Burgess Hill 0 Dulwich Hamlet 1

Burgess Hill 0 Dulwich Hamlet 1
Ryman Isthmian League Division One South
Saturday 12th April 2008

To dream the impossible dream, to fight the unbeatable foe. That is the quest of the Hamlet as a hard-earned victory, their first at the Leyland Park home of the Hillians, meant that mathematically at least their fleeting dreams of snatching an improbable place in the play-offs have not yet breathed their dying breath. Logic says a null point return from their remaining games for both the Rebels of Worthing and the K’s of Kingston combined with mighty triumphs over both deadly rivals Tooting and the mercenaries of the Met Police cannot happen in the real world but then logic has never found a home ion the hearts of the die-hard fan of the beautiful game. Whilst that ethereal shade of hope remains fluttering in front of the Pink and Blue brigade then the switch on the life support of Dulwich Hamlet promotion hopes remains flickering in the ON position.
Friday night had seen Worthing demolish a Corinthian-Casuals, relieved of the spectre of relegation, glassy eyes turning northward to Wembley, a result that leavened the pressure not only upon the Hamlet but upon the hosting Hillians who play-off pretensions carried greater weight than that of their guests. So it came as surprise to many when player-manager Jamie Howell chose to make a slew of changes from the XI taken to the cleaners by Tooting in midweek. By contrast his opposite number Craig Edwards, content to marshal his men from the sidelines unlike his counterpart, was able to recall Marc Cumberbatch from suspension to resume his stonewall partnership with Ryan Bernard at the heart of defence though illness robbed him of striker Meshach Nugent before kick-off meaning a first start for loanee winger Kraig Rochester.
Lachrymose skies relented before the off though they would return at regular intervals throughout the half, sending a ragtaggle band of travelling supporters scurrying for what flora passed for cover at arboreal Leylands Park. With the first whistle, the first punch was thrown by a Hillians side seemingly better recovered from their midweek mauling. Hamlet fans who had endured the Ashford assassination feared more of the same as the yellow clad hordes swept through porous pink. Barely had 60 seconds slipped by than the deadly Shaheen Sadough had battled past Colour Sergeant Bernard, the centre-half rescued by a able deputy in the form of Steve May, across like a whippet to hammer the ball beyond the boundaries and to safety. Keeping Hillians at bay, Dulwich created the games first true opening in the fifth minute as Alex Martin’s snow white boots slipped a pass wide to the left wing where Billy Chattaway came thundering up the rails, Matt Piper left in his wake as he drove into the penalty area. A screaming shot as Danny Gainsford tried to charge down the ball but home custodian Chris May proved its equal, battering down the strike at his near post. The pendulum had truly swung, released by the ubiquitous Martin, Sebastian Schoburgh’s spindly legs became a blur as he zipped to the goal line, pulling the ball back beyond ‘keeper May, stranded at his near post. The stamp of goal was upon Hamlet’s goalmouth assassin, Charlie Taylor, but fate combined with desperate defending as the ball seemed glued to his feet. Amidst a muddled, muddy mêlée a yard from goal the ball refused to be buried in the net and the Hillians’ relief column, Gainsford, cleared the lines. Still Dulwich pressured, a swinging corner to the back of the six yard box was dragged down out of the air on the chest of Bernard, but a yellow swarm blocked his path and the Hamlet skipper was unable to bundle the ball into the net.
Space opened up for Benson Paka, the midfielder clicking up a gear, a Ferrari swishing past the putt putting jalopies of the Hillians defence to drive in a daisy trimmer through the sodden sward. May was down smartly to batter the ball away but Rochester latching on to the rebound, only to dally on the ball as reinforcements arrived. A shot from the neophyte winger, on target, but charged down by a phalanx of defenders, Paka pouncing upon the loose ball to ramrod a hot in on goal, denied as a pair of hands not attached to the custodian beat down the ball. Plaintive cries for a spot kick but not guilty came down the judgement from the beak as referee Mr Robinson signalled no offence. Jesus may love your wife more than she will know but, though Dulwich are long inured to the denial of stonewall penalties, still they rankle and love letters from SE22 may be in short supply for Mr Robinson.
