Tooting and Mitcham United 1 Dulwich Hamlet 1

Ryman Isthmian League Division One South

Monday 9^th April 2007

Still unbeaten on their travels to Imperial Fields, the Hamlet still left the home of their earnest rivals somewhat unfulfilled despite a draw that ended a long run of victories for Billy Smith's boys. Whilst the point for Tooting looks set to cement their place in the play-offs, Dulwich manager Wayne Burnett was instead lamenting the two points lost as both Dover Athletic and Fleet Town closed the gap on fourth place Hamlet to a single point. For those two contenders the dubious luxury of a game in hand. For Dulwich the mission is simple, win all three remaining games and put the pressure on their rivals to do likewise.

Laboured though it was victory over Horsham had buoyed the Hamlet ahead of the Easter Monday derby encounter, though Tooting had set the standard with four victories in eight muscle-sapping days. For the Terrors this was a fifth game in ten days, perhaps lassitude would prove a greater enemy than their guests. They certainly looked asleep when Dulwich took the lead after just 3 minutes. A free kick wide out on the left was swung in by Mazin Ahmad and with ‘keeper Dave King dreamily coming to collect, Justyn Roberts drifted in unobserved, eeting the ball a yard in front of King and nodding a simple header into the unguarded net.

King's hands looked safer when he casually gathered a long distance effort from Jamie Coyle but the Tooting number one was almost embarrassed again as Shawn Beveney, playing in an orthodox striking role, robbed Joe Vines of the ball as King dithered but his blushes were spared by Jason Pinnock who had rushed back to cut out the Hamlet man's pull back across the empty net.

On the quarter hour a Tooting free kick promised much but, flinging himself headlong, Joe Vines could not find the target with a diving header. Joe's striking sibling, Paul, tried to get in on the act but was beaten to the ball by the head of Coyle, though the Hamlet skipper came within an ace of doing his opponents job for him, the back header almost deceived Simon Overland between the sticks for the Pink and Blue boys. The fearsome feet of Paul Vines were soon on show though with a cracking strike on the run from all of 25 yards but an unruffled Overland made light work of gathering the effort.

Ten minutes to the break and the pace of Damien Scannell keeps the ball from running for a throw in. An adroit pass found Beveney, neatly spinning off his marker Joe Vines but his attempt to smack the ball inside King's near upright failed to trouble the keeper. Two minutes later and Joe Vines was once again the victim of Beveney muscle as the Dulwich man won the chase for Scannell's through ball. For a moment the goal beckoned as Beveney took the ball round the prostrate King but on a dusty, end of season pitch the ball bobbled below his feet and King was able to stretch out a hand and whip the ball off his toes.

A frenzied final few minutes saw Ronnie Green lash over a threatening cross from the left wing, Overland battling ahead of Paul Vines and Ben Abbey to connect with a vital punch before a Hamlet shout for a penalty died on the wind, Romauld Bouadji's body check on Serge Musungu seem as innocuous by referee Mr Crouch. Injured in the process, Bouadji required attention from the trainer, the third Tooting player to do so in the half after King and Joe Vines. Those delays would prove telling as Paul Vines continued his irresistible scoring run with a poached equaliser four minutes into stoppage time. Hamlet were culpable in not clearing their lines though twice they had the chance and twice they reneged on the opportunity. The ball fell at last to Paul Vines on the edge of the penalty area and spinning on a sixpence to meet the ball he lashed a shot toward the far bottom corner of the net that left Overland standing as it ricocheted in off the base of the upright.

A lesser Hamlet might have buckled but the fighting spirit was much in evidence in a second half that promised much, delivering all but further goals and the ubiquitous red card that this encounter almost demands. 10 minutes in, a corner belted hard to the back of the six yard box is met by a towering header from Coyle, King's defender again roving his saviours as the ball is hacked off the line. From a throw Abbey turned on the ball to attempt a goalward strike only to find a Pink and Blue body blocking his path. A moment later Scannell hit the accelerator pedal, cut in from the right wing and dispatched a torpedo on target that King could only pat away. Beveney latched on to the rebound but defenders, like monochrome wasps, crowded him out.

The Hamlet made a change, Ahmad replaced by Leigh Bremner as the game plan changed from raiding to all out assault. Within a minute of taking the field, Bremner was in the thick of things going down under the challenge of Bouadji as the two were in hot pursuit of long ball down the middle. The man in black was unimpressed, Bremner's disappointment echoed by that of the travelling faithful.

Dulwich daydreaming in the middle of the park saw the ball given away to Green, his electric pace the potential undoing of the Hamlet but Roberts came to the rescue, sweeping across to dispossess the pocket rocket as Overland's goal hove in view.

The last quarter hour saw Dulwich move into overdrive in search of that elusive winner, their opponents stretching aching sinew of aching limbs, catching the minutest breath as they fought manfully to preserve that unbeaten run. It should have been ended with 13 minutes left as the Hamlet missed the most glorious of chances to once again reclaim the lead. A booming clearance from the boot of Overland was the starting gun for a headlong chase won by Scannell, who held off his marker before squaring the ball across to Bremner. All the goal beckoned but from the edge of the six yard box, the horrified Bremner slotting the ball straight into the hands of a mightily relived custodian. The substitute had a chance to make amends within a minute as the Tooting defence almost buckled under the weight of full blown attack. A free kick half-heartedly cleared to Scannell lurking in the D was hammered back in to Beveney, his effort rolling under King but as Bremner went hunting to stab the ball home, it was the unlikely figure of Paul Vines in first to lash the ball to safety from off his own goal line. Moments later the Tooting number 9 was back in familiar territory, meeting Green's right wing cross with a looping header that made Overland stretch to the limit in plucking the ball out of the air.

