Corinthian-Casuals 2 Dulwich Hamlet 1

Ryman Isthmian League Division One South

Saturday 13^th January 2007

Ah, the Corinthians, the Casuals, such evocative names in the pantheon of footballing lore, conjuring up sepia-tinted images of gentleman in its truest sense, pristinely-waxed moustaches bristling with well-concealed anger at the barest hint of foul-play, barbarism and unsporting behaviour. King George's Field, hard by the lung-choking artery of the A3, in the shadow of a railway embankment, pricks those light imaginings, the robust play of those who now don the illustrious Chocolate and Pink shatters the romantic vision as surely as a hammer splinters glass. Upstairs, Downstairs, for if the past of the now conjoined Corinthian-Casuals is drawing room, then its present is scullery.

But then needs be when the devil drives, twice spared relegation in recent season first on goal difference, then by the reorganisation of Non-League Football and the resignation of Banstead Athletic, the Casuals now find themselves cast adrift at the foot of Division One South, without a home win all season and with the league leaders paying a call. Bleak seem the prospects but fortune favoured the hosts, not only were they enthused of a desire that the Hamlet lacked, but they received ample assistance, collusion is too strong a word, from a refereeing display so rank as to deflect the travelling throngs anger from their own heroes paucity of performance.

Uncontrollable circumstances robbed the Hamlet of a key spine of players as Wayne Burnett was forced into a number of changes in the wake of victory at home to Dover the previous Sabbath. Chris Dickson, goalscorer supreme, was a forlorn figure on the sidelines, foot in plaster. Shawn Beveney was in warmer climes, preparing to pull on his international shirt as Guyana mounted their challenge for a place in the final of the Digicel Caribbean Cup. Add to that the absence of Justyn Richards, his dual registration evoked by Fisher Athletic, and finds an excuse but not a reason. Even shorn of so many key players, a struggling side should be easy pickings for a team that harbours genuine ambitious of escaping to the Premier Division.

The Casuals put their stamp on this match from the off, quite literally, from the off. Flying into tackles with the wanton abandon of kamikaze pilots, under the unseeing eyes of Mr O'Brien, they soon were aware that Dulwich had little stomach for a fight. The Chocolate and Pink stormtroopers took midfield, set up camp to provide the ammunition for their marauding hitmen in attack, the pocket battleship Jamie Byatt and the Sherman Tank, André McCollin, whose late strikes at Champion Hill had snatched a draw in balmier August days. Deliberate, crafted football was being swamped by the rudimentary, though not before some silky skills from new boy Leigh Bremner, lithely twisting and turning as drove towards the edge of the penalty area, only for Omari Coleman to inadvertently block his strike. Bremner still managed to reclaim the loose ball but in the act of shooting he was scythed to the floor in the area, the first of trio of illicit, yet unpunished challenges that would prematurely end his afternoon.

Casuals created the better though, but wasteful finishing keep matters even. A low free kick was met by skipper Chris Horwood stretching out a leg to reach the ball before his marker but scooping the ball over the crossbar. Soon after when Jamie Coyle attempted to chest a rightwing back to keeper Simon Overland, he failed to spot the nippy Byatt in sneaked in behind him to latch on the ball, but struggled to control it, allowing Gavin Dayes the opportunity to position himself between Byatt and goal, blocking the shot. With a yellow flourished apparently in the direction of Lewis Tozer, Casuals found a free kick conferred upon them but McCollin wasted the chance lamping the ball high, wide and into the car park.

Omari Coleman, on Dulwich duty once more, was called back by a late flag as he brought down Coyle's pinpoint deep cross, though the finish was wide of the mark. A third ambush from a Chocolate and Pink assassin put paid to the participation of Bremner. Twice he hobbled back to the fray after being crumpled by challenges, but the third proved terminal and Sol Pinnock was called from the bench to replace him. The greater physical presence of the replacement provided an infusion of optimism; Pinnock's purposeful run three minutes after joining the skirmish setting up Coleman, only for an excellent saving tackle from Matt Smith to sweep the ball from his feet on the penalty spot. Smith was there again when Kenny Beaney zipped a low ball across the fringe of the area, looking for Coleman overlapping on the left, the Casuals defender stretching to administer the vital touch to divert the ball from the striker's path.

Stalemate to wash down the half-time Bovril but no. The clock had just ticked over into stoppage time when at last a goal arrived. A foul went on Beaney unpunished, or did Mr O'Brien play an advantage, the difference was immaterial for a precision pass found Coyle haring into space on the right and an searing strike thundered into the net past ‘keeper Colin Harris at the foot of his near post.

Shell-shocked the Casuals must have been but their recovered their senses and the deficit with mere minutes of the restart. Aided and abetted by the howling gale, which had gathered strength as the afternoon wore on, a long, long free kick was touched on by Jamie Goodwin, the ball dropping into space and with Simon Overland caught in No Man's Land, Jamie Byatt nipped to top off the move with a deft header over the stranded ‘keeper.

Wide right, Pinnock cut in only for a home defender to charge down his shot. Nicolas Plumain cut in from the wings to drive in an effort from the edge of the area but straight into the body of Colin Harris.

Still leading scorer for the hosts despite missing more than half the season through injury, the resolute McCollin produced a surging run from the left wing that ended with a fierce drive but wide of Overland's near post. The rare beauty of such move was soon put into stark contrast as Dayes was clattered into by Goodwin, a clash of heads leaving the Dulwich man with a cut head and Goodwin sprawled out on the sward. Unable to continue Dayes was replaced by Cedric Meeko with Coyle moving back into the centre-half role, whilst the perpetrator merely had to change shirts before resuming, remarkably covering nearly 50 yards in a less than a second to meet the resultant free kick bizarrely awarded to the hosts. The reshuffle left Dulwich in disarray, Casuals almost capitalising as Byatt came within inches of polishing off a rightwing cross whipped across the face of goal.

Officiating decisions continued to leave Dulwich in quandary. Chasing a long ball forward, Pinnock was held back by an arm across the chest from the last defender as the two tussled for the ball, but when the flag waved it was to penalise Pinnock not the offender! Making space for shot from the edge of the box, Beaney found only Harris' midriff, then moments later found himself the recipient of a hastily flourished yellow card. That caution was soon mirrored by one for McCollin, though it took him three offences before he could persuade Mr O'Brien to produce the book. McCollin though would have the last laugh when three minutes from time he made no mistake on find the net and clinch the points. Stumbling on the ball, Coyle lost possession to Goodwin and his neat pass put in McCollin on goal. This time the chance was not to be scattered to the winds as he hammered the ball past the advancing Overland to send his team-mates into ecstasy. Amidst this celebration a sour taste was left by the behaviour of a pair of home substitutes who danced along the touchline, yelling obscenities at the travelling fans, but perhaps points carry greater weight than principles in the modern era.

Dulwich went hell for leather for an equaliser and they might have been thrown a late lifeline when Beaney was fouled; ostensibly just inside the penalty area but Mr O'Brien spotted the ball a foot further back. Harris lost Beaney's delivery under pressure but the chance of last gasp equaliser went begging as Jamie Coyle ballooned the loose ball over the crossbar.

Below stairs, the relegation dogfight can begin anew for the jubilant hosts. At the top table, the Hamlet must look to find that hunger before they fight themselves dismissed to eat with the servants.

Teams:

CCFC: Colin Harris; Matt Smith; Dale Hennessy; Harry Holloway; Chris Horwood (Capt); Craig Dunne; Aaron Colt-Bolt; James Goodwin; André McCollin; Luke Gay; Jamie Byatt

Substitutes not used: Daniel Green; Jamie Carr; Alex Okisor; Ambrose Karmara; Kane Sergeant

DHFC: Simon Overland; Jason Turley; Nicolas Plumain; Gavin Dayes (Cedric Meeko 68); Jamie Coyle(Capt); Lewis Tozer; David Moore; Kenny Beaney; Leigh Bremner (Sol Pinnock 37); Omari Coleman; Phil Williams (Daniel Jones 75)

Substitutes not used: Matt Dean, Theo Fairweather-Johnson

Attendance: 162

Officials:

"Referee": Mr J O'Brien

"Assistant" Referees: Mr M Hopton & Mr A Roberts

Goalscoring:

0-1 DHFC Jamie Coyle 45^th minute

1-1 CCFC Jamie Byatt 47^th minute

2-1 CCFC André McCollin 86^th minute

Dulwich Hamlet 3 Dover Athletic 1

Ryman Isthmian League Division One South

Sunday 7^th January 2007

Under lowering skies, the congregation filed into the SE22's Cathedral of Football, joyous anthems raising the rafters as the pink and blue choristers, enthused by the evangelist zeal of their choirmaster, Wayne Burnett, struck a telling blow against one of their fellow promotion hopefuls. The battle for promotion may be tight, but the Sabbath proved no day of rest as the Hamlet turned on the style to send their opponents back to the Kent coast, pondering how their to plot next step in their escape from this division, their followers, raucous, ebullient, full of song at the start, ashen-faced and tongue-tied by the time the final whistle put an end to their suffering.

Torrential rain a day previous had left Champion Hill more akin to a boating lake, but the gods had been kind. The deluge relented, overnight the waters receded and by the time match referee eschewed his bacon and eggs for a early morning inspection, the pitch had almost returned to its pristine state. Mr Child gave the pitch a thumbs-up, Dover boarded their coaches from the coast and battle could be joined for the belated start to the New Year.

Both sides made minor changes. In for the Hamlet came new signing Leigh Bremner, lately arrived from Cray Wanderers, joining Chris Dickson in the vanguard of attack whilst Shawn Beveney, slipped back into midfield in the stead of David Moore, who was joined on the substitutes bench by a brace of new names in David Milton and Billy Manners. For Dover there was a new face in the dugout as Terry White took over the stewardship of the squad, current incumbent Clive Walker incapacitated by a back problem. The caretaker manager was forced into one change as Jon Wallis' loan spell from League Two side Hereford came to an end. This allowed a return for fans favourite, Jimmy Dryden, despite a week of gossip linking him with the Whites' deadly rivals Folkestone Invicta.

