Dulwich Hamlet 1 Potters Bar Town 0
Jack Kennedy Cup
Saturday 11th August 2007

A memorable match at the Cathedral of Football, fire and thunder, art and industry, all combined for an incendiary encounter as the two combatants played at times with schoolboy abandon, erstwhile comrades now in opposition eager for one last chance for personal supremacy ere the campaign began in earnest. Mercurial attacking promised goals, full-blooded defending denied them. With the Jack Kennedy Cup once more the prize for the victors, it was down to a thumping Shawn Beveney finish that the Cup would be restored once more to its proud plinth in the Hamlet boardroom.
For the last battle of the phoney war, Hamlet fans got a glimpse of the XI that will defend Hamlet honour on fields of Walton a week hence. Still the vexatious question of number one custodian remains, youth versus experience. Today youth got the first call as Sheikh Ceesay donned the gloves at least to half time when Chuck Martini, the old stager, took over. However manager Craig Edwards hand was perhaps forced when the veteran ‘keeper was helped, limping, from the field shortly before the close of play, defender Helder Valdes forced to take over between the sticks for the final few minutes as Potters Bar searched desperately for an equaliser. Elsewhere on the field the only other changes from a midweek draw with Folkestone saw Valdes replaced in centre of defence by Justin Bowen, whilst the Parisian Harry Vitalien returned a droit in place of Stuart Booth.
When Andy Leese upped sticks for Chesham mere days after steering the Scholars to their highest place in the pyramid and silverware in the shape of the Herts. Charity Cup, some at Parkfield feared for the future. However the arrival in the hotseat of Steve Browne and a plethora of experienced players, not least talismanic midfielder Victor Renner, in his wake, has invigorated a side expected to struggle this term.
The Hamlet mounted the cavalry charge from the off, sabres rattling, alarums sounded as they pummelled against the rockface of an impervious defence. First minute lofted pass cleared that defensive rockface, Daniel Morris galloping ahead in pursuit, meeting the ball with a mighty thump only the see the ball zip the wrong side of the crossbar. A booming throw deep into the six yard box give Morris a chance of a redemption, a swift turn and strike but into the body of ‘keeper Ashley Jones, on duty at his near post. A quick free kick, Veli Hakki to Phil Williams, a sweet arcing drive too close to Jones, calmly plucking the ball from the air.
First chance for the Scholars a minute later. A deep, deep cross in from the left wing dropped in behind Ricky Dobson as he leapt, the wily Renner latching on to the ball but denied by Ceesay, the young ‘keeper down well as, from an acute angle, Renner smote the ball towards the bottom corner.
Midpoint of the half approaching at speed and Hakki swept the ball imperiously in the path of Beveney, marauding out on the right wing. Limbs thrashing as the big Guyanese went into overdrive; Beveney tore a yawning gash in the Potters Bar flank. Perhaps a cross was expected, Jones for one was caught totally unawares when Beveney set the seal on his run, a deadly wallop seeing the ball arrow between stunned custodian and woodwork. Fair reward for industrious Hamlet, scant recompense for miserly Scholars.
The goal provided further fillip for Dulwich, a greater gear found. Yellow shirts recalled from the front as siege mentality set in defence. Whenever the Scholars tried to work their way out of defence, Hamlet leapt upon them, gobbling up passes and trampling them underfoot, turning them into the fine wine of their own offence. A cornucopia of corners kept the yellow resistance working overtime, best of the chances for the Hamlet a belting Bowen header wide of the mark. Brief respite from defence saw Potters Bar come within an ace of levelling as Dulwich were attacked on the counter, Darrel Wilson muscling past Dobson, hammering a rising shot past a diving Ceesay. As celebration evaporated into incredulous disbelief for the striker, the ball ricocheted back off the underside of the bar, Vitalien completing the clearance. Pleas in the direction of a deadpan assistant fell on stony ground.
For Shilton, Clemence read Ceesay, Martini, the latter taking over between the sticks for the second half, perhaps grateful for the shade of the Greendale End as the beaming sun began to sink in the evening firmament. Stanley Muguo powered on to a heaving forward punt following a weak defensive clearance, but from a tight position failed to squeeze the ball past Jones.
Like summer fires, small spats burst into brief life only to be extinguished early by the calm intervention of referee Constantine Hatzidakis, a cool head, a steady hand and a quiet word the panacea. Aggression channelled into attack, Dulwich boomed in a free kick, Benson Kpaka nodding the ball back across the face of the six yard box to the waiting Muguo only for the timely intercession of a defender’s boot to send the ball spinning away for a corner. A blistering Beveney drive spat fire as it zipped past the upright. Soon after the same player led the defence a merry dance but a low strike rolled wide of the far post as Jones scampered across his goal.
A clumsy Cedric Kobongo challenge gave Potters Bar the chance to find an equaliser, a fierce strike from the free kick on target but finding only the perfectly placed Martini who pounced on the ball with a veteran’s aplomb. Defenders ruled once more as replacement Meshach Nugent was put, as boot met ball, a defender stretching to send the ball on a high trajectory away from the goal. As the final whistle crept neared, agony for Martini, limping from the pitch after an awful landing. The gloves passed once more this time to might centre-half Valdes, first tested a minute past the 90 when Theo Daniels rose unchecked at the back of the box to meet a deep cross, his header bereft of either the power or direction to beat the stand-in custodian. A quick counter and Hamlet were surging imperiously up the park. Beveney spread the ball wide to Kobongo, his pass picked out Craig Braham incisive on the right, a jink one way then the other but his marker stayed resolute, timing his lunge in on the ball to perfection and conceding the corner. Time by now was the friend of the Hamlet, soon the whistle confirmed victory and with it the Kennedy Cup.

Teams:
DHFC: Sheikh Ceesay (Chuck Martini HT (Helder Valdes 89); Harry Vitalien; Ricky Dobson; Benson Kpaka (Cedric Kobongo 73); Shane Mangodza; Justin Bowen; Shawn Beveney; Veli Hakki (Jamie Findlay 68); Daniel Morris (Meshach Nugent 68); Stanley Muguo; Phil Williams (Craig Braham 68)
Substitute not used: Stuart Booth

PBTFC: Ashley Jones; Junior; Aaron Gonzales; Theo Daniels; Ian Reddington; Sid Newson; Sam Alajokun; Andrew Thomas; Darrel Wilson; Victor Renner; Ryan Hall
Substitutes used: Dwayne Jackman; Carey Wright; Danny Chard; Jermaine Matthews; Daniel Burnett (GK)

Goal Scoring:
1-0 DHFC Shawn Beveney 21st minute

Officials:
Referee: Mr Constantine Hatzidakis
Assistant Referees: Mr Matt Worwood & Mr Malcolm Roberts