With Hamlet still seething their defence dozed as a Burgess Hill free kick was allowed to drift to Howell, unattended on the edge of the area, but he failed to punish diffident defending as he dragged a low drive well wide of Jamie Lunan’s right-hand upright.
Justice made manifest on 43 minutes as Hillians’ glass-jawed, stood square and toothless, drawn across as Paka ran at them, battering ram against the castle walls. Yellow shirts made to cut him off at the pass; instead Paka merely slid a simple pass to Taylor outside him, neglected by defence. Helpless, May was coolly beaten as Taylor hammered a ball low and beyond him into the far corner of the net, a ninth goal in as many games for the Hamlet hitman. A tenth was but a whisker away in stoppage time as Chattaway clipped the ball back from the back line, only for Taylor to turn and the ball past the upright from eight yards out.
An early threat from the Hillians as Neil Watts went for the spectacular with a long range hooked effort that would have drawn applause from all corners had it found the net but instead buzzed Lunan’s crossbar as harmless as a destung wasp. Touché said the Hamlet, a corner forced, Bernard beaten by the colossus Gainsford but first to the rebound, bicycle kick, nay more a Penny Farthing kick, as the Hamlet skipper launched the ball back over his head and past a startled seagull circling above, the ball dropping from the ether to be claimed by May under pressuring from the hovering Taylor. A steaming run from Paka, a pass from one hired gun, Martin, to another, Rochester, across the field. Distance seemed his enemy but Rochester let fly with a powerful effort from the wings that might have found its aim but for a flick off a defender’s boot that sent the ball over the head of May to ripple the net albeit the roof of the net.
A chance for the gargantuan Gainsford as his markers went AWOL whilst a free kick was delivered. Relief then when the big man failed to exact punishment with a wayward header actress the face of goal. Pumped upfield by Lunan, the dropping ball was plucked out of the air by Paka then slipped left into the path of Taylor but a shot on goal lacked the power to cause more than minor inconvenience to May.
Threat once more from the Hillians as Dulwich found themselves backpedalling furiously as a poor corner left them exposed at the rear. The thunder of cavalry upfield. Sadough had first one chance then another, but his first was beaten off before he overlapped on to a pass from Watts, letting off a steamer of a drive but always, always rising too high over the crossbar.
A rare lapse of concentration. CSM Bernard, RSM Edwards, their barked orders ringing in the ears of the Hamlet foot soldiers, would not allow such a lapse once more. Bernard was up and over the trench once more, venturing deep into enemy territory as he won an aerial dog-fight with Gainsford, flicking a header down towards Daryl Plummer, only May’s alertness denying the substitute an early impression on his introduction into the fray. Desperate now laced Hillians’ play, victory was imperative but they remained pinned in their own half. Gainsford less-than-surreptitious tug on Taylor as he was beaten once more on the fringes of the area saw a caution for the centre-half. Less lenient officials might have been issuing cards of more a crimson hue. Woven from finest silk, Schoburgh’s skills took out a host of defenders as he set up Martin to deliver into Taylor but a poor connection saw the ball hooked off target on the turn.
With the undertakers in and tapping in the final tacks upon the coffin of their dreams, Hillians came mightily close to doing the same to those of the Hamlet as excruciating injury time crept by as a far-flung volley from John Lansdale zipped over the crossbar but the points belonged to the Hamlet. Another new dawn? One last new hope? Don’t turn off the life-support just yet!