Slow to start, Dover were soon defending desperately as Dulwich sprung into action with lightning alacrity. Barely had the first whistle faded from earshot than the heavy brigade of the Dulwich defence was causing all sorts of confusion in the visitors' box and Justyn Roberts was so close to opening the scoring after just two minutes, firing into the side netting as Glen Knight fumbled a corner under pressure. Five minutes in and Dover songs were stilled as another corner produced the desired result. Outjumped the Dover defence were all at sea as the ball dropped in front of Lewis Tozer and he needed to second invitation to collect his maiden Hamlet goal, stretching to stab the ball high into the top of the net.

Beveney might have added to the lead, scampering away down the right wing before firing in a low shot that Knight grateful smothered at the second attempt but then the pendulum of possession swung in the favour of the Men of Kent. Large swathes of the field dominated by the White hoards but Hamlet calm, collected, dominant in defence. The handful of chances Dover were allowed came to naught as their forwards' wasteful finishing echoed the pre-match doubts of the travelling faithful. Best of the openings belonged to Dryden, firing wide of the far upright with a low drive from the right flank.

The travelling troubadours did their utmost to lift their heroes. For a while the draught seemed to catch the Dover sails but then the wind was sucked from them as Bradley Spice crumpled in a heap as he challenged Simon Overland for an overhit through ball. The prognosis was not good and as the stretcher was beckoned on to the pitch, it was clear the midfielder's day had come to an end. The enforced substitution saw defender Nick Humphrey on in his injured colleague's stead, a reshuffle seeing John Keister move forward into a midfield role.

35 minutes and a clear-cut penalty for the Hamlet went unawarded. Dickson brought down a deep Jamie Coyle cross but was sent spinning as Craig Cloke, left for dead, dived into the tackle. Honesty, and a touch of gymnastics from Dickson, saw the striker avoid hitting the deck and Mr Child's whistle unblown. Dickson's cross was too deep though it was returned to the edge of the box where Phil Williams tried his utmost to make space for a strike but was ultimately thwarted by weight of numbers.

As the half drew to a close Dover again threatened but once more their shooting radars malfunctioned. Craig Wilkins' delicate volley from 20 yards out proved little hazard as it dropped wide of Overland's right hand post, the Hamlet custodian surprisingly underemployed given Dover's territorial ascendancy. Not long after Overland again found himself watching a ball miss the target as Matt Bourne eschewed a gilt-edged chance, volleying high over the bar as a deep James Rogers' free kick found him lurking at the back of the six yard box.

The Dover team coach must have taken a detour though a black cat farm for ill-fortune coming to haunt them, Dryden emerging from the dressing room sporting a blood-stained bandage around his head, the result of a clash of heads in the dying moments of the first half.

A rush of blood sees Bremner mark his debut with a yellow card as he clashes with Matt Bourne as the Dover defender ushers the ball out for a throw, the caution bringing in its wake a one match ban as it is his fifth of the current campaign.

Dover find a new tactic, the long throw of Cloke, and it almost brings its reward as the hour mark approaches. A flick on from Wilkins and the ball fell into the flight path of Dryden's acrobatic volley but to no avail as the ball sailed over Overland's crossbar. A vital miss for two minutes later and Dulwich had doubled their advantage. Caught on the hop by a lightning Hamlet raid, a free kick was conceded some 25 yards from goal. Up stepped Kenny Beaney to produce a precise, curling finish, over the wall, beyond Knight's grasping fingers and into the net; a goal worthy of the greatest theatres of football, applauded by all no matter their allegiance.

That goal merely twisted the knife but the fatal blows were struck just five minutes later. First substitute Humphrey was sent off to complete a hat-trick of dismissals this term, dragging down Leigh Bremner as the pair tussled for a long ball on the edge of the area. Whilst Dover players swarmed around the man in black to voice their protests, to his credit the offender accepted his punishment with good grace before beginning the long walk back to the dressing rooms. Though Dulwich failed to add to the Dover woes, Knight making an excellent save from Jamie Coyle's sweetly struck dead ball effort, low and hard, it would be mere moments before they would strike again as Beveney latched on to a foolhardy pass across the face of his own penalty area from John Keister, unleashing a fearsome rising shot that saw the net bulge before Knight could react.

Against a decimated, ragged Dover, Dulwich looked rampant but could not stretch their lead. Indeed it was Dover who came closest to finding the net, only for Wilkins to be frustrated as Overland pulled off an outstanding save, cat-like reactions seeing him fling himself left to turn the ball past the post as the Dover man rifled in a first-time volley from close range. The intervention of Cloke with a diving header, albeit a little too close for comfort for his keeper, denied Bremner surely a debut goal as Coyle lashed in a cross from the right. 90 minutes elapsed, another penalty shout waved away as Bourne seems to handle the ball as it is hammered towards the near post by Dickson. Stoppage time seemed interminable, already the Dover supporters drift home. With Dulwich unremitting in attack, none but the hardy, last Kentish souls want the game to end but then that perseverance is rewarding as six minutes past the allotted span, the visitors at last force the ball into the net as Dryden is on hand apply the final touch as Rogers' corner is allowed to drop at the back of the box.

Keep the faith, a better place awaits for those who do. Here endeth the lesson.

Teams:

DHFC: Simon Overland, Jason Turley (Cedric Meeko 83), Nicolas Plumain, Justyn Roberts, Jamie Coyle (Capt), Lewis Tozer, Shawn Beveney (David Milton 83), Kenny Beaney, Leigh Bremner, Chris Dickson, Phil Williams (David Moore 79)

Substitutes not used: Sol Pinnock, Billy Manners

DAFC: Glen Knight, Tony Browne, James Rogers, Matt Bourne, Craig Cloke, Danny Chapman (Byron Walker 66), Bradley Spice (Nick Humphrey 33), Lee Spiller (Capt) (Shane Hamshare 83), Craig Wilkins, Jimmy Dryden, John Keister

Substitutes not used: Darren Smith, Liam Quinn

Attendance: 518

Referee: Mr Steve Child

Assistant Referees: Mr Phil Stevens & Mr Timothy Hatt

Goalscoring:

1-0 DHFC Lewis Tozer 5^th minute

2-0 DHFC Kenny Beaney 63^rd minute

3-0 DHFC Shawn Beveney 73^rd minute

3-1 DAFC Jimmy Dryden 90^th minute (5^th minute of stoppage time)

Croydon Athletic 1 Dulwich Hamlet 0

Ryman Isthmian League Division One South

Saturday 30^th December 2006

On an afternoon when storms of biblical proportions battered the Keith Tuckey Stadium, perhaps it was apt that a man called Moses should part the waters and claim the goal that knocked Dulwich from their perch at top of Division One South. After a promising start December petered out with a brace of disappointing defeats to clubs in the bottom half of the table, the goals drying up as the pitches dampened. Not that this defeat was not without merit for Dulwich created the bulk of the chances only for ill-fortune and poor finishing to conspire against them, a sure-fire penalty brushed aside when the game still stood goalless whilst the home goal at times led a charmed life.

With Chris Dickson suspended as punishment for his dismissal against Cray Wanderers, Shawn Beveney and Phil Williams combined to form a twin strike force whilst Jason Turley returned to the starting line-up. Meanwhile the hosts stood by the players that had taken them on a four match unbeaten run, including draws with high-flying Fleet and the experienced Cray Wanderers.

Wild and windy was the weather as the game sprung into life early on with Dulwich on the offensive early on. Seven minutes in and David Moore unleashed a screamer from distance after Williams had flicked a throw into his path but the effort fizzed wide of the far upright. A surreptitious shirt tug, something that seemed to be a strong part of the Rams' game plan, brought Hamlet a free kick tight by the corner flag but Kenny Beaney's delivery was hammered high and wide from Gavin Dayes. On the quarter hour James Gibson was allowed to jump highest to meet a right wing corner but his header flew harmlessly over the crossbar. That opportunity sparked a flurry chances primarily for the Hamlet. Beveney could not achieve the vital connection on Jamie Coyle's delivery after the defence had pulled out to leave him unmarked 12 yards out. A minute later and Gavin Dayes met a corner only to direct a downward header wide of the back post. Lewis Tozer's attempt to cut out a right wing cross almost created the opening for Simon Moore but Simon Overland reacted quickly to pat away the loose ball from the hovering Athletic attacker. Soon after great approach work from Williams, controlling the ball masterfully on treacherous terrain, created an opening for the young wingman to fire in a low shot from corner of the six yard box only for Sam Moore between the sticks for the Rams to stick out a foot and block the shot at the base of his post.

An excellent move saw the ball spread wide to a charging Jason Turley on the right, his pass finding Beveney on the edge of the box. Some neat footwork and the chance was there, only for Moore to block bravely. The ball ran towards Beaney but before he could pull the trigger Liam Wright was flying in with a superb covering tackle to rescue his side.

28 minutes brought controversy as Dulwich were denied what seemed a clear-cut penalty. Wide of his goal, custodian Sam Moore slashed a back pass straight to the feet of Williams 12 yards out. For a moment he struggled to control the ball on the sodden surface, then with the goal gapping before him he was unceremoniously shoved into the mud. Surely this would be a penalty kick and red card for the offender but no. Much to the bewilderment and chagrin of the Hamlet, referee Mr Rendell waved play on. On decisions such as this games can be won or lost. Six minutes later and the game had its breaker. Caught square, the Hamlet defence looked in vain to the assistant referee for a flag as Moses Ademola turned on the gas to pounce on to a pass slid through by Daniel Waldren. Overland did his best to narrow the angle but the young striker held his nerve calmly leaving the Hamlet ‘keeper stricken in the mud as he rounded him and hammered the ball into the unguarded net from a tight angle.

Though Beveney missed an opportunity to bring things level, shooting wide at the near post three minutes later, the goal had breathed inspiration in to the young Rams and but for the goal line intervention of Lewis Tozer Dulwich might have been looking at a deficit doubled and Ademola at a second goal. In the final minute of the half, Wright too went close, throwing himself at Simon Moore's deflected cross but much to the relief of the Hamlet his diving header just shaved he crossbar.