Never moribund in its closing stages, victory could still have gone to host or Hamlet. Another penalty claim, more in hope than expectation as a Hamlet header struck an upraised Tooting hand. Then a present of the ball made to Pinnock but spurned like Granny's Christmas jumper as Overland got the angles right, diving right to clutch the winger's angled shot.

Teams:

T&MFC: Dave King; Colin Hartburn; Dean Hamlin; Matt York; Adam Broomhead (Capt.) (Jamie Findlay 72); Romauld Bouadji; Jason Pinnock; Joe Vines; Paul Vines; Ben Abbey; Ronnie Green

Substitutes not used: Eben Allen; Aaron Day; Danny Carroll; Sheikh Ceesay (GK)

Cautions: Romauld Bouadji 48 (Delaying Free Kick)

DHFC: Simon Overland; Jason Turley; Gavin Dayes; Justyn Roberts; Jamie Coyle (Capt.); Lewis Tozer (Kenny Beaney 89); Shawn Beveney; Nicolas Plumain; Serge Musungu; Damien Scannell; Mazin Ahmad (Leigh Bremner 66)

Substitutes not used: Phil Williams; Daniel Morris; David Milton

Cautions: Jason Turley 45 (Foul); Gavin Dayes 45+1 (Dissent)

Attendance: 350

Officials:

Referee: Mr Ian Crouch (Eltham)

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

Goalscoring:

0-1 DHFC Justyn Roberts 3^rd minute

1-1 T&MUFC Paul Vines 45^th minute (+4)

Dulwich Hamlet 4 Horsham YMCA 1

Ryman Isthmian League Division One South

Saturday 7^th April 2007

With a convincing result but unconvincing performance the boys from Champion Hill at last broke their four draw streak to return to winning ways. Ultimately the game was a comfortable victory over this season's surprise package, Sussex County League Champions Horsham YMCA; though in the early exchanges it seemed as if the Hamlet were already in post-season mode such was the sluggishness of their play. It took a 19th minute goal for the visitors and the introduction of Mazin Ahmad in its aftermath to give Pink and Blues the wake-up call they so badly needed.

Frustrated by Fleet in midweek the encounter saw Leigh Bremner replace Daniel Morris in the vanguard whilst Jason Turley reclaimed the left back spot from Nicolas Plumain. Having put the cat amongst the pigeons with a late, if doomed to be fruitless, charge towards the play-offs, the YMCA were determined not to be overawed though their cause was assisted by a Hamlet side that barely simmered in Easter sunshine. YMCA had already threatened before their early breakthrough, Scott Kirkwood looking in vain for a penalty after colliding with Jamie Coyle, having neatly flicked the ball past him. Soon after the same player failed to take advantage of free kick 2 yards outside the box, lashing a shot always curling wide of the mark in the wake of an over elaborate set piece. No such lack of precision from Steve Davies in the 19th minute, the burly number 9 eluding the Hamlet defence as Matt Russell rolled a pass into his path and from the corner of the six yard box, he planted the ball in the far corner of Simon Overland's net with as much ease as his namesake might pocket the black at The Crucible.

Replacing the out-of-sorts Shawn Beveney with the Mazin Ahmad proved a masterstroke by Hamlet supremo, Wayne Burnett, the tricky winger adding an instant buzz to the Dulwich attack. Three minutes later and the sides were back on level terms. Ahmad whipped in a cross, tempting and teasing. Lewis Tozer, staying up after a corner, threw himself at the ball, his header springing up off the turf to cannon against the crossbar as ‘keeper Dean Ruddy stretched in vain. Following up on the rebound was Justyn Roberts, neatly nodding the ball home past a helpless custodian.

A Phil Williams trademark charge up field promised much but a trio of defenders closed around him and the chance died. YMCA threatened again as the Hamlet defence opened up and Davies slipped a pass across the face of the area to Dan Sackman. Overland stayed alert though, flinging himself at the Horsham striker's feet to block, the rebound off Sackman knocked for a corner.

Williams set off once more on a foray into YMCA territory before being crudely barged off the ball by the lumbering Ellis Hooper. Less lenient officiators might have seen his challenge worthy of dismissal but Mr Daly chose merely to caution the offender. Dulwich would exact more painful punishment from the free kick. Kenny Beaney provided the delivery, the unfortunate Hooper stuck out a lanky limb, leaving Ruddy flat-footed as his defender's intervention diverted the ball against his own upright. Quickest to the rebound was Leigh Bremner, reinforcing his poaching credentials as he slammed the ball under the diving Ruddy to put Dulwich ahead.