Teams:
BHTFC: Chris May; David Piper; Matt Piper; Kenny Hewitt; Danny Gainsford; Nick Fogden; Phil Elkins; James Martin; Shaheen Sadough; Jamie Howell (John Lansdale 70); Neil Watts
Substitutes not used: Tom Edmonds; Ollie Rowland; Lloyd Cotton; Colin Hunwick

DHFC: Jamie Lunan; Steve May; Billy Chattaway; Benson Paka; Ryan Bernard; Marc Cumberbatch; Sebastian Schoburgh; Stanley Muguo; Kraig Rochester (Daryl Plummer 75); Charlie Taylor; Alex Martin (Henry Darko 80)
Substitutes not used: Ricky Dobson; Meshach Nugent; Sheikh Ceesay (GK)

Attendance: 160

Officials:
Referee: Mr Tim Robinson
Assistant Referees: Mr Timothy Hatt & Mr Daniel Robathan

Goalscoring:
1-0 DHFC: Charlie Taylor 43rd minute

Dulwich Hamlet 2 Molesey 1

Dulwich Hamlet 2 Molesey 1
Ryman Isthmian League Division One South
Monday 24th March 2008

Dead men walking, the Moles of Hampton Court are all but condemned to relegation from the Isthmian League, the noose around their neck, the trapdoor creeping beneath their feet. Tasty morsels then for a Hamlet side, keen to exorcise the demons of their Good Friday defeat on the South Coast and resurrect their fading hopes of scrambling abroad the promotion lifeboat that is the play-offs, neophyte Christians dragged into the arena as baying hordes goaded the Dulwich lions. For an hour or more, pink and blue claws ripped at light blue, teeth bared but rarely able to inflict more than a flesh wound. Goals from Charlie Taylor, a fifth in his last six outings, and Meshach Nugent put Hamlet in the driving seat before the referee’s infuriating decision to dismiss Marc Cumberbatch and award the Moles the lifeline of a penalty. Though Jamie Lunan’s excellent save kept out the spot kick, Dulwich found themselves all at sea when Paul Cross nodded in a goal with still quarter of a hour left on the clock. Less timorous teams might have capitalised, the Moles did not.
Ricky Dobson and skipper Shayne Mangodza took a breather from the starting line as Darryl Plummer and Billy Chattaway returned with the captain’s armband passing to the vociferous Ryan Bernard, a brick outhouse with an air raid siren installed. His booming bellicose commands echoed across the field of combat as Dulwich began in earnest with raid after raid upon the Molesey goal. The bludgeoned Moles held off the Hamlet stampede for eight whole minutes, but could resist no longer. A stealthy move flummoxed a statuesque defence as Cumberbatch lit the touch paper with a slide rule pass out to the coltish Sebastian Schoburgh cantering away down the right wing, squaring the ball across to Taylor, strangely neglected, by the Moles’ defence who had gone AWOL. As Matt Nash, cruelly exposed between the sticks, rushed from his line, a nonchalant Taylor had time to check his deodorant before neatly slipping the ball back Nash as the custodian prostrated himself at his feet.
The Hamlet were denied a spot kick two minutes later when the quicksilver Taylor nicked the ball past Nash on the penalty spot, but as he sidestepped the ‘keeper his legs were taken from beneath him. It seemed cut and dried, penalty and dismissal for the miscreant but much to the frustration of all of Pink and Blue persuasion, the man in black waved away all protestations. It would not be the time, he would exasperate the Hamlet. Still as starved of penalties as the Hamlet are, waiting for another as has taken the place of the arrival of Santa Claus at Champion Hill.
Dulwich nevertheless encamped in the Moles’ half. Taylor was unfortunate not to add to his earlier goal as he left flatfooted defence in his wake, neatly lifting the ball over the onrushing Nash, an exquisite chip drawing gasps of admiration, only to be replaced by groans of disappointment as the ball struck the crossbar. Released right Nugent’s pullback was helped on by Schoburgh to Plummer, a coiled chip from the edge of the area just failing to find the top corner. In the thick of it once more Taylor almost had Nash turned inside out as his defence capitulated once more, the ‘keeper dragged out of his area to thwart Taylor on the wing with a textbook tackle as the ball was dragged past him. Those feet were static though when Taylor curled in a twenty yard free kick three later but once more the frame of the goal proved his saviour as the ball rattled it once more.