Second half brought no relief from the elements as the wind picked up to gale force, trees bent double by the force of the storms. Despite playing into the teeth of the tempest, Dulwich would take command of the second half albeit without turning opportunities created into goals scored. Four minutes in Sol Pinnock took the field to augment the attack, defender Tozer making way for the substitute. 12 in and the wind became a twelfth man for the hosts as a lofted pass found Simon Moore onside. Only Overland stood between him and the goal, the big custodian diving at his feet as the striker attempted to take the ball past him. It seemed as if Overland had taken man not ball but as if to atone for his earlier error, Mr Rendell stunned the prostrate Moore, pointing not for a penalty but instead brandishing a yellow card in the face of the perplexed Ram.

Desperate not to surrender their leadership of the Division turned on the gas. A half-cleared corner saw Williams drive a fearsome effort goal wards but a foot too high. Williams again showed his silky skills on the right, dancing through tackles before driving the ball into the six-yard box, only for Sam Moore to pounce on the ball as Beveney attempted to connect with the cross. Moments later the industrious Nicolas Plumain slipped a pass into Pinnock but from a tight angle, ‘keeper Moore showed lightning reactions to one-handedly turn the ball past his near post. The corner saw the ball drop at the feet of substitute Cedric Meeko 30 yards from goal, a ferocious drive fizzing through a forest of players but too close to Moore who smothered the ball as a strongman might a cannonball. Moore's guardian angel was by now filling in the overtime sheet as fortune favoured the custodian, Beveney somehow striking the ball into his face from a yard after a rebound had dropped conveniently at his feet. A foot, an inch even, either side and Dulwich were back on level terms, but it was not to be. Domination counted for naught, the Rams content to use each and every machination in the bible of gamesmanship to run down the clock and secure the points.

Teams:

CAFC: Sam Moore; Adam Wadmore; Daniel Waldren; Danny Young; James Gibson (Capt); Lumumba Amena; Frankie Warren (Jason Mabbs 70); Gareth Graham; Moses Ademola; Simon Moore (Carlton Murray-Price 79); Liam Wright

Substitutes not used: Darren Phillips; Delando Smith

DHFC: Simon Overland; Lewis Tozer (Sol Pinnock 50); Gavin Dayes (Cedric Meeko 69); Justyn Roberts ; Jamie Coyle (Capt); Jason Turley; David Moore; Kenny Beaney; Shawn Beveney; Nicolas Plumain; Phil Williams

Substitutes not used: Chris Lewington (GK); Matt Dean; Daniel Jones

Attendance: 159

Officials:

Referee: Mr L J Rendell

Assistant Referees: Mr F Davis & Mr R Ellis

Goalscoring:

1-0 CAFC Moses Ademola 34^th minute

Nuts'n'Bolts Screw Up A Hamlet Christmas

Ashford Town 1 Dulwich Hamlet 0

Ryman Isthmian League Division One South

Saturday 23^rd December 2006

"Twas the game before Christmas,

when all round the ground,

not a face bore a smile,

for the Hamlet had been downed"

Not strictly true for the visages belonging to those of an Ashford persuasion bore the megawatt grins of young tots who had awoken on Christmas morn to find Saint Nick had deposited the latest PS2 at the foot of their tree. Hamlet though wore the crestfallen expression of those who had peered in their festive stockings deep in anticipation only to find a mouldy tangerine and a lump of coal. The Nuts and Bolts, slowly negotiating their way out of a barren wasteland of results that had left them marooned in a relegation dogfight, must believe in Father Christmas after this battling performance, one that saw them harry a hapless Hamlet at every turn, create 90% of the chances, yet somehow find themselves hanging on at the death to claim three points more precious to them than any gift aboard Santa's sleigh.

Ashford made two changes from their last outing, a 3-0 thumping at Tooting, as former Hamlet man John Cumberbatch, now sole manager of the Nuts and Bolts, prepared to do battle with his one-time employers. His counterpart for the Hamlet, Wayne Burnett, had no such worries, an unchanged starting XI named from victory over Cray a week previous though Sol Pinnock was absent from the bench, Daniel Jones there in his stead.

The fog that had smothered London and benighted most of the country for a week had dissipated by the anointed time of kick-off but still the Kent hinterlands wore a matt grey mantle, the flat winter light failing to illuminate Ashford's imperiously isolated Homelands stadium. A brief spark from the Hamlet tried its best to spread some light across a dull scenario but the hosts were pugnacious in their play, tenacious in the tackle. If one had imagined the humble hosts to be Christians, awaiting slaughter by the rampaging lions of the Hamlet on the floor of their own temple, that vision was soon shattered. At times the lions played like the lost sheep, bleating in the wilderness as their shepherd search in vain.

Plying his trade in the Premier Division until impecunious Folkestone cut him from the payroll, the tricky Walid Matata emphasised his threat as he skipped away from a rigid Hamlet rearguard only to drive wide with just ‘keeper Simon Overland to beat. Not long after strike partner George Fenwick repeated that feat of escapology, this time Overland blocking his effort.

Custodian Overland had seemed overly nervous on his return to the Homelands where he had spent most of the season on loan from Dagenham but when he spilled a tame shot from Drew Watkins, one could have little idea that mistake would prove the catalyst for the game's ultimate decider. Picking off Ken Jarrett-Elliott's corner seemed a doodle for the big keeper who had been a colossus on his debut the week before but as the tall striker Fenwick challenged for the cross, Overland seemed to punch the ball into his own net though the goal was credited to his tormentor in green.

Ashford and in particular Matata continued to torture the Hamlet defence. Had it not been for a fine last ditch tackle from Lewis Tozer, the striker might have doubled the lead. Not till the half hour did Hamlet muster a threat worthy of the name, the ball launched forwards for Shawn Beveney to flick into the path of Chris Dickson only for Jake Whincup to produce a stunning piece of reactionary defence, flicking the ball one-handed off the toes of Dickson as he attempted to sweep the ball past the onrushing custodian. A rare clearing in a green-strewn midfield allowed Phil Williams space to shift up a gear and attack, driving forwards before slipping the ball out to Beveney, overlapping on the right but the big Guyanese elected to shoot from the most impossible of angles and the chance had gone. A moment later and Hamlet's best chance of the afternoon so far. Dickson to the goal line, slipping the leash of his marker and finding David Moore. A fierce drive, Whincup down for a cracking low save but one that should have counted for naught as Williams showed strength to reach the loose ball only to lash it wildly high and wide of the mark. Almost as if to rub slat into the wounds, as half-time neared Matata had yet another opening to extend the lead, Dulwich caught cold as a foul on Kenny Beaney went unpunished. Veering through the chicanes of the Hamlet defence with the élan of a Schumacher, Matata's finishing would let him down as the final striker rattled into the hoardings behind the goal.

Had harsh words fallen upon Hamlet ears at the break, they had failed to take root for the errors were exacerbated as Overland allowed an early free kick to ricochet off his chest, Fenwick unable to capitalise as he hammered the rebound wide from an acute angle. An instant later Ashford had forced a corner. Amid a mêlée of green and white, pink and blue (Not the next series of Changing Rooms, but the Dulwich six-yard box), Overland found some redemption for his earlier sins clawing the ball to safety as the green hordes menaced. Suddenly a spark of chance for the Hamlet. Dickson electric on the right, hammering a low cross into the area, an inviting ball but one the waiting Moore could not reach to add the final icing on a promising move.

A fire had been lit in Hamlet bellies, one that threatened to burst into full conflagration as the Ashford tackling moved from determined to desperate. A two-footed lunge from Watkins saw him cautioned before Jarrett-Elliott reacted in dramatic fashion to Gavin Dayes' industrial challenge, provoking an unseemly set-to, both protagonists added to referee Irvine Woodward's roll of shame for their misdeeds.

Matata, who by now should have made the match ball his personal property, sliced through the tender heart of the Hamlet defence but at the death struck his effort wide. Dulwich substitute Daniel Jones, on for Williams, had an excellent chance to throw the Hamlet a lifeline at the end of a classic move, Jamie Coyle finding him clear on the left of the penalty area. Whincup, last line of defence, but from the gluey ground Jones could not muster a finish to beat him.

The finishing hoodoo that had cast its spell found its next victim in the industrious, if ill-starred, Matata who could have driven the Clapham Omnibus through the glaring gap down the middle though a pantechnicon might have been more accurate with the finish. A goal there would have made the final minutes a formality but the Nuts and Bolts, having given their all, found themselves the doors upon which the battering rams of the Hamlet were pounding. Somehow they survived a shout for a penalty as Beaney had his legs taken from him. Somehow they survived, by the skin of their teeth, by the width of a coat of paint as Beaney lashed in an excellent cross from the left wing, met by an airborne header from surrogate striker Dayes that left Whincup standing but flew a fraction wide of the top corner.

Results elsewhere meant Dulwich had the Christmas Number One, but this was an off-key performance more St Winifred's School Choir than Pink Floyd.

Teams:

ATFC: Jake Whincup; Anthony Allman; Simon Glover; Tom Adlington (Capt); Marc Cumberbatch; Kevin Lott; Drew Watkins (Joe Hitchings 82); Matt Carruthers; Walid Matata; George Fenwick; Ken Jarrett-Elliott

Substitutes not used: Ian Ross; Luke Coleman; Jamie Leggett

DHFC: Simon Overland; Lewis Tozer; Gavin Dayes; Justyn Roberts; Jamie Coyle (Capt); Jake Daniel; David Moore (Nicolas Plumain 82); Kenny Beaney; Shawn Beveney; Chris Dickson; Phil Williams (Daniel Jones 63)

Substitutes not used: Cedric Meeko, Jason Turley, Billy Warner

Attendance: 210

Officials:

Referee: Mr Irvine Woodward

Assistant Referees: Mr Simon Finnigan, Mr Adam Bowen

Goalscoring:

1-0 ATFC: George Fenwick 21^st minute

Dulwich Hamlet 1 Cray Wanderers 0

Ryman Isthmian League Division One South

Saturday 16^th December 2006

Echoes of a London long lost as the Crays came a-calling in South London, not to collect unpaid debts but perhaps to inflict a bit of "damage" on the Hamlet's promotion credentials whilst restoring their own ambitions of ascendancy, severely hampered by the distracting glint of silverware in recent weeks.

