Wingate and Finchley 2 Dulwich Hamlet 2
Pre-Season Challenge Match
Sunday 5th August 2007

Back to back matches over the hottest weekend of the year? Ming the merciless was in no mood for rest breaks as Dulwich’s pre-season campaign moved towards its climax with a trek north of the Thames to the Abrahams Stadium of Wingate & Finchley. An austere venue when winter winds ravage the high veldt where suburbia and Metroland blend and the Volvo is king, azure skies and a beaming sun greeted players as they stepped on to the neatly manicured lawns, perhaps half-expecting some irate gardener to appear own of nowhere to berate them for trampling his prized turf.
Pink and blue figures of players shimmered in the heat, methinks on the breeze danced the haunting strains of Maurine Jarre’s score, as in the manner of Sheriff Ali, they galloped up the park towards the waiting goal and Hamlet’s travelling faithful, T E Lawrence like in their anticipation. They did not have long to wait as Daniel Morris hove into view, sweeping on to a subtle pass before hammering a low drive towards the foot of the near post, only to be thwarted as the ‘keeper sank to his knees to gather. A long pump upfield with Morris in hot pursuit had the ‘keeper harried once more, rushing to the brink of his box but nodding the ball back towards his own goal as Morris arrived at pace. Only the quick feet of a defender spared his blushes for with the ball bounced ever closer to the line, a timely hack to safety kept the net unruffled. Soon after the electric Craig Braham would dart in behind a sluggish back line to connect with debutant Liam Hopkins’ looped pass, only to drill his drive wide of the upright. The Hamlet survived a minor scare when a pass bisected the defence but the striker’s final effort was weak and Chuck Martini was barely ruffled.
Half a league, half a league, half a league onward strode the Pink and Blue, Wingate to the left of them Finchley to the right. Benson Kpaka cantered into the valley of death, unleashed a fusillade of a shot, a telling deflection sending the ball careering wide of the upright. The corner gave the Hamlet midfielder a change for recompense. Again the shot was laced with venom, the air crackling as the ball zipped a fraction wide of the top corner.
Perhaps sated by their feast of early attacking football, the Hamlet took a postprandial doze in the summer sun. Like thieves in the night, Wingate stole, cased the joint with a couple of near misses, a midfielder’s drive dribbling wide of Martini’s right upright, the same player then setting up a colleague to sneak in behind the last line, Martini alert to save a awkward close range effort. If that had been the alarm then Dulwich failed to response to its clarion call. Two minutes later they trailed as once again a ball slipped behind defence caught them napping and this time there was no clemency as Marc Weatherstone latched on to the pass, applying the finish with a low drive across Martini’s dive and into the far corner of the net.
Roused by the goal, Hamlet came within a whisker of drawing level within moments. A corner won quickly from the restart, delivered deep to the back of the box to the lurking Justin Bowen, playing his second full 90 minutes of a hectic weekend. The burly centre-half rose unchecked looping a header over a static ‘keeper towards the back stick, destined to be a goal until a defender’s head popped up to clear the ball from under the crossbar.
Though Hopkins went close with a master blaster of drive after Veli Hakki had laid off a quick free kick into his path, it was the Blues who came closer to the afternoon’s next goal, a deep cross from the left wing headed into the side netting after Dulwich’s defence had been outleapt then a stinging drive from distance skimming the top of the crossbar. For all Dulwich’s worthy attacking intentions and opportunities there would be a strong sniff of fortuitousness about their equaliser as Kpaka lofted in a deep cross towards Morris, only for a light breeze to appear from nowhere and carry the ball in its embrace beyond the outstretched hands of a tumbling ‘keeper.
Act II as pulsating as the scene setter but with defences dominating chances arrived with the frequency of a Sunday country charabanc. Five minutes had idled up when in came a Dulwich free kick, up went Anton Innocent, a goalbound header bundled away in a flurry of blue defenders, only to be snaffled up by Morris, firing the trigger but denied a goal by a wondrous reaction save from Wingate’s custodian, one-handedly pummelling the ball away from his net.
A rapier-like run from Braham, incisive but ultimately fruitless, for a phalanx of blue defenders fell upon him as he burst into the box, a promising charge killed off in its prime. Come the half hour, red alert in the Hamlet defence. Jemal Henry provided a timely interception to cut a deadly pass but a moment flashed by and Martini had to stretch every sinew as a floated free kick was targeted on his back post, the Hamlet ‘keeper touching the ball beyond the woodwork. All in vain though for defenders went AWOL when the corner was delivered, a free header sending the ball goalward to where substitute Tashan Bradshaw-Brown would flick the ball back through his legs and past Martini.
In the goal’s wake came a double change for the Hamlet amongst their ranks Jamie Findlay, latterly returned from his sojourn in “warmer” climes. Pretty soon the replacement would have the Hamlet faithful drooling as he produced a masterpiece of goal, one that deserved a significant audience, but like a fine wine should perhaps only be appreciated by the connoisseur? Steeping over the half way line to gathering the ball wide on the right wing, Findlay’s goalseeking devices went into overdrive as he cut in hurtling headlong towards goal. Playing a supporting role, Kpaka leisurely exchanged passes with Findlay on the fringes of the area then stood back to admire as the young winger danced from foot to foot, tempting, teasing, daring defenders to tackle before ghosting past them. Finally face to face with the ‘keeper, he dealt the Devil’s Bedpost to a flummoxed ‘keeper, once more left deposited on his posterior as the ball was nonchalantly rolled past him.
Quality such as that is difficult to follow; maybe the heat at last began to bite. Still there was time for another of the Hamlet replacements, Chris Theodore to come close to making his mark with a cannonball angled drive but this time the ‘keeper was waiting pouncing the effort into his midriff. One should not wish a trio of posterior dumpings on anyone, should one?

Team:
DHFC: Chuck Martini; Jemal Henry; Ricky Dobson; Benson Kpaka; Shane Mangodza; Justin Bowen; Liam Hopkins; Veli Hakki; Daniel Morris; Anton Innocent; Craig Braham
Subs used: Jamie Findlay; Chris Theodore; Joel (No Surname)