The crowd bayed for blood as the break drew nearer. A low hard drive from Benson Paka, standing on the edge of the area, quivered in flight, almost catching Nash unawares and it two goes before he smothered the effort. The Molesey defensive horror show continued apace with Phil Caughter almost gifting a goal to Taylor in the final minute but the shot was tepid and Nash spared the blushes of his slapdash skipper.
Molesey posted early intent of a revival with Paul Cross' angled volley clawed out of the air at the second attempt by Jamie Lunan, then Anthony Gale watching as a low strike dribbled wide of the post.
However Dulwich began to see daylight as they added a second on 53 minutes with a training ground corner executed to perfection, short from Schoburgh to Darryl Plummer and met with a bullet header from close range by the leaping Meshach Nugent.
The woes intensified for the Moles not long after as Schoburgh, from an offside position, slid a pass into the six yard area, Nugent unable to stop himself careering into Nash on the sodden turf. Molesey skipper Phil Caughter seemed eager to get the game restarted but it was clear Nash was in no condition to continue and after extensive treatment he was groggily helped from the field. With no substitute custodian on the bench, the onus fell upon defender Aaron Barnett to don the gloves. Remarkably Dulwich seemed to switch off at this point, meekly unwilling to test the stand-in. Chattaway’s mazy charge in from the left paved the way for Schoburgh to worm his way into the box after Paka’s tricky had seen the ball reach him, but the wily winger tried to toy with the defence and soon found himself mugged by a trio of Moles.
The condemned men seemed to draw new inspiration from their troubles and, pressing forward, thought they had found an avenue back into the contest when gangling striker Paul Cross, tangling with Cumberbatch in the area, went to ground. Red card for the Hamlet’s Cumberbatch, much to the chagrin of his teammates and a spot kick for the Moles. Gale took on the responsibility, drilling the ball low for the bottom corner of the net, only for Lunan to pull off a first-rate save at the base of his upright.
But like Frankenstein’s beast, animated by the elemental forces, the Moles found new inspiration albeit for too brief and too late a moment. Four minutes after the spot kick laissez-faire defending made that penalty save of Lunan’s count for naught as Gale swung a free kick into the area, one allowed to bounce to Cross waiting at the back of the box and his tame header easily found the net. All hands to the pump for the Hamlet, strikers and midfielders sacrificed for defenders and the Moles revival was stillborn. Indeed Dulwich might have added to the lead, Schoburgh plopping a cross on the head of Taylor only for the effort to be directed at the ersatz custodian. The ubiquitous Taylor was again in the fray as he was sent spinning to earth on the very brink of the area by last man Joel Korocz, but to the infuriation of the Dulwich bench, no penalty and only a yellow card for the transgressor. As if to rub salt in the wound the free kick too proved frustrating as it swung harmlessly wide of the goal. But by then Molesey had shot their bolt, the ten men of Dulwich retained their composure and an oh-too-valuable three points had been secured. Tantalising and teasing, the play-offs glint in the distance as elusive as the rainbow’s end.

Teams:
DHFC: Jamie Lunan; Steve May; Billy Chattaway; Benson Paka (Osman Sesay 83); Ryan Bernard; Marc Cumberbatch; Sebastian Schoburgh; Daryl Plummer (Shayne Mangodza 73); Meshach Nugent; Charlie Taylor (Ricky Dobson 90); Stanley Muguo
Substitutes not used: Henry Darko; Sheikh Ceesay (GK)

MFC: Matt Nash (Fabio Rodriguez 62); Joel Korocz; Phil Caughter (Capt) (Marlon Rodney 90); Steve Brown; Aaron Barnett ; Andy Davidson (Nick Newitt 83); Steve Omonua; Rob Wilkinson; Paul Cross; Jamie Findlay; Anthony Gale