This was not to a game for the faint hearted, callow youth pitched against ripened experience, canny minds if slowing limbs doing battle with pace interwoven with naïveté. At death but a single goal to separate the combatants, a sixth of the season in sixteen appearances from Jamie Coyle, a return some strikers might regard as acceptable but a centre-half? Such is Wayne's World the turf accountants might be sorely tested to set a book for the first goalscorer. ‘Twas a pity then that an afternoon that saw the three hour mark passed since last the Dulwich net rippled in league action, that saw the men in Pink and Blue extend their lead at the head of the pack to five points, should end on a sour note as a second yellow card saw an animated Chris Dickson sent from the field, a victim as much of his own naïveté as of the guile of the evergreen Al-James Hannigan.

From the stalemate at Sittingbourne, Dulwich made two changes. Arriving on loan from Dagenham and Redbridge, custodian Simon Overland took over between the sticks, the fifth keeper to guard the goal for Hamlet this season. Also making a welcome return to Champion Hill was striker Omari Coleman, signed by tenants Fisher Athletic a week previously and replacing Shawn Beveney as Dickson's strike partner, Beveney moving out to the wing in the stead of Phil Williams. Second-oldest club in the word, the Wands' starting eleven bristled with experience, some whose CV might have included those pioneering days such was their longevity in the game.

Within the first minute Beveney had buried the ball in the side netting, the tall Guyanese escaping down the right wing before Dickson hooked a David Moore cross from the opposite flank over the crossbar in the third minute. Neat interchanges on the edge of the area come the quarter hour saw Dickson nip in to drive a low shot goalwards, deflected in keeper Steve Northwood's body and grabbed at the second attempt.

Fast and furious was the football but the chances remained fleeting. Beveney won a corner. Kenny Beaney delivered it into the heart of the danger area for Lewis Tozer to meet with a header but too close to Northwood. 32 minutes and a caution for Dickson as he and Hannigan clashed at throw-in, the defender's gamesmanship conning the referee into waving a yellow card in the face of a frustrated Dickson whilst the canny veteran went unpunished. Not long after Overland was called into serious action for the first time as Ross Lover sliced a hole in the centre of the Hamlet defence before slipping a pass into the path of Leigh Bremner. Bremner looked set to open the scoring but he reckoned without Overland who spread his leviathan frame before the incoming striker and batter away his shot. Lover's pace again proved troublesome in the 39^th minute as Tozer sent him sprawling 25 yards out. The position may have been dangerous, the free kick anything but as it was hammered in to the wall and launched to safety. Catching Hamlet cold as they pushed up for a corner, Cray went on the counterattack, the ubiquitous Lover getting the better of Jake Daniel but forced wide as Overland spread himself before him. A pull back to Lewis Wood but a let-off for Dulwich as the shot was drilled across the face of goal.

Those wasted opportunities came back to haunt Cray as Dulwich at last took control of the half. Not the tallest of the custodial clan Northwood stretched all of his frame to punch a deep Beaney free kick off the head of Tozer. A brace of corners soon followed. The first brought a spectacular overhead kick from Beveney, Northwood scrambling the ball past his post, the second brought the breakthrough.

Delivered deep by Beaney, the ball was met powerfully, precisely by the head of Coyle and Hamlet were ahead. Seconds later the referee's whistle brought first half proceedings to a close.

Second half saw Cray in determined mood, anxious to get back on level terms. Lewis Wood's free kick, mere feet outside the area, was blocked by a mass of Pink and Blue.

An underhit clearance from Justyn Richards gave Lewis Wood another chance but it seemed the gods had abandoned him as from 12 yards out he struck the outside of the upright.

Both sets of woodwork were to suffer as Coleman came within a whisker of marking his return with a goal, Dickson playing provider, a fearsome shot on the turn cannoned back off the underside of the crossbar and out. Stampeding down the right, Beveney suffered similarly when he capped the run with a sweet low drive only to see it crash against the far upright. Lewis Wood missed again, dragging a shot wide when well placed, matched by Beveney who blazed a shot across the face of goal after yet another sprint down the flank.

Like a pint of ale in a chain hostelry, the refereeing at this standard of football remains a game of chance. Oft times, one will be presented with something that surprises one with its quality. Too often one sups on a brew that leaves a sour taste in the mouth. Such was the felling when with five minutes left on the clock, Mr Daly summoned Dickson to him having spotted a minor contretemps and despite the advocacy of his skipper, Dickson was dismissed from the field ostensibly for the use of foul and abusive language. A sly smile drifted across the face of Hannigan, a man whose tongue would make a Tourette's sufferer baulk.

One might have expected the ten men of Dulwich to lock the door and secure the points but none of it. Beveney lashed an angled shot across the face of goal then on came Phil Williams in the final minute in place of Moore. Twice in the blink of an eye, the replacement found himself on the wrong end of heavy challenges from Lover, both punished by free kicks, neither by cautions. Perhaps priorities in the modern game have moved on?

But thus the whirligig of time brings in his revenges. Cray battled to the death but no longer is the Hamlet a soft touch, the silken weaves of their attack now laced with a steel forged in South London. Add nous and composure, the dream may take on solid form come May?

Teams:

DHFC: Simon Overland; Lewis Tozer; Gavin Dayes; Justyn Roberts; Jamie Coyle (Capt); Jake Daniel; David Moore (Phil Williams 89); Kenny Beaney; Omari Coleman; Chris Dickson; Shawn Beveney

Substitutes not used: Cedric Meeko; Sol Pinnock; Jason Turley; Nicolas Plumain

CWFC: Steve Northwood; David Hall; Colin Luckett (Barry Gardner 84); Al-James Hannigan; Matt Lee; Dean Morris; Ross Lover; Jamie Kempster (Junior Baker 72); Jamie Wood; Leigh Bremner; Lewis Wood

Substitutes not used: Adam Young; Danny Whelan; Tony Russell

Attendance: 286

Officials:

Referee: Mr Stephen Daly (Woolwich)

Assistant Referees: Mr Arif Khalfe (Waterloo) & Mr Tony Kemsley (Woolwich)

Goalscoring:

1-0 DHFC Jamie Coyle 45^th minute

Sittingbourne 0 Dulwich Hamlet 0

Ryman Isthmian League Division One

Tuesday 12^th December 2006

Mine eyes have seen the unthinkable or rather they have not. A game sans goals in the Wayne Burnett era? (Shome mishtake shurely, Ed) © Private Eye. Blame the elements, a chill blustery wind laced with spots of icy rain swirled around humble Bourne Park, crouched beneath the towering edifice of Central Park, a paean to past glories and former follies. Blame the pitch, still sodden from the weekend's storms, pregnant with the precipitation that had lashed this far outpost of the man in black, Mr Ian Fissenden of Gravesend, whose eagle-eyes went on the blink went Chris Dickson was cruelly chopped down in the penalty area shortly before the break, the crack of boot on shinpad rattling around the arena then almost drowned by the respective gasps of relief and disbelief from friend and foe on the terraces.

Unchanged from weekend victory over the Met Police mercenaries, Dulwich faced opponents with similar ambitions of promotion as themselves. Injuries deprived the Bourne of keeper Steve Williams, 17 year old Josh Willis proving an able deputy though not tested to the degree his teenage counterpart wearing the Hamlet gloves, Chris Lewington, was. Missing too was centre-forward Mark Lovell whose 9 goals had proved instrumental in the Kent side's challenge.

A flurry of early exchanges disguised the stalemate ahead. The two sides swapped chances in the opening minute then a 15 yard drive from Lee Hockey brought the best out of Lewington as he stretched to push a fierce shot over the crossbar. Eight minutes and an excellent chance went begging as Mitchell Sherwood was left to his own devices on the right wing, a low drive flashing across the face of goal, the far away and too fast for leading scorer Andy Doerr to apply a killer touch.

A powerful charge from Shawn Beveney set up David Moore but a shot from distance failed to trouble the neophyte Willis. Sittingbourne hit straight back but Doerr would have been disappointed with his finishing lashing the ball high and wide after Lee Browning had found himself in space in front of the box. Dickson too saw a great chance go begging after he had latched on to Jake Daniel's dinked pass into the penalty but with only the keeper to beat the Hamlet's crack marksman stabbed hi shot wide of the far post. Worse was to follow as Moore horribly miskicked with the goal at his mercy, sending the travelling faithful scattering as his wild drive threatened a terrace massacre. A late offside flag halted Dickson in his tracks moments later but officialdom would frustrate the Hamlet hitman even more on 24 minutes as he penetrated the left corner of the penalty area, to be scythed down by Toby Ashmore. More to the astonishment of Dickson, referee Mr Fissenden had it in his mind that the Hamlet man had dived though no punishment was forthcoming. Ashmore suffered Dickson's frustration as he was clattered into by the striker moments later and this time the card did come out.

Jon Neal got the best of an erratic bounce to get in behind Justyn Richards but a stabbed effort enabled Hamlet to clear their lines. Soon after Browning saw the goal open up before him but stumbled in the boggy ground at the vital moment allowing Lewington to spread himself and gather. Not long before the interval Daniel made a present of the ball to Sherwood, the winger advancing down the right before winging a ball into the area to the waiting Neal but Lewington would prove his nemesis blocking a strong close range strike.

With conditions deteriorating in the second half, it was not surprising that some of the cutting edge evaporated from the game though Sittingbourne should have gained an advantage early on as Lewington denied both Hockey and Kieran Marsh in the first couple of minutes. A laser fine pass whipped across the face of goal by Dickson from the right had no one in position to apply the final brushstroke. For the Brickies diminutive substitute Ricky Spiller, proving width on the right, delivering a telling cross headed out to the toes of Marsh only for the skipper to pick power over precision and hammer the ball well a foot too high.