Six minutes later a Ruddy clearance was returned with interest and as Damien Scannell chasing the lopping pass, he seemed to be impeded as he took a swing at the ball. The assistant referee was quick to signal an infringement and despite the protestations of the YMCA boys, referee Mr Daly pointed to the penalty spot, booking skipper Tom White for the apparent transgression. The comments continued as Ahmad waited to take the spot kick, defender Dean Carden's critique earning him his side latest caution. Unfazed by al this, Ahmad steeped up to the mark and unleashed a fierce strike to dispatch the ball into the back of the net as Ruddy flung himself the wrong way.

Dulwich might well have further cemented their lead before the break. Williams run ripped through the heart of the YMCA rearguard, his pass releasing Bremner, too fast for the last line of defence but snatching at his chance. The final shot full of venom but always rising over the Ruddy crossbar. Were it a boxer the YMCA woodwork might well have been withdrawn from the fray, so much punishment was it taking. In stoppage time, Roberts rose highest to meet a corner, his header crashing back off the battered crossbar.

The half-time break seemed to dull the Hamlet momentum, YMCA almost punishing them early on with a quickly taken free kick on the edge of the area. Fortunately Overland remained vigilant, smothering a low drive from Nick Levett, using the referee as cover as he sneaked into the box. Even the dismissal of Hooper for a second caution, skittling over Gavin Dayes as the Hamlet man ran on to Beaney pass down the left flank of the YMCA, failed to ignite the fire of the Dulwich attack.

Still Ruddy was kept on his toes, a flying save preventing an own goal from Glen Woodburn as Ahmad's left wing cross cannoned off him. Within a minute he was back in action, saving from Beaney, a curling shot out of the D after Scannell's run from the wing had been smothered on the edge of the area. Scannell himself was denied; his run performing open heart surgery on the beleaguered YMCA defence before a well-struck low drive was parried away by the diving Ruddy at the base of his right-hand post. Cutting in from the wing, Ahmad sent a rising shot just over the crossbar before a low Scannell strike on the run was touched on to his post by Ruddy. Ahmad and Bremner linked up well after the winger had brought inside from the right wing, the forward flicking the ball into the path of Scannell but from 12 yards out he struck his effort into the body of a relived Ruddy. The ubiquitous Scannell found Bremner overlapping on the right. Neatly sidestepping his marker, Bremner lashed a cross into the six yard box towards substitute David Milton, the inopportune intervention of a defender seeing the ball loop over the bar of Ruddy. At last in stoppage time, the tireless Scannell gained reward for his industry, tucking the ball home after an excellently worked move, though it took a fortuitous deflection off a covering defender to deceive Ruddy.

Teams:

DHFC: Simon Overland; Jason Turley; Gavin Dayes (David Milton 68); Justyn Roberts (Nicolas Plumain 56); Jamie Coyle (Capt); Lewis Tozer; Shawn Beveney (Mazin Ahmad 20); Kenny Beaney; Leigh Bremner; Damien Scannell; Phil Williams

Substitutes not used: Daniel Morris; Serge Musungu

YMCA: Dean Ruddy; Dean Carden; Nick Levett; Ellis Hooper; Jamie Lovegrove; Tom White (Capt.); Matt Russell (Dan Taylor 58); Dan Sackman; Steve Davies; Andy Ottley (Richard Greenfield 75); Scott Kirkwood (Pat Massaro 80)

Substitutes not used: None

Cautions: Ellis Hooper; Tom White; Dean Carden

Sent off: Ellis Hooper (2^nd Caution)

Attendance: 237

Officials:

Referee: Mr Stephen Daly (Woolwich)

Assistant Referees: Mr Craig Hicks (Sutton, Surrey) & Mr Andrew Roberts (Kingston-upon-Thames)

Goalscoring:

0-1 YMCA Steve Davies 19^th minute

1-1 DHFC Justyn Roberts 22^nd minute

2-1 DHFC Leigh Bremner 32^nd minute

3-1 DHFC Mazin Ahmad (Penalty) 38^th minute

4-1 DHFC Damien Scannell 90^th minute

Dulwich Hamlet 1 Fleet Town 1

Ryman Isthmian League Division One South

Tuesday 3^rd April 2007

A fourth draw on the spin, albeit against a fellow promotion challenger, left Dulwich perilously close to the trapdoor out of the play-off positions despite this result moving them up into fourth spot, ahead of Tooting and Dover on goal deafened alone. Elsewhere deadly rivals Tooting kept up the pressure with a 3-2 win at Leatherhead despite the dismissal of Joe Vines early in the second half, whilst Fleet must still fancy their chances with one of the less-obstacle strewn run-ins, still a win and a game in hand behind the Hamlet. With an Easter Monday trip to Imperial Fields still to come, the Hamlet's season now hinges NOT only on their own results but on those of the teams around them.

Recalled to the starting line up were Phil Williams and Nicolas Plumain, whilst Daniel Morris, a late cameo at Princes Park on Saturday, made his first start. Fleet meanwhile did their bit for László Bíró's estate, their changes determined as much by who was first to the shirts as to any tactical scheming for one-time England wingman, Andy Sinton.

Despite a lively start from the Hamlet, the visitors were gifted the opening goal after the quarter hour when amidst a melee on the fringes of the Hamlet penalty area, experienced striker flopped on the ball as Lewis Tozer challenged. Swift with the whistle, referee Mr Thompson awarded a contentious free kick and with ‘keeper Simon Overland poorly positioned, Fleet midfielder James Field further punished the Hamlet, spotting the unguarded bottom corner to curl the field low past the wall and home.