Attendance: 208

Match Officials:
Referee: Mr Nigel Lugg (Chipstead)
Assistant Referees: Mr Peter Georgiou (Wandsworth) & Mr Phil Stevens (Streatham)

Goalscoring:
1-0 DHFC Charlie Taylor 8th minute
2-0 DHFC Meshach Nugent 53rd minute
2-1 MFC Paul Cross 75th minute

Worthing 2 Dulwich Hamlet 1

Worthing 2 Dulwich Hamlet 1
Ryman Isthmian League Division One South
Friday 21st March 2008

Good Friday. Buttered Hot Cross Buns on the pantry table, hot cross Craig Edwards on the Dulwich bench as defeat left Hamlet’s play-off pretensions hanging by the slenderest of gossamer threads. But for the hosting Rebels, burdened by the portentous, pre-season prognostications of their dapper dug-out despot, Alan Pook, who “could virtually guarantee promotion from the division below...” An albatross around his neck, as the Rebels struggled with injuries and upstart teams who failed to bow down before them, a late season run of victories, now 6 from seven and marred only by a mystifying defeat away to fellow challengers Kingstonian, leaves them in pole position amongst the dogfight for that priceless final play-off position. However for Dulwich, minds must be gradually turning towards 2008-2009, five points a gap not insurmountable but others hold better hands, the Hamlet as much reliant now on the kindness of strangers as for their own endeavours upon the field of play.
“He who dares wins, Rodders. He who dares wins”. Dulwich dared to change. After the young custodian’s nervy performance against Leatherhead, Sheikh Ceesay sat out his first league match since wresting the gloves from the veteran, and inveterate, Chuck Martini. In his stead between the sticks came Jamie Lunan, from North of the Thames, once of Grays, Redbridge, Leyton inter alia. Meanwhile the hosting Rebels welcomed back from injury the versatile Andy Alexander, signed as a striker, but proving a solid rock in defence since switched there in early-season emergencies, whilst Lloyd Skinner and Ben Johnson swapped placed on bench and pitch respectively.
Bright sunshine dappled Woodside Road as the contest began in earnest, never sterile, ever edgy, defeat not an option. Wind at their backs, Worthing flowed forwards on the breath of Zephyrus, Lunan’s goal besieged but unbreached despite spirited assaults from the red-clad Rebels. Nippy and nimble, midfielder Jerahl Hughes almost punished early uncertainty twixt defender and neophyte ‘keeper, finding a spurt of gas in an attempt to intercept an underhit back pass.
The busy Rebels kept coming, Alexander coming closed to capping a dream return from his injury woes with a cracking volley that kept Lunan on his toes with a smothering save. Soon after in came a free kick and skipper Ben Andrews came close to turning the ball home, Lunan shadowing the ball past his back stick. But then the perfidious Anemoi would conspire to deal a deadly blow to Hamlet thoughts of victory. A puff of wind gathered a long pass from midfielder, the ball floating beyond stranded defenders to the feet of Andrews, wide on the right of the Dulwich area. Providence or prodigy, only the Rebels skipper knew for sure as a chip, meant for a colleague charging into the far post perchance but, carried by the wind, left powerless Lunan leaden-footed as it drifted over his head and plopped into the net behind him.
Fired-up Hamlet launched a quick salvage operation but as he ball dropped to Charlie Taylor in the six yard box from Ryan Bernard’s header, the whistle blew for a foul perhaps, the striker’s frustrations manifest and a yellow card brandished.
Amidst the hustle and bustle, the chances were far from clear-cut though the balance of opportunity weighted heaviest on the Worthing scales. But for a piece of inspired improvisation from Lunan, Jamie Brotherton might have doubled the Worthing lead. Alexander’s clumsy pass fooled all but the lively Hughes who nipped past his marker as he collected the ball, getting off a shot, going wide until Brotherton’s interception diverted the ball towards the bottom right hand corner of Lunan’s net and cheered on its way home by the homesters until Lunan stuck out a foot to turn the ball away at the base of his upright.