15 minutes from time Willis's poor clearance almost cost his side a goal as Beveney fed Moore on the edge of the area who in turn delivered the ball into the path of Kenny Beaney only for the midfielder to hook the ball behind under pressure.

Late on the blustery wind blowing at their backs almost became a twelfth man for the Hamlet. A corner punched out to Beaney curling back on the breeze only for keeper Josh Willis to tip over. Beaney's next effort from the corner flag again swinging in to be punched away by Willis through a crowd of players but back to Beaney but this time the inswinger flew to high.

Rather than settle for a shared point Dulwich threw on Sol Pinnock and Billy Warner for the final ten minutes in place of Beveney and Moore but the tactic proved in vain as the game ended in scoreless stalemate. Difficult conditions, dogged opposition but the management was still displeased, two points dropped the verdict.

Teams:

SFC: Josh Willis; Toby Ashmore; Joe Dowley; Paul Ainsworth; Steve Searle; Kieran Marsh (Capt); Lee Browning; Lee Hockey; Jon Neal (Ricky Spiller 53); Andy Doerr; Mitchell Sherwood

Substitutes not used: Clint Gooding; Matt Nicholl; Tristan Knowles; James Campbell

DHFC: Chris Lewington; Lewis Tozer; Gavin Dayes; Justyn Roberts (Nicolas Plumain 77); Jamie Coyle (Capt); Jake Daniel; David Moore (Billy Warner 84); Kenny Beaney; Shawn Beveney (Sol Pinnock 84); Chris Dickson; Phil Williams

Substitutes not used: Cedric Meeko; Jason Turley

Attendance: 156

Officials:

Referee: Mr Ian Fissenden (Gravesend)

Assistant Referees: Mr P J Knight (Canterbury) & Mr R Joss (Margate)

Met Police 0 Dulwich Hamlet 2

Ryman Isthmian League Division One South

Saturday 9^th December 2006

Your faithful scribe has been musing, poring through ancient lore and even older puns, but to no avail. The bard of Avon has provided not a jot of inspiration. The sainted Stuart Hall, so often the last resort for the man in need of a silken tongue, a piece of homespun whimsy or a pun, so groan-inducing, even a Butlin's Redcoat would baulk, failed to offer succour. Even a delve into dog-eared back issues of the Radio Times proved fruitless. "For what?" you, the long-suffered reader, may ask. A Dickson of Dock Green leitmotif for this missive from Imber Court but "Dickson Lamps Blues" was as far as it went and even that may be too obscure for those that have not yet reached their half-century. So let the tale tell itself, a smash and grab raid from the prolific Chris Dickson, aided and abetted by his accomplices in green and white, the boys in blue chasing the young South London ragamuffins like the old village bobby, puffing and wheezing in pursuit of a pinched helmet.

Why change? So Dulwich didn't bar the recall of Chris Lewington between the sticks to fend off the challenge of yet another loanee usurper of his gloves. For the Met lads, injuries, none I was assured from falling down the stairs, restricted their choices with both Ryan Gray and Craig Brown failing to recover in time. Surprisingly the coppers' manager, Jim Cooper, chose to leave one-time Hamlet hero, Luke Cornwall, on the bench, perhaps wary that his erstwhile team-mates would know too much of his trickery and negate his influence.

The usual carpet-like turf of Imber Court, lovingly tended by the taxpayers' mite, had suffered in the inclement weather. Soon it looked as if the whole mounted division of the Met had tramped across it as divots appeared at will. The two teams eyed each other, tested and teased before the game sprang into life as the quarter hour approached. First Lewington was down smartly to keep out a low drive from Ben Abbey who had escaped on the left, Justyn Richards providing a timely block as Dave Newman followed up. Soon after Will Packham found himself stretching high to fingertip a finely struck volley from Shawn Beveney, standing on the brink of the area. The corner almost had a fortunate outcome as the ball ricocheted off Lewis Tozer but into the arms of a waiting Packham.

Another former Hamlet player, Jon Daly, skipper of the boys in blue but more poacher than gamekeeper, came within a whisker of giving his former fans something to smile about as he somehow screwed a swirling Kenny Beaney free kick against his own upright. The peril persisted but after making the room for a shot from 20 yards out, Beveney spooned his effort over the crossbar.

Trickery from the wizard of wing play, Phil Williams, lit up a cloudy day as he disco danced his way through the Police cordon, then darkness fell as cynically his joyful run was halted, scythed down by Paul Barrowcliff on the cusp of glory and the edge of the area. A mere caution for the offender, a decision symptomatic of a disappointing display of officialdom. An over elaborate free kick routine meant the offence went unpunished as Lee Gledhill was able to charge down Beaney's eventual strike. Yet another free kick came closer, Beaney's curling effort palmed away by a diving Packham at the back stick but three minutes to go the deadlock would be snapped with a goal classical in its inception yet clinical in its execution. Tozer launched a Dickson seeking missile up field, the goal hungry striker, holding off the last defender before neatly lobbing the ball over the advancing Packham who looking back more in hope than expectation as the ball dropped into the net behind him.

Second half began with Hamlet attacking, Williams weaving his way into the box but failing to loose the killer blow. A minute later a Tozer was again on the end of penalty box pinball but once more the goal survived as the ball was stabbed at Packham. Up went the Hamlet barricades as the Police laid into their guests, blue attacks snuffed out a resilient green wall, where even Williams was forced to rein in his attacking instincts to police the threat of Tony Finn on the left wing.

A double substitution for the Police as they fought for an equaliser, Barry Stevens and Stuart Harte taking the place of Gary Elliott and Simon Gregory. Allowed space in the middle of the park Harte's run paved the way for Craig Brown to open a wound on the Hamlet flank, cutting in from the side but blazing his low strike wide of the far post. His fellow replacement Stevens was soon employed in defensive mode, a last ditch tackle denying Beveney after Roberts' crunching tackle had set up the big Guyanese for a helter-skater charge up field.

Finn got the better of his shadow, shaking off Williams, only for his strike to be deflected into the side netting. The corner caused a few jitters, Barrowcliff's flicked header blocked, a follow-up by Brown similarly thwarted. Beveney then hit the upright having robbed Packham of the ball before marching unchallenged into the box (after all where's a copper when you need one?), only to rattle his shot against the post from an oblique angle. Finn denied by Lewington, David Moore by Packham. A contentious free kick, a hand seen by none by the man in black, wasted by the Police as Finn winged the ball goalwards only to shave the roof of the net. Referee Regan was less eagle-eyed when Dickson burst into the box, only to fall victim to a clear shove in the back from Newman but with the Hamlet man not goin' dahn all Regan wanted to do was leave it. Dickson would have his vengeance as time wasted away. Rather than play out time near the corner flag, one last attack from the Hamlet saw the ball slipped across to Dickson who created the space on the edge of the box to drill a stinging drive into the bottom corner of the net. Evening all!

Teams:

MPFC: Will Packham; Lee Gledhill (Capt) (Ian Batten 90); Gary Elliott (Barry Stevens 59); Simon Gregory (Stuart Harte 60); Dave Newman; Paul Barrowcliff; Craig Brown; Jon Daly; Ben Abbey; James Evans; Tony Finn

Substitutes not used: Luke Cornwall; Stuart MacKenzie (GK)

DHFC: Chris Lewington; Lewis Tozer; Gavin Dayes; Justyn Roberts; Jamie Coyle; Jake Daniel; David Moore (Nicolas Plumain 90); Kenny Beaney; Shawn Beveney; Chris Dickson; Phil Williams

Substitutes not used: Cedric Meeko; Billy Warner; Jason Turley; Sol Pinnock

Attendance: 146

Officials:

Referee: Mr I Regan

Assistant Referees: Mr W Ingram & Mr A Roberts

Goalscoring:

0-1 DHFC Chris Dickson 42^nd minute

0-2 DHFC Chris Dickson 90^th minute (+2)

As part of this pastime I call a job, I get a number of newsletter emails, usually full of stuff that is pretty dry to the normal palate but amongst today’s I discovered this wonderful gem.

The public are to be offered the chance to buy shares in new prisons under a "buy to let" scheme being considered by the Home Office, it has emerged.
The idea has been suggested in an attempt to overcome the refusal of the chancellor, Gordon Brown, to find extra money for the Prison Service, specifically for 8,000 new prison places at a time when the service is at breaking point.
The plan envisages that the public can be tempted to invest in a new-style property company that would build jails and then rent them out to private prison operators. Supposedly, this would then provide investors with a guaranteed dividend from the "rental income".
Clearly the destruction at Harmondsworth immigration detention centre earlier this week – would not feature in any future prospectus.
A PCS Prison Service Group spokesperson said "With a total of 10 private prisons, Britain already has the most privatised prison system in Europe. Rather than invest in measures which we know will tackle re-offending and the record high prison population crisis, this harebrained scheme will now be another opportunity for the government to deliver more prison work to the privateers.
In the Prison Service we are told that there has to be cost savings in order to compete with the private sector – which in practice means our pay, staffing numbers and our conditions.
If staff ever needed evidence of the ‘madness of privatisation’, the threat to jobs & conditions and the need to support the national PCS campaign – this is it.

At first I had to double check my calendar for surely I have not been hibernating, winter passing me by, as April the First arrived like an express train. But no! A quick check on the Public and Commercial Services Union website and all was confirmed. Back in the 80’s, at the height of Margaret Thatcher’s mass sell-off of social housing stock, Not the Nine O’clock News included a spoof news report to the effect that “long term prisoners would be given the opportunity to buy their own cells”. What a sad indictment on New “Labour” that a throw away line in an Eighties comedy show would now become part of policy.