The goal lit a spark in the Dulwich attack. Almost straight from the restart Damien Scannell galloped off down the right wing, pulling the ball back across the Fleet area to where Phil Williams was waiting. The winger pulled the trigger, smacking the ball first time but with recalled Fleet custodian Justin Gray rooted to the spot, the ball crept a fraction wide of his left hand upright. Moments later a free kick from Kenny Beaney reached Jamie Coyle at the back of the six yard area only for the legs of a lunging defender to turn his strike behind for a corner kick. Scannell again reminded all of his prowess on the wing with a pinpoint cross from the right, picking out the head of Daniel Morris, making his home debut. Unfortunately the new boy could not mark his first start with a goal, nodding the ball wide of the target. The Hamlet onslaught continued and much to the chagrin of player and supporter alike, Mr Thompson failed to award a penalty when Nicolas Plumain was upended as a quick turn saw his marker left flat-footed. Sent tumbling seemingly inside the area, Plumain looked aghast as the man in black instead spotted the ball a clear foot outside the penalty box.

With a mantra of defence at all costs, Fleet committed all hands to the task of smothering the Hamlet's lightning attacks, launching few of their own. The best chance of the half spurned by Adam Wallace who sent the ball fizzing into the night sky like a wayward firework when clean through on the right. Not that that displeased their youthful travelling faithful. No more Latin, no more French, no more sitting on the old school bench, a half term trip to Champion Hill and a goal lead.

Misfiring in attack when at last the massed ranks of a stolid Fleet rearguard had been breached became all too commonplace. A sweeping move orchestrated by Beaney in the middle of the park saw Plumain released to rampage down the left wing. He in turn found Scannell, looking for an opening as he torn across the edge of the area before feeding Morris. His neat turn took his marker out of the equation but a skanked shot failed to trouble Gray as it swerved well away from goal.

Various niggles and gamesmanship went unheeded by the officials though as half time drew closer Mr Thompson was at last forced to dip into his pocket for his cards as the lumbering Steve Hemmings resorted to a scything tackle on a fast-disappearing Scannell, depriving the Hamlet man of his legs as he threatened to leave his opponent spitting his dust.

The start of the second half was almost heralded by an equaliser as Dulwich piled on the pressure. Barely three minutes in and a corner dropped by Tozer on the penalty, the cultured centre-half bringing the ball under control before firing in a venomous drive that Gray did excellently to get his body behind, extinguishing the fire of Tozer's strike. Midfield dithering almost proved costly for the Hamlet when the ball was lost, Reid the grateful recipient of a pass but with the goal beckoning Justyn Roberts bore down on the veteran hitman, robbing him of the ball as he shaped to shoot.

A change in attack saw Serge Musungu replace the malfunctioning Morris before the hour mark with Mazin Ahmad joining the fray soon after. It was Fleet however that threatened next when Matty Lewis chanced his arm with a free kick from distance, curling the ball delightfully over the defensive wall but a smidgeon too high as Overland stretched in vain.

On 74 minutes Dulwich found a chink in the Fleet armour to squeeze in an equaliser. A long ball into the left channel was seized upon by the marauding Scannell, cutting inside Sam Pearce and unleashing a fearsome low drive from a yard outside the penalty area. Gray was quick to get down and beat out the strike, but his defence came second best in a race with substitute Musungu to the loose ball, Gray recovering quickly but unable to resist as the poacher Musungu arrived first to slide the ball under the ‘keeper and into the net.

The rigours of repulsing the Dulwich onslaught was starting to take its toll on the flustered Fleet kludging defence, as the Hamlet went in search of that all-important equaliser. Ahmad left a quartet of red-shirted, red-faced defenders in his wake with an electric charge before slipping a pass into the path of Shawn Beveney, but Gray reacted faster to gather the ball ahead of the Hamlet midfielder. With time slipping away one last assault almost paid dividends but amidst a flurry of bodies in the visitors' penalty area, red shirts defending to the last, shot after shot was blocked, Musungu then Tozer both denied as parity reigned once again.

Teams

DHFC: Simon Overland; Nicolas Plumain; Gavin Dayes; Justyn Roberts; Jamie Coyle; Lewis Tozer; Shawn Beveney (Mazin Ahmad 66); Kenny Beaney; Daniel Morris (Serge Musungu 58); Damien Scannell; Phil Williams (David Milton 89)

Substitutes not used: Leigh Bremner; Jason Turley

FTFC: Justin Gray; Sam Pearce; Will Salmon; Ben White (Eddie Smith 81); Mark Paterson; Steve Hemmings; James Field; Matty Lewis; Tony Reid; Adam Wallace; Martin Girling

Substitutes not used: Tony Millerick; James Mann; Jermaine Hamilton; Paul Smith

Caution: Steve Hemmings

Attendance: 246

Officials:

Referee: Mr Marvin Thompson (Northolt)

Assistant Referees: Mr Phil Stevens (Streatham) & James Vallance (Putney)

Goalscoring:

0-1 FTFC James Field 15^th minute

1-1 DHFC Serge Musungu 74^th minute

Dartford FC 1 Dulwich Hamlet 1

Ryman Isthmian League Division One South

Saturday 31^st March 2007

The barren, wind-battered approach to Princes Park is purgatory but as one crests the hill the first glimpse of the Darts' new home draws little breath that remains from one's body. Buried under bricks and mortar by the greedy hands of the developers, Watling Street was Victorian Gradgrind to sparkling new Princes Park, a 21^st century stadium boasting all the "green" credentials, solar panels for power, rain recycling systems to water the playing field, sustainable wood. For your humble though this meant a blanket smoking ban, an anxious wait until half-time before one can draw on a gasper. Fortunately the buzz of a pulsating contest meant the usual nicotine hit went almost unmissed.

