juggled the ball into the box only to fall to ground under the close attentions of Shayne Mangodza, a tumble the forward though warranted a penalty but referee Mr Nigel Lugg deemed worthy of naught. A minute later and Hamlet were leading courtesy of a corner won by the persistence of Shawn Beveney, scampering after a weak back pass and battering down ‘keeper Chris May’s snatched clearance. Though the corner was cleared as far as Veli Hakki lurking on the fringes of the area and with defenders expected a stinging drive, the midfielder dabbled a chip into the penalty area. Dragging the ball out of the area, and deaf to spurious offside entreaties, Morris spun on the ball, drilling a volley through a sprawling ‘keeper and into the net.
Five minutes later Benson Kpaka had a header back across goal from a deep corner, hooked away from the goal line by the leg of Davies, on duty at the near post. Hamlet might have had the opportunity to double their lead as half-time drew near, Beveney’s cantering charge into the box ended by the lunging challenge of Kevin Joyce, something that drew a blank from referee Lugg as he pointed for a goal kick.
Once command had been established it was rarely relinquished. The second half began with Hamlet in fine fettle, Morris a micron from a second goal as he stretched out a leg in competition with his marker, only to divert Hakki’s low whipped cross the wrong side of the near upright. Pinball in the penalty box as Phil Williams almost claimed the benefit of a deflected pass from Kpaka, May coming, tangling with his own defender but amidst the melee of boots and bodies, twisting back behind to fall gratefully upon the loose ball. As if possessed of Hermes’ winged boots, Williams terrorised the YMCA right flank with incisive run, his effort battered away by an alert May who’d torn from his line in anticipation. Hakki tried to hammer the loose ball home, but a deflection, off a defender’s hand some thought, denied him as the ball was sent spinning away for a corner kick. Hakki’s evening would soon be at a premature end as a heavy challenge forced him from the field to be replaced by Cedric Kabongo.
Martini showed inactivity had not dulled his senses, a magnificent block denying Horsham’s Duffield after the centre-forward had seemed odds on to reach a through ball first. Morris sensed goal once more as he rose to meet a cross in from the flanks, but his header disappointed bobbing over the cross bar from five yards out.
A mass breakout from defence as Dulwich countered from the Young Men’s corner kick, the flailing limbs of a rampant Beveney a blur as like the Keystone Kops were left tumbling over each other as they hared off in pursuit. With team-mates pleading for the pass, the lure of goal proved too much for Beveney as with last man May ahead of him he dragged a drive wide of the near post.
Having recently replaced Beveney, striker Anton Innocent was soon in the thick of things as a long throw squirmed through to him, his bullet strike looping off a defender’s head and away for a throw-in. The Hamlet piled forward as the throw was delivered, the ball wheedled away to Kabongo lying in wait on the brink of the box but a sweet strike on the turn just failed to find its objective. Hamlet wooded the inviting goal with fine football but she failed to open up for them. Substitute Helder Valdes slammed a free kick into a solid wall after Innocent was sent sprawling by a grisly challenge from Glen Woodburn, as defender was left in striker’s wake in pursuit of a long ball forward, a yellow card brandished in the face of the YMCA man. Marauding Morris, scourge of the defence, was in again once more as night’s labours end neared, drilling towards the corner of the net from Kabongo’s delivery only to find the slight figure of May gathering. Unsated by the single goal, Dulwich burst in unison as the game slipped into stoppage time, a tired tug on an indefatigable Harry Vitalien presenting Kabongo with the opportunity to curl in a free kick at the death, May rooted to the spot but watching relieved as the spherical object hovered over both him and his crossbar.

Teams:
DHFC: Chuck Martini; Harry Vitalien; Ricky Dobson; Benson Kpaka; Shayne Mangodza; Steve Aris (Capt.); Shawn Beveney (Anton Innocent 75); Veli Hakki (Cedric Kabongo 62); Daniel Morris; Stanley Muguo (Helder Valdes 82); Phil Williams
Subs not used: Craig Braham, Sheikh Ceesay (GK)

HYMCA: Chris May; Dean Carden; Andy Ottley; Kevin Joyce; Glen Woodburn; Tom White (Capt.); Matt Russell (Matt Simpson 80); Joe Keehan; Matt Duffield (Seb Kamezi 76); Steve Davies; Dan Taylor (Alex Keaney 80)
Substitute not used: Martin Flack

Goalscoring:
1-0 DHFC Daniel Morris 26th minute

Match Officials:
Referee: Mr Nigel Lugg
Assistant Referees: Mr Dele Sotimirin & Mr Jeff Lengthorn