Dulwich Hamlet 3 Woking FC 5 (AET FT 3-3)

Surrey Senior Cup - Second Round

Tuesday 5^th December 2006

Déjà vu at the Hill. Dulwich play the opposition off the park in a pulsating first half but a late, late goal robs them of a famous victory against loftier adversaries. Woking threatened to collapse like a house of Cards as Chris Dickson' first half hat trick, scored in the space of just 16 minutes built the Hamlet a convincing 3-1 lead before the break; indeed it could have more, much more. Second half full time fitness told, Woking brought on the big guns as Dulwich withdrew theirs and at the death a scrambled goal forced extra time. The additional half hour proved too much for weary Hamlet legs and goals either side of the break ensuring the Conference side safe, if nervous passage to a third round home tie with either Walton & Hersham or Ashford Town (Middlesex).

As early as the opening minute Dickson posted intent, lashing an oblique drive across the face of goal. Nine minutes 1-0 to the Hamlet, Dickson refusing to give up on a long ball forward, stretching a lithe limb out and lobbing stranded keeper Aaron Howe. Three minutes later Steve Ferguson tried the same trick on Chris Lewington but his luck was out as the ball struck the base of the far post and Jamie Coyle cleared the ball to safety. Poor marking at a corner gifted Ferguson the chance to make up for this as the scores were levelled on the quarter hour but Dickson returned to hound the defence with a brace of goals. An excellent tackle by Nicolas Plumain paved the way for Dickson to latch on to a threaded pass from the midfielder, drawing Howe then rounding him and tucking the ball home. Five minutes later and Shawn Beveney's steaming charge goalwards ended with a ferocious low drive that Howe could only parry into the path of Dickson, the poacher supreme lashing the rebound home. Twice in three minutes Dickson was a fraction away from adding to the lead. Cedric Meeko's long range drive shaved the woodwork; David Moore had a strike palmed against the post by Howe, the keeper also pulling off a spectacular save to deny Sol Pinnock after his effort had looped crazily off a defender. Although Ferguson missed a brace of clear-cut chances to reduce the deficit, it was clear Dulwich were firmly in the driving seat.

By the 65th minute Dulwich had exhausted their substitutes, Dickson among those withdrawn. Meanwhile Woking had dipped into the replacements bringing on leading scorer Craig McAllister. Slowly they were making inroads into the Hamlet. Twice in the blink of an eye Jusytn Roberts cleared the ball from the Dulwich goalline, denying first Steven Evans then Saheed Sankoh. 13 minutes from time, a free kick was met by the head of skipper Gary MacDonald, a pinpoint header directed into the top corner of the net. 90 minutes played on came Tom Hutchinson for the Cards, within a minute he had rescued his side from defeat as a throw launched into the six yard box sparked a scramble for the ball, the replacement applying the finishing touch to force extra-time.

Pushing fatigued limbs to the limit, Dulwich struggled to contain their opponents. A fearsome strike on the run from Ferguson brought a stunning save out of Lewington as the shot was pushed on to the crossbar but the young keeper was beaten again in the final minute of the half as he brought down Sankoh to concede a penalty, McAllister converting. The second half of extra-time was barely a minute old when Sankoh tucked away number five after Lewington could only parry Ferguson's drive. A second Woking penalty two minutes, magnificently saved by Lewington, proved only academic.

Teams:

DHFC: Chris Lewington; Lewis Tozer (Justyn Roberts HT); Billy Warner; Jason Turley; Jamie Coyle (Capt); Cedric Meeko; David Moore (Kenny Beaney 51); Nicolas Plumain; Shawn Beveney; Chris Dickson (Daniel Jones 65); Sol Pinnock

Substitutes not used: Matt Dean, Theo Fairweather-Johnson

WFC: Aaron Howe; Simon Jackson; Karim El-Salahi; Gary MacDonald (Capt); Danny Bunce; Chris Sharpling (Craig McAllister 70); Shola Oyedele (Tom Hutchinson 85); Sam Cockerill; Goma Lambu (Stephen Evans HT); Steve Ferguson; Saheed Sankoh

Substitutes not used: Michael Poke, Matt Ruby

Attendance:

Officials:

Referee: Mr Steve Briffitt (Shirley)

Assistant Referee: Mr Mark Ford (Cheam) & Mr Rob Allum (Addiscombe)

Fourth Official: Mr Gareth Mays (Croydon)

Goalscoring

1-0 DHFC Chris Dickson 9^th minute

1-1 WFC Steve Ferguson 15^th minute

2-1 DHFC Chris Dickson 22^nd minute

3-1 DHFC Chris Dickson 31^st minute

3-2 WFC Gary MacDonald 79^th minute

3-3 WFC Tom Hutchinson 90^th minute (1^st minute of stoppage time)

3-4 WFC Craig McAllister (Penalty) 104^th minute

3-5 WFC Saheed Sankoh 106^th minute

Dulwich Hamlet 1 Kingstonian 0

Ryman Isthmian League Division One South

Saturday 2^nd December 2006

‘Twas Dickson with the twinkling toes

Did lead the Kingston men astray

And with a surge of power and grace

Did deftly tuck the ball away

A solitary goal from the league's leading scorer, a defence locked tight against a late onslaught from struggling visitors from whom the season stretches out like a barren wasteland, all it needed for the Hamlet to brush off their November blues and extend their advantage at the head of the pack hunting that solitary assured promotion place. For the visiting Ks defeat added to their ever-growing woes as they slide down the table faster than the tallow from a lighted candle. Sans hope, sans luck, sans victory the target of the red and white clad fans opprobrium became manager Stuart McIntyre, charged with the Herculean task of cleaning out the Augean stables of Kingsmeadow and returning former glories to the once all-conquering club. Time is not on his side, nor is it on that of his players; legs and bodies cursed by Father Time frequently no match for the youthful exuberance of the Hamlet's neophytes.

Returning from his Caribbean sojourn, Shawn Beveney was restored to the starting line-up for the hamlet whilst between the sticks a new face as Ricky Millard, once of Barnet, arrived on loan from Billericay to wrest the keepers' gloves from Chris Lewington. Meanwhile McIntyre had been busy with his broom, sweeping the likes of Dean Lodge, Mazin Ahmad and Dan Morris out of the door whilst welcoming in former favourite Gary Drewett. Combined with those departures and a fourth successive 1-1 at rock-bottom Corinthian-Casuals, the Ks pack saw a major reshuffle but would be enough to unseat the long-time leaders? Early signs were not promising. A sterile Ks rarely threatened whilst Dulwich did all the work in front of goal, custodian Luke Garrard making a solo claim to his side's win bonus with keeping sometimes inspired, sometimes fortuitous. Ks defenders brought to mind the Keystone Kops, forever pursuing Charlie Chaplin's little tramp as Dickson, Beveney and a pumped-up Phil Williams ripped into them again and again. Through on goal with defenders' waving furiously at non-one in particular, it took a timely intervention from Garrard to thwart the pacy winger, blocking with his legs. Staying on his feet as he wove a mazy part into the box, resisting the temptation to hit the deck, Dickson too was denied as his effort was scooped out by the Ks keeper's leg. A deep crossfield ball from Jake Daniel, fast making the left back slot his home, fell to Dickson allowing him to set up Williams but he was again frustrated as Garrard reacted quickly to drop a hand and block the shot.

The half hour had just ticked by when Ks finally mustered a threat as Hamlet were caught on the hop, pleading for a free kick that never came. Subdued until now Adolphe Amoako laid a pass into the path of the itinerant veteran Tony Reid but with the goal looming ahead of him, he elected for an early effort and Millard net went unruffled.

The ring-rusty Millard, without a game since the end of last season, almost presented Reid with a chance to atone after rushing from his line to clear the ball from Amoako, only to lose control of the ball close to the touchline and present to the lurking Reid. A cross cum shot from the acutest of angles tight by the corner flag might have embarrassed the new boy but Lewis Tozer was there to spare his blushes, nodding the ball behind at the near post. Millard's kicking game seemed to deteriorate, a goal kick as ineffectual as an England fly-half's, presented Ks with a throw from which Asher Hudson delivered a teasing cross, one the Hamlet keeper missed but again fortune favoured him as the lumbering Jamie Jarvis failed to make a telling contact at the back of the area. At least Millard's shot stopping was assured, Reid denied after Scott Corbett had created the opening with a determined run.

As the half drew to a close the game threatened to erupt as Williams was the innocent victim of a horrendous foul, hacked down by Julian Sills as he once again threatened to leave the lumbering leviathan for dead. An unseemly bundle followed as players of hues converged, the perpetrator Sills summoned by referee Nigel Lugg, the yellow card brandished matched by one to Kenny Beaney as if a jaywalker had received the same sentence as a mass-murderer.

The sides matched each other chance for chance as the second half got underway. A serpentine run from the wily Williams carved a hole through the Ks rearguard but from ten yards out and with only Garrard between himself and glory, Williams stabbed the ball wide of the mark. Millard was soon called into rare action as Martyn Lee chanced his arm with a curling strike from distance, the Hamlet keeper launching himself across goal to parry the ball away. Dickson continued to pose problems, sent tumbling to win a free kick on the fringes of the penalty area, a chance squandered as Beaney curled the ball too high.

On 57 minutes stolid defiance ended as Dickson struck for the 28^th time in as many appearances in Pink and Blue. Creator of the gaol was David Moore, incisive on the left wing, before slipping the ball inside to his striker. Muscle was no match for magic; "Open Sesame!" and Dickson had zipped in. Out came Garrard, but with an imperious flick the ball had been knocked past the prostrate keeper. With Steve Potterill in hot pursuit the ball seemed to take an eternity to roll towards goal but at last it gently nudged the base of far post and nestled in the net.

As if kissed by Prince Charming, Ks suddenly woke from their eternal slumber. Drewett almost marked his return to red and white in style but volleyed wide after Justyn Roberts had headed the straight to him. More pressure, a weak punch from Millard straight to Jarvis but back on the line was Tozer, once again to rescue his keeper, this time with a goal line clearance. Corbett made way for Glenn Boosey, some intoxicating skills on the left the precursor for a deep cross which ended with Lee's snap shot going wide.

The massed ranks of the Hamlet defence stood firm to block Amaoko's shot on the turn, preparing the way for a rapier-like attack. Williams drove up field through Sills and Jarvis, Scylla and Charybdis to the bold winger's Jason, before slipping the ball across to Dickson but once again Garrard managed to pull off a vital save. The introduction of Boosey had proved a late fizz to Ks flat lager, once again going close cutting from the left but dragging his shot wide of the target.