Three wins out of four for the hosts would mean naught should they lose today. A single change saw Tommy Osborne return having missed an unconvincing 4 goal defeat of bottom club Corinthian-Casuals with injury. Meanwhile hamlet boss Wayne Burnett shuffled his pack in an attempt to gain a much-needed three points after three games without a win, Mazin Ahmad and Leigh Bremner restored to the starting line-up whilst Serge Musungu and Williams dropped to the bench.

Dulwich threatened after just four minutes when Jamie Coyle swept a low cross into the six yard box, the ball allowed to wend its way to Damien Scannell whose attempt to force the ball home was foiled by a combination of ‘keeper and defender, fellow striker Bremner unable to connect with the rebounds. However it was the Darts who were first to find the net, putting the hosts on course to cement their place in the play-off pack whilst seriously damaging the ambitions of the visiting Hamlet. 7 minutes gone, Eddie McClements robbed Coyle of the ball, an intricate run into the box though a brace of challenges taking him clear of the defence only from big Hamlet custodian Simon Overland to bravely block at the feet of the onrushing wingman. But with the Dulwich rearguard missing in action Overland was left defenceless as first Brendon Cass then Jay May tried to bundle the loose ball home, May succeeding where his compatriot had failed.

If the vocal hordes of Darts aficionados had expected that goal to spark an black and white avalanche, their hopes soon evaporated as Dulwich dominated play but could not find the Philosopher's Stone that might turn the base metal of their domination into the gold of goals. Ahmad chanced his arm with a long range free kick, the ball buzzing a foot too high over Darts goalie, Tony Kessell's crossbar.

A momentary lapse in defence for the Hamlet almost let in May once more after Cass had slipped a neat pass into him, but Justyn Roberts composed tackle in manner of the late lamented Bobby Moore robbed the Dartford man of the chance to double his tally. Faced by the massed phalanxes of home defenders, Kenny Beaney attempted to curl the ball beyond Kessell from the corner of the penalty area, a defender's involuntary intervention almost assisting him as the deflection left Kessell flat-footed but relieved as the ball bounced wide of his near upright. A deep cross from the left, swirling on the wind, was met by the head of Mark Green, the ball nodded back across the face of goal with the Darts deadliest weapons, May and Cass, in attendance but each seemingly frozen as the ball bounced harmlessly wide of the post.

Custodian Kessell played a key role in keeping the Hamlet from bringing the contest back to parity, smartly off his line twice in quick succession first to gather the ball as Bremner burst past the static central defenders in his quest to reach a clearance headed back then as Scannell zipped through the defence, stealing the ball off the Hamlet man's toes with an outstretched leg as Scannell prepared to round him. The lively Scannell continued to ask questions of the home defence, neat skills on the edge of the box but a shot blocked by a mass of black and white. Kessell was again called into action after Shawn Beveney, recipient of the ball on the right wing, spun away from a brace of dumbfounded markers before curling in an angled shot that a diving Kessell did well to push away, a defender's knee completing the job as Bremner went hunting for the rebound. Dulwich's defence had still not learnt the lessons of May's opener and with just two minutes of a pulsating half remaining, abundant white shirts flooded the Hamlet penalty area, McClements sweeping the ball across to Ryan Hayes who in turn attempted to find Cass only for a last-gasp tackle from skipper Jamie Coyle to lash the ball behind for a corner.

The second half dawned brightly for the Hamlet though Scannell's powerful run to the edge of the area remained unembellished by a goal as the ball spun wide of the mark whilst Bremner, despite his acrobatics, could not provide the telling connection with a right wing cross. The ball flicked into his path by Beveney, Scannell let fly with a rasping shot but always twisting just that little bit shy of the net.

Subdued in the first half, Darts now rallied and but for the resilience of Dulwich custodian, Overland, might well have made the points their own. Twice in a minute Overland made vital saves at the feet of first Green then Cass as the Hamlet defence was breached too easily. Changes were made. On came Daniel Morris for his debut replacing Bremner. Ahmad made way for Musungu. Dulwich stepped up a gear. Gavin Dayes attempted to bend a shot in at the post but missed by inches. Rumbling through like a Sherman Tank, Cass broke through the last line of resistance but found Overland unflappable in adversity, the ball blocked and amidst a tumultuous gallimaufry Lewis Tozer managed a clearance under heavy fire.

The minutes ticked away. Ten minutes left, a slip from Coyle let in Tommy Osborne, haring down the left wing to deliver a low ball into May, the usually reliable hitman snatching at the opportunity to wallop the ball out of the ground. Two minutes later Steve Norman floated a long, long free kick that almost embarrassed Overland as it hung on the breeze, the big number one back-pedalling furiously to somehow stretch to the last sinew and turn the ball over the bar, freezing the celebrations of the throats of the Dartford Warblers behind the goal. Game, set and match it might been but the importance of that save magnified immeasurably as Hamlet struck the leveller through the boot of Williams, on in place of Dayes less than 10 minutes previous. Wound up and raring to go, Williams had nibbled at the Darts defence with probing runs that fell stony ground but he feasted upon a sublime chip into the angle of the six yard box, larruping a first time volley from the acutest of angles into the far corner of the stunned Kessell's net.

A point apiece might have sated had the stakes not been so high, the wolves circling as goals went in for Dover, Tooting, Hastings, Maidstone, six teams fight fighting for five seats at the promotion party. Hamlet went hunting for the winner, Scannell blocked by the legs of Kessell as he tried to finish from a tight angle. Selected as Man of the Match by the afternoon's sponsors, Kessell justified that award further plucking a free kick from the forehead of Tozer as he rose highest in the forest of players. Right at the death the Darts could not have had a more clear-cut chance to claim victory. May flicked the ball over the head of Tozer head before supplying McClements at the far post. Stretching to meet the ball, McClements drew groans of agony from the massed ranks of Darts supporters as the ball flashed agonisingly a fraction wide of the foot of Overland's post. One-apiece, a fair reward for endeavour but not what the chairmen might have ordered. The dogfight intensifies.

Teams:

DFC:

Tony Kessell, Tommy Osborne, Steve Norman, John Guest, Richard Avery, Lew Watts (Brad Potter 57), Mark Green, Jay May, Brendon Cass, Eddie McClements, Ryan Hayes (Steve Hafner 74)

Subs not used: Carl Bruce, Ryan Briggs, James Tedder

DHFC: Simon Overland, Jason Turley, Gavin Dayes (Phil Williams 74), Justyn Roberts, Jamie Coyle, Lewis Tozer, Shawn Beveney, Kenny Beaney, Leigh Bremner (Daniel Morris 63), Damien Scannell, Mazin Ahmad (Serge Musungu 68)

Substitutes not used: Nicolas Plumain, David Milton

Cautions: Lewis Tozer

Attendance: 1,409

Referee: Mr Ashvin Degnarain

Assistant Referees: Mr Ross Wooding & Mr Arif Khalfe

Goalscoring:

1-0 DFC Jay May 7^th minute

1-1 DHFC Phil Williams 83^rd minute

The players and officials line up pre-match for a minute's silence in memory of long-time Darts supporter Raymond Fuller


Have Boreham Wood fans defected?


It went that way!


Mazin Ahmad on the ball


Catch me if you can!


This week's spot the ball contest. No winners yet!


Damien Scannell attempts a shot on goal from the edge of the area


Dulwich throw up the big boys for a freekick


An acrobatic effort from Leigh Bremner but no luck this time.


Damien Scannell shapes to shoot but this effort goes wide of the mark

Dulwich Hamlet 0 Maidstone United 0

Ryman Isthmian League Division One South

Saturday 24^th March 2007

Table-topping Stones departed Champion Hill much the happier after this pulsating stalemate, combined with a late Leatherhead equaliser at Hastings, cemented their position at the head of the pack. For Dulwich though much soul-searching ahead as the season enters its final throes, a third winless outing on the spin dropping them perilously close to the trapdoor out of the play-off places. The goalscoring prowess that so lit up the league not long ago seems to have withered on the vine just as the lock has been turned on defence, once notoriously porous now more miserly than Moliere's Harpagon.

Dulwich welcomed back Captain Fantastic, Jamie Coyle, after injury had ruled him out of the disappointing draw on Whyteleafe’s Saharan sward whilst recalling Serge Musungu to the starting line-up in place of Leigh Bremner. Ominously too the Stones were at full-strength, though they chose to make two switches from the side that had struggled to put down the challenge of Horsham YMCA a week earlier, promoting one-time Hamlet reserve Alex Tiesse to the starting line-up in place of Lynden Rowland whilst the tricky Nick Hegley took the place of Simon Austin. It was the latter player who to prove the Stones greatest weapon in attack, his unwavering appetite for assault on the Hamlet right flank a constant source of irritation to the Dulwich defence.

Despite season's end mere weeks away, the early spring sunshine of Church Road had been replaced by a biting, chilly wind, flecked with icy rain but for the 611 huddled into Champion Hill the white heat of a lusty encounter was enough to ward off the worst of the elements. Stalemate this may have been but Shawn Beveney out on the right wing opened up space on the right wing for a tempting cross but with no one waiting for the delivery, ‘keeper Pat Mullin was able to make a comfortable collection. A hearty challenge by Aaron Lacy on Gavin Dayes in the centre-circle as he drove up field laid the foundations for a swift counter from the visitors, Mo Takalobighashi sneaking in behind Coyle to meet an oblique pass over the defender. Cutting back he attempted to beat Simon Overland at his near post but was denied as the big Hamlet custodian dropped on the ball with Tiesse hovering. Not long after a deep Maidstone corner was flicked on to Ryan Takalobighashi. Stones skipper Sam Tydeman found the lively Hegley who furnished Takalobighashi with a neat flicked delivery, the striker letting rip with a furious effort as he fell, the ball seemingly destined to rent the net until Overland flung himself high to tip the explosive shot on to his crossbar. 33 minutes and Royston's intervention not only cut out a Hamlet attack on the right but his pass up the line sent Hegley scampering away down the wing, his cross picking out Takalobighashi only for the hitman to stab the ball wide from close range. A clumsy challenge gave the Stones a free kick and the chance to atone but after the ball had pinged around the Dulwich area, it fell to Royston, the burly defender slashed at his shot and driving the ball well wide of the far post. Fortune favoured the Hamlet goal once more within two minutes as Hegley turned on the gas to cut a swathe through the Hamlet's right flank, a shot deflected across the face of goal, Takalobighashi unable to provide the killer touch as the ball bounced across his path at the back stick. Maidstone quickly made menacing moves once more as another who had graced the Pink and Blue, Errison Ahwan got his head to a free kick but Overland was quick to claim the ball as Takalobighashi threatened.