If Ks performance had been anything but vintage, one could not say that of the Ks' wild card. Ten minutes from time, 44 year-old David Leworthy entered the fray in place of the faltering Reid. Vintage in years, vintage in ability, an adroit chip came close to shedding a rare ray of hope on Ks' gloomy day. But pushing forward Ks became exposed at the back, Jamie Coyle powering out of defence to the very brink of the box before the danger was neutralised. A corner saw Moore set up Dickson only for an offside flag to halt him in his tracks. Jarvis became the second grateful recipient of refereeing leniency, Moore his victim. At the death Ks even threw keeper Garrard forward in a desperate search for that equaliser but rather than gain them a point, it almost saw Hamlet double their lead as they broke from a corner. Furiously trying to recover ground, Garrard received a let off with Warner biding his time rather than attempting a spectacular effort from distance into the unguarded net, his belated cross finding Dickson but from a tight angle the ball found only the side netting.

At the final whistle a vociferous knot of travelling fans found their scapegoat, demanding the head of manager McIntyre over whom the thin thread holding the Damoclesean sword becomes ever more frayed. His opposite number merely smiled benignly for once again his charges had done the talking with their feet.

Teams:

DHFC: Ricky Millard; Lewis Tozer; Gavin Dayes; Justyn Roberts; Jamie Coyle (Capt); Jake Daniel; David Moore (Billy Warner 90); Kenny Beaney; Shawn Beveney; Chris Dickson; Phil Williams (Sol Pinnock 90+4)

Substitutes not used: Cedric Meeko, Jason Turley, Nicolas Plumain

KFC: Luke Garrard; Asher Hudson; Steve Potterill; Jamie Jarvis; Julian Sills; Craig Lewington; Scott Corbett (Glenn Boosey); Gary Drewett; Tony Reid (David Leworthy); Adolph Amoako; Martyn Lee (Jon Coke)

Substitutes not used: Steve Symes; Yinka Salaam

Attendance: 381

Officials:

Referee: Mr Nigel Lugg (Chipstead, Surrey)

Assistant Referees: Mr Ahcene Yahiaoui (Loughborough Park) & Mr Peter Georgiou (Wandsworth)

Goalscoring:

1-0 DHFC Chris Dickson 57^th minute

Dulwich Hamlet 2 Burgess Hill Town 2

Ryman Isthmian League Division One South

Tuesday 28^th November 2006

The seasons turn; leaves turn russet and plummet to earth. Lazy autumnal evenings make way for brisk breezes as the chill bite of winter makes its presence, the Hamlet fans looking forward to a winter of attrition and wistful gazes towards the promotion pack, a fast-growing log jam behind the Hamlet becoming ever more compact. But this year something different is happening at the Hill, the faithful congregation find themselves glancing back down at a chasing pack, a novel feeling for all but the most venerable of supplicants at the Pink and Blue Shrine. All this despite a moribund month of November, two more points cast away tonight in a game full of alarums and excursions to compound the pain of Saturday's Hastings hammering.

That defeat elicited some creative thinking in the management department. Centre-half Gavin Dayes, stand-in striker at the death on Saturday, returned to the starting line-up but in a holding midfield role. One would not be too surprised if the versatile Dayes enters the arena clad in the green and gloves of goalkeeper before the season is out to ensure he completes the set. Returning too was Lewis Tozer, sidelined with an ankle injury, but back to partner Justyn Roberts at the heart of defence, Jamie Coyle sliding across to right back. Wholesale changes were completed as Daniel Jones took over from Sol Pinnock in attack and David Moore returned to midfield. Ten league games unbeaten and fresh from wiping the floor with Leatherhead, the Hillians saw no reason to change; a starting XI matching that had tanned the hide of their last opponents.

14 seconds from the kick-off and Dulwich found themselves in arrears as the fast-starting visitors rocked the Hill with a crackerjack of a goal. A quick hoof forwards. Coyle winning the header but the ball lost and Mark Pulling furnish with a perfect pass to wallop a swooping volley that looped beyond Lewington's acrobatic leap and find the top corner with deadly accuracy. At least the concession of a early goal allows the victims the maximum time to recover their ground though Burgess Hill, already scenting a victory that might move them within a point of the leadership, were in no mood to allow the goal hungry Hamlet more then the merest scent of goal.

Six minutes in and Chris Dickson's pace opened a window of opportunity but his attempt at a cheeky chip failed to trouble keeper André Foster. Soon after Pulling managed to sneak in between defender and keeper but stretching to the ball, he hooked his effort wide of the Hamlet goal. Feisty the game was, a rare booking for the ebullient Dickson as he protested at refereeing inconsistency, a foul on Dayes waved away only for Hamlet to be punished in the blink of an eye for a copycat offence.

14 minutes and Hillians' resistance broken. Moore flattened. A free kick wide right half cleared straight to Kenny Beaney who lashed a low daisycutter goalwards. Down went Foster to parry the ball to safety or so he thought for skulking unmarked was Coyle and with precision and power he drilled the ball firmly between diving keeper and upright. Burgess Hill's lackadaisical defenders found a ready scapegoat in the assistant referee but naught came of their vociferous grumblings.

If Dulwich now held the upper hand it was still the Hillians who carved open the better chances, built on a defence and midfield who by fair or foul did all in their power to stifle the Hamlet raids. A caution for Neil Watts, failing to retreat at a free kick but his delaying tactics proved more painful for him eventually forced from the field before the half-hour was out. A quickly taken free kick supplied Ashley Jarvis for spectacular looking bicycle kick but it proved little more than an irritant for Lewington as he gathered the ball in. A yellow card soon followed for goalscorer Pulling as he rapped Moore across the kneecaps with a cynical late tackle, but his emotions were soon channelled in more productive efforts as he flashed a left wing drive across the face of the Hamlet goal.

The not-so-silent assassin, Dickson, mounted a one man raid, a powerful run to the edge of the box, a nick past a defender but Kevin Joyce across to slash the ball to safety. Intricate passing from the Hamlet swept the ball across the park but it all ended fruitlessly as Jones' shot from 20 yards out trickled just wide of the upright. The raids continued to mount up. A quick breakout, Dickson fed on the right of the area but too tight an angle as Foster spread himself at his feet. Coyle failed to repeat his scoring heroics as Moore's cross was headed out to him only for the volley to be lofted over the bar. The pacy visiting attack still posed threats, Pulling chancing his arm with a speculative effort from distance but always too high. The last minute saw a lightning quick Hamlet counter, Beaney released on the left but a tempting curling cross proved a foot too far for Dickson, Foster grateful to cut out the danger.

Dulwich opened the second half on a high, the mercurial Phil Williams dancing and teasing his way down the right wing but finding all avenues blocked as he searching for a chink of light in the Hillians' rearguard. A corner won by more Williams magic saw Tozer leap the loftiest but a flicked header fizzed just wide of the far top corner of the net. Injured by a hefty challenge, Williams was forced limping from the field to be replaced by Sol Pinnock, the substitute's first contribution to unleash his stallion speed and tear down the left to pull the ball back on to the feet Dickson, only for the hotshot to misfire, rifling the ball wide of the back stick.

Schoolboy exuberance ruled, attack followed counter in quick succession but a cornucopia of furious football failed to reap a harvest of goals. 20 minutes remained when Dulwich finally got their noses in front and once again the hero was captain Coyle, an officer leading his men out of the trenches across enemy lines rather than sip G&Ts back at the mess. A Hamlet corner lashed into the heart of the six yard box, Dayes stretched a lithe limb but only for the merest of glances, to enough to divert the ball to Coyle once more lurking at the back and a crisp drive through the massed ranks of white and green finished the job.

Scent of victory wafted on the air but wasteful finishing and luck would conspire against the Hamlet. Moore let loose a humdinger of a drive that brushed the bar as it flew over. Nick Fodgen entered the bad boys' book with a caution for hauling Dickson to the ground on the lip of the area, Foster lashing the resultant free kick away from the toes of the Hamlet striker. Gliding through the middle of the park Dayes laid the foundations for yet another chance. Substitute Billy Warner and Dickson got in each other's way but the former managed to get in a deflected strike that looped over a stranded Foster only to rebound off the bar. Pinnock might still have tucked the ball home but, stretching, he hooked the ball against the bar and Burgess Hill travelling band breathed a sign of deep relief. The cost of that miss became all too evident three minutes later as the Hillians clawed their way level, a free kick pumped into a crowded box and at the second attempt a Hillian head connecting to bullet the ball home, Kevin Joyce claiming the goal.

Still the three points might have gone the way of the Hamlet. 44 minutes, Dulwich pressure on the six yard box but at the last Warner just over. Stoppage time and Dickson released, Foster out to narrow the angle and blessed with good fortune as Dickson attempted to stab the ball through his legs, only for the keeper's trailing foot to deflect the shot away from goal.

The hearty celebrations of the visitors at the whistle are testament to the winds of change that have swept through the Hamlet of late but this will be of little consolation at the thought of two more points thrown away. Nor will the news from Fleet that the Hastings revival had claimed the scalp of the erstwhile leaders allowed Dulwich to creep a further point clear at the head of the pack.

Teams:

DHFC: Chris Lewington; Lewis Tozer; Gavin Dayes (Cedric Meeko 86); Justyn Roberts; Jamie Coyle (Capt); Jake Daniel; David Moore; Kenny Beaney; Daniel Jones (Billy Warner 67); Chris Dickson; Phil Williams (Sol Pinnock 53)

Substitutes not used: Jason Turley; Nicolas Plumain

BHTFC: André Foster; Tom Edmonds; Lloyd Cotton (Glen Matten HT); Nick Fogden; Kevin Joyce; Joe Bye; Shaun Grice (Capt); Mark Pulling; Adam Pullin (Jordan Hall-Pike 59); Ashley Jarvis; Neil Watts (Owen Hill 30)

Substitute not used: Dan Turner

Attendance: 218

Officials:

Referee: Mr Alan Black (South Croydon)

Assistant Referees: Alex Neil (Woodmansterne, Surrey) & Mr Chris Breakspear (Walton-on-Thames, Surrey)

Goalscoring:

0-1 BHTFC Mark Pulling 1^st minute (14 seconds)

1-1 DHFC Jamie Coyle 14^th minute

2-1 DHFC Jamie Coyle 70^th minute

2-2 BHTFC Kevin Joyce 88^th minute

Oh I don't like to be beside the seaside!