If Dame Fortune had smiled upon the Hamlet defence, she soon turned her gaze away from the hosts as Stones custodian Mullin benefited from a large dose of luck to deny Musungu. The ball slipped into the marauding Dulwich striker after Dayes and Beveney had swapped passes in the middle of the park, Musungu bear an onrushing Mullin to the ball, attempting a sweet chip over the ‘keeper only for the ball to bounce off the head of an oblivious Mullin before being cleared to safety.

The second half was a reprise, full-throttle, full-throated, Dulwich claiming a greater share of the chances, Stones continuing to threaten. Worrying early moments for the visitors as their inspirational leader, Tydeman fell awkwardly under challenge in the centre circle, rived by the healing hands and magic of sponge of physio Tim Warden. A Hamlet free kick pumped in was won by the head of Dayes, the ball cleared only to Williams but he larruped his volley wide of the target. Key weapon in the Stones, the ballistic throw-ins of Craig Roser had been dealt with efficiently by the Dulwich rearguard, that was until the 55^th minute when one was allowed to bounce only for Tiesse to waste the chance, weakly stabbing wide of the far upright.

Again Hegley ripped at the Hamlet flank's, turning inside Coyle, dribbling the ball along the back line before pulling the ball back into the six yard box only for Overland to smother the ball at the second attempt. Tiesse paid the price for his miss soon after as Rowland rose from the bench to replace him.

All afternoon Dayes and referee Atkin left out a dangerous Hamlet move stillborn, the referee calling play back for an innocuous foul on Dayes that saw substitute Barton cautioned.

Two minutes of "normal" time remained, though stoppage time stretched out to infinity. On came Mazin Ahmad for Musungu to intensify the pressure on the Stones goal. 45 minutes, Coyle swept the ball in from the right wing, Dayes leapt highest to win the header, the ball dropping at the feet of Damien Scannell but the ball larruped high over the goal. Five minutes into injury time, Beveney muscled away the challenges of the Trojan Royston and his skipper Tydeman and, from 25 yards, unleashed a strike, laced with venom, that fizzed agonisingly wide of the top corner of Mullin's net. Still the Hamlet threw all at the Stones. Deep, deep into the time added on the Hamlet came so close to snatching victor. Breaking fast out of defence, the Stones rearguard was ripped apart by a Pink and Blue tidal wave, the ball working its way to an unmarked Ahmad attacking wide on the right. From an acute angle Ahmad let rip but his fierce shot found its match in Mullin who launched himself right to batter the ball away and frustrate Hamlet at the death.

Teams:

DHFC: Simon Overland; Jason Turley; Gavin Dayes; Justyn Roberts; Jamie Coyle (Capt.); Lewis Tozer; Shawn Beveney; Kenny Beaney; Serge Musungu (Mazin Ahmad 43); Damien Scannell; Phil Williams

Substitutes not used: Stanley Muguo; Leigh Bremner; Nicolas Plumain; David Milton

Cautions: Gavin Dayes

MUFC: Pat Mullin; Nathan Paul; Craig Roser; Errison Ahwan; Mario McNish; Ryan Royston; Sam Tydeman (Capt); Aaron Lacy; Mo Takalobighashi (Jason Barton 79); Alex Tiesse (Lynden Rowland 60); Nick Hegley (Simon Austin 80)

Substitutes not used: Lee Shearer; Michal Czanner (GK)

Cautions: Jason Barton

Attendance: 611

Officials:

Referee: Mr Warren Atkin (Crawley)

Assistant Referees: Mr Wayne Ingram (New Malden) & Mr John Ryan (Worcester Park)

Whyteleafe 1 Dulwich Hamlet 1

Ryman Isthmian League Division One South

Saturday 18^th March 2007

Sun-dappled Church Road, bucolic abode of homely Whyteleafe, may well prove to be the final resting place of Dulwich Hamlet's Championship dreams after this lacklustre draw against determined, if attack-shy, hosts. Some might blame the parched Church Road turf, bearing more resemblance to a pre-season Saharan dustbowl, played a part in Hamlet's failure to capture all three points on offer, severely hampering Dulwich's attempts to play the sweet flowing football that had ravaged a ragged ‘Leafe when last the sides had met. Others would point to the performance of one Carl Emberson between the posts for the ‘Leafe, defying the years and gravity to pull off one amazing first save to claw the ball away for a corner after Dulwich debutante Damien Scannell had held off the challenge of brace of defenders in the chase for a long ball out of defence, chipping the time-worn ‘keeper only to watch in amazement as the ball was acrobatically kept out. The former Hamlet man was aided and abetted in defensive duties by two others, late of this parish, who performed manfully in defence, the Colossus of Church Road, skipper Danny Arkwright (if Emberson is evergreen this man is a Giant Sequoia) and another for whom time seems to have stood still, Ali Reeve. By hook or by crook, Reeve kept the pacy Hamlet attack in check, though the odd broadside, particularly one on Phil Williams, did go unnoticed by the officials. Perhaps too the changes made in the wake of the Tooting reverse played there part, new boy Scannell leading the attack alongside Leigh Bremner, Phil Williams returning to the starting line-up as both Serge Musungu and Mazin Ahmad were dropped to the bench. Also missing talismanic skipper Jamie Coyle, injury precluding his participation.

As fans dozed in the early spring sunshine, there was little to rouse them from their slumbers bar the acrobatics of the Emberson. Stumbling backwards as he shot Bremner failed to test the ‘keeper with a shot stabbed wide from the edge of the area but again in the thick of it, the ‘Leafe custodian made a fine block at the feet of Scannell as the striker threatened from the left corner of the six yard box. Then at last a goal! 37 minutes on the clock and Kenny Beaney pumps a free kick into the heart of the Whyteleafe penalty area. Defenders dither, the ball reaches Shawn Beveney but his attempt on goal is smothered only for the ball to run to Lewis Tozer, skippering the XI in the injury-enforced absence of Jamie Coyle. He swivels eight yards from goal, drives the ball past a static Emberson and somehow, despite the presence of a last defender on the goal line, the ball squirms through his legs and trickles into the net.

The lead lasted barely four minutes as ‘Leafe drew level with their first meaningful chance of a barren half. All Hamlet's defensive eyes focussed on Arkwright, the attention was switched instead to Sean Rivers who rose virtually unchallenged as Callum McLean delivered a free kick to the back of the box, a firm header from the ‘Leafe man and the ball was succinctly planted in the back of Simon Overland's net.

In the final minute of the half, Whyteleafe might well have had a second, as imbued with new-found attacking vigour, they started to come out of their shell. A storming run from McLean provided the catalyst and though his charge was smothered on the edge of the area by the combined challenges of Jason Turley and Justyn Roberts, the ball ran into the path of Leon McDowall who unleashed a thunderbolt of a shot that singed the woodwork as it flew over the bar of Overland.

Hamlet made an early change six minutes into the second half as Bremner, his industry failing to reap dividends, was replaced by Musungu. Still the game failed to rise above a gentle adagio, ‘Leafe threatened more but Hamlet still held the upper hand, if failing to turn territorial advantage into that of the goalscoring kind.

On the hour mark, the pitch claimed its first victim as Richard Williams stumbled backwards as he went to take a throw-in. The incident brought chuckles and guffaws all round, but concerns were raised as Williams clambered to his feet in an attempt to retake the throw only to collapse in an agonised heap. On came yet another former Hamlet man, Ellis Conroy, whilst a distressed Williams was helped from the field to be taken to hospital where an x-ray revealed a fracture to the unfortunate lad's tibia.

On 68 minutes Phil Williams finally got the better of the obdurate Reeve, the defender taking revenge and his opponent's legs as the Hamlet winger burst into the box. Penalty and a chance once more for Dulwich to regain the lead they had squandered. Up stepped Scannell, hoping to mark his competitive debut in Pink and Blue with a goal, but evergreen Emberson had other ideas, diving to his left to parry away the spot kick then bravely throwing himself on the ball as Scannell attempting to atone for his miss and stab home the rebound.

With ten minutes left, Mazin Ahmad replaced a subdued Beveney but even this injection of pace could not provide the fillip the game desperately needed. Best of the Hamlet chances came when Nicolas Plumain let fly with a low drive from fully thirty yards out that bounced awkwardly on the arid terrain but was still comfortably smothered by Emberson diving left. A late resurgence from ‘Leafe might even have sent the points their way, Overland's coming under sustained threat for perhaps the first time in the game, but despite forcing a number of corners, ‘Leafe could not find the opening to steal victory.

Teams:

WFC: Carl Emberson; Richard Williams (Ellis Conroy 60); Carlo Castrechino; Ali Reeve; Danny Arkwright (Capt.); Danny Boxall; Callum McLean; Robert Smith (Chris O'Flaherty 77); Sean Rivers; Danny Platel (Joe Clark 77); Leon McDowell

Substitutes not used: Michael Riley; Danny Coote (GK)

Cautions: Robert Smith

DHFC: Simon Overland; Jason Turley; Gavin Dayes; Justyn Roberts; Nicolas Plumain; Lewis Tozer (Capt) (Stanley Muguo 70); Shawn Beveney (Mazin Ahmad 81); Kenny Beaney; Leigh Bremner (Serge Musungu 53); Damien Scannell; Phil Williams

Substitutes not used: Matt Dean; David Milton

Attendance: 264

Officials:

Referee: Mr T Power

Assistant Referees: Mr R Wilkins & Mr P Wood

Goalscoring:

1-0 DHFC Lewis Tozer 37^th minute

1-1 WFC Sean Rivers 40^th minute

As usual click on the pictures to see a larger version.