Hastings United 4 Dulwich Hamlet 2

Ryman Isthmian League Division One South

Saturday 25^th November 2006

The Pilot Field, antebellum pre-war clapboard and corrugation, a paean to the identikit, flat pack stadium that proliferate the modern game. A slaughterhouse for Hamlet hopes as Hastings inflicted painful defeat on their fresh-faced opponents, exploiting naïve defending to hammer home a quartet of goals whilst manning the barricades resolutely whenever the danger threatened from the Hamlet's prolific strike force. A year ago almost to the day, Dulwich had trekked south to the coast and shredded their hosts with a four goal performance to cap an encouraging end to autumn. Just two of that triumphant staring eleven remain, Jason Turley and Jamie Coyle, the old guard culled in the intervening months to make way for youth's bright torch. Today that torch burned too dim for it was the turn of the hosts to open the floodgates, victory raising spirits amongst a dogged support too used to seeing points snatched away at the death. For Hamlet came only reflection and reappraisal; perhaps the curse of Manager of the Month has turned its evil eye upon the men in pink and blue, the conquest of Chatham a rare flame in a muted month.

For the homesters a host of injuries disrupted preparations as they aimed to repeat a rare midweek victory away to Whyteleafe but kick-off saw few changes from that triumph as Dominic Cruttenden was relegated to the bench, Kevin Rose moving from left back to join the attack in his stead, Rose's role in defence covered by James Sims. Hamlet meanwhile were unchanged from their own midweek victory on the road. Lack of fitness saw a postponement of James Wastell's predicted arrival between the sticks, meaning Chris Lewington retained custody of the gloves.

Mountainous seas may have been rattling the shingle along the Hastings seafront but loftily perched high above all this tumult, the Pilot Field seemed an oasis of calm. Dark ominous clouds may have scuttled overhead but the predicted downpours had failed to wreak their havoc upon the lush turf, a faint sprinkling of precipitation enough to provide the zip that might aid the Hamlet's incisive passing game. Not in awe of the Hamlet's fearsome reputation, Hastings made early inroads, a corner forced within the first few minutes and Lee Carey supplied by Sam Adams to rifle a 25 yard effort wide of the far upright. Soon after Hamlet fashioned a chance of their own, a corner delivered deep to the back of the area where skipper Jamie Coyle rose highest to nod the ball down to the feet of Sol Pinnock, a snatched shot from six yards easily smothered by Lee Worgan on his line.

Found penned in their own half by ambitious opponents, the quarter hour arrived before a Hamlet chance presented itself, Pinnock in the vanguard, taking the ball to the back line before pulling the back to Phil Williams. Tricky feet flummoxed his marker but a neat pass into the path of Nicolas Plumain came to naught as power replaced precision and the ball was hammered high over the bar. After too many lacklustre performances, Williams was on turning on the style, futile cries ringing out for a penalty as Jimmy Elford ended a run into the area with a clumsy challenge. Instantly Hamlet found themselves defending desperately, ersatz striker Rose vainly glancing around him for assistance before electing to chance his arm with a fierce drive that had young Lewington twisting like a sidewinder as he leapt to tip the goal bound effort over his bar. The millstone of their lowly league position failed to hamper Hastings as they grew in confidence, chances continuing to flow their way. A long throw aimed for Tim Olorunda spun off a defender into the path of John Bradley, the centre forward wasting the opening as the ball was lamped high and wide. Left winger Lee Carey found an extra gear as he cut in towards goal from the sidelines but again the chance went begging as a shot was curled well wide. Dulwich still threatened, a free kick releasing Dickson on the left, his tempting low drive into the heart of the Hastings six yard box cut out by Sean Ray as Pinnock hovered menacingly, the Hastings skipper proving his young protagonist's nemesis with a perfectly timed tackle in the area as Pinnock burst on to Dickson's pass. Stan-in striker Rose' aim was off when he larruped a volley harmlessly wide from an Adams cross but the reward for endeavour would soon be bestowed upon United. A half-hearted clearance was easily cut out by Elford; the wing back slipping through some insipid challenges before feeding Olorunda threaded a low drive into the bottom corner of the net as Lewington dived to no avail.

Fired up Dulwich went straight on the offensive with Dickson mere millimetres away from a telling connection with Pinnock's cross from the left. Moments later the equaliser did arrive. Caught cold at a corner Hastings were undone as Eniola Oluwa led a one-man assault on a short-handed defence, a pass in the direction of Dickson dowsed with fortune as Sims' attempted interception merely played the ball into the path of the goal hungry striker. Worgan had no answer as Dickson neatly tucked the ball home to restore parity.

The goal seemed to drain confidence from the hosts. Williams produced a run of sinewy beauty that mesmerised the left flank of the Hastings' defence. Only Rhys Whyborne failed to fall under its spell proving a rude awakening from the reverie with a rudimentary tackle as the goal loomed. Worgan denied Plumain with his feet as the midfielder let rip with a twenty yard drive after the home defence had failed to effectively clear a free kick. Then with half-time but a heartbeat away Dulwich managed to shoot themselves in the foot. Having already survived a scare when Carey latched on to a Bradley pass through a gaping hole in defence, only to overrun the ball as Lewington was rounded, Dulwich's abortive attempts to halt the run of Nima Chan paved the way from Olorunda to restore the hosts' lead in stoppage time, a fierce strike on the turn after being played in giving Lewington no chance.

For Chan his contribution would prove his last of the game, the midfielder failing to reappear after the break, replaced by Brett Griffin. For Hamlet too half-time mean a change as David Moore came on in place of Oluwa. A change might be as good as a rest but for Dulwich they could have done with a rest from incessant Hastings attacks. Three minutes into the half and the deficit became two. Adams on the left wing swept in a deep cross to the back of the six yard box, Dulwich's rearguard cowed by the heavyweight presence of the captain Ray, a towering header cannoning home via the back upright. The burly centre-half might have found himself continuing his celebrations in the isolation of the dressing room after lashing a kick out at Dickson as he beat the latter in the battle for a high ball. An unseemly confrontation followed forcing unsighted referee Ryan Atkin, armed with his pay-as-you-go whistle, into conference with his assistant whose own lack of vision possibly spared Ray the red.

Once the dust had settled, Pinnock found himself the victim of a fine cover tackle from Whyborne after silky skills had opened the defence up. At the other end, the Trojan workhorse Olorunda blew the chance of a hat trick as his shot from 15 yards was smothered at the second attempt by Lewington whilst team-mate Carey's long range drive curled narrowly wide soon after.

The game seemed to be slipping from the Hamlet, the scenario forcing an unusual change as Jason Turley made way for Gavin Dayes, the centre-half taking on the mantle of striker as Dulwich looked to find a foothold. But for the finest of deflections, Dickson might have kick-started a fight back as his dash across the face of the penalty area was capped by a fierce angled strike. Elford rescued Worgan after the keeper had spilled Beaney's free kick before a stunning goal extinguished all but the last vestiges of a Hamlet recovery. Under pressure the Dulwich defence tried but failed to repulse a wave of Hastings assaults, the claret shirts gobbling up the ineffectual clearances, stamping them under foot like grapes in the vat, the fine wine pouring from the feet of Adams, unmarked after injury had incapacitated Justyn Roberts, with screaming drive that flew unerringly into the far top corner of the net drawing ripples of applause from all but the most stone-hearted of Hamlet followers.

An aching chasm now stood before the tyros of Dulwich but surrender is not within their vocabulary. The Alamo it may have been but the Hamlet seemed determined to go down all guns blazing. Had the three W's of defence, Whyborne, Worgan and Way, sorry Ray, had stood before them an unlikely point might still have been on the cards. Released on the left Dickson's incisive run was catalyst for a fearsome Pinnock strike from 12 yards out, Worgan's keen reactions denying a certain goal as leapt to smartly batter the shot away. As Dickson burst into the area there once more was Whyborne with a determined tackle halt this particular attack. With four minutes there came a narrow chink of light, albeit with a fortuitous tinge, as Kenny Beaney pulled a goal back with a 35 yard drive that wobbled in the air to deceive Worgan, the keeper cringing as he somehow allowed the ball to squirm through his fingers and fly over him into the net. For the affable Worgan time was on his side, victory confirmed soon after ensuring mere ribbing would be his fate from his changing room cohorts.

Teams:

HUFC: Lee Worgan; James Sims; Jimmy Elford; Rhys Whyborne; Sean Ray (Capt); Nima Cham (Brett Griffin HT); Sam Adams; Tim Olorunda; John Bradley (Ade Olorunda 89); Kevin Rose (Dominic Cruttenden 83); Lee Carey

Substitute not used: Bernard Asante

DHFC: Chris Lewington; Jason Turley (Gavin Dayes 68); Nicholas Plumain; Justyn Roberts; Jamie Coyle (Capt); Jake Daniel; Eniola Oluwa (David Moore HT); Kenny Beaney; Sol Pinnock; Chris Dickson; Phil Williams

Substitutes not used: Cedric Meeko; Daniel Jones; Billy Warner

Attendance: 291

Officials

Referee Mr Ryan Atkin (London)

Assistant Referees: Mr Mark Wood (Redhill) & Mr Timothy Hatt (Redhill)

Goalscoring:

1-0 HUFC: Tim Olorunda 34th minute

1-1 DHFC: Chris Dickson 36th minute

2-1 HUFC: Tim Olorunda 45th minute

3-1 HUFC: Sean Ray 48th minute

4-1 HUFC: Sam Adams 76th minute

4-2 DHFC: Kenny Beaney 86th minute