How Dulwich did not draw level come the 38th minute will remain a mystery to all. Bernard’s precision pass released Benson Paka beyond the defence to gallop into the right pocket. A low driven ball was helped on by the most delicate of touches from Taylor to help the ball on its way to Stanley Muguo thundering in to the back post to connect with venom, but from an English ell the ball slammed against the hoardings, rather than rippling the net. “Flippin’ ell”, chorused the travelling troubadours of Champion Hill.
With Hamlet’s next raid, man mountain Bernard plunged forwards into the penalty, bundled his way past persistent markers but unable to get more than a mild stab on the ball to more than inconvenience Rikki Banks, Worthing’s guardian of the goal. But as if to remind Dulwich who held the whip hand the red tide flowed swiftly back up field with Brotherton again the foil for the raid, a hooked shot to cap the move dropping wide of the woodwork.
A storm would hit Woodside Road at the very start of the second half, its name was Muguo. Barely had 60 seconds ticked by from the restart and, as fans traipsed back into the ground from supping the last of the interval drinks, than the ball dropped to the Dulwich midfielder half a league and more from goal. None expected a shot, least of all ‘keeper Banks, though to be blessed with foresight might have the only saviour of his side, as Muguo smote the ball with a howitzer boot, straight and true into the top corner of the net as Banks clawed in vain at the drive’s steaming vapour trail.
Cue the Hamlet revival, borne on the wind that howled across the field of combat. As if to reinforce Worthing’s worries, the sky blacked. Where once late winter sun had dowsed the arena, now clouds, jet-black, heavy with rain, swept in from the Sussex Downs, dumping their heavy cargo upon Woodside Road and sending the last of the hardy fans scuttling for cover wherever they could find. No such respite though for the players, battling against elements and opponents, as the sheets of rain blocked out the light. Atrocious conditions did not dampen the ardour of the man in black for his book, with both Bernard and Ricky Dobson added to his Dulwich collection in the foul-spotter’s notebook.
Aided by the wind Dulwich yomped through the puddles into Worthing territory. A series of corners threatened but came to naught. From the right, the ball came in to be flicked on by Shayne Mangodza, leaping ahead of Banks but with the ‘keeper lost in Non Man’s Land, Marc Cumberbatch, eight yards out, could not direct a stooping header on target. A cracking header from Nugent, hanging in the air at the back of the six yard box, bounced a foot wide of the back post
Upon a skiddy surface, neither side seemed able to poke its head above the parapet, each afeared that the slightest error might lead to a goal that would condemn them to disastrous defeat. Then a Worthing replacement came within a fraction of breaking the impasse. Johnson, on moments earlier for Skinner, aquaplaned a pass through to Karly Akehurst, darting inside to help on his return cross on to Hughes but the midfielder crowned the cake with a sour cherry as he lamped the ball straight at Lunan. But this was merely a recce, as the teenage midfielder, a local lad on loan from Yeovil, popped up two minutes later to provide the killer blow and drive a stake in Hamlet hearts. Akehurst once more carved open the opportunity, the youngster latching on to the pass, cutting inside on his left foot, tucking the ball close and low beneath the diving Lunan.
Dark clouds parted from Worthing heads, but from the Dulwich bench thunderous rumblings. The brawn of Bernard made way for the pace of Plummer as Darryl rose from the bench. However Worthing, cemented by the returning Alexander, remained impenetrable in defence. Key tackles from the devils in red tormented Dulwich as they searched in vain for an equaliser. Dulwich’s increasing incursions laid bare their defence though further goals might have been harsh on the Hamlet, Brotherton and Akehurst both going close late on before the latter made way for Mark Pulling in the 90th minute. Extended injury time merely prolonged the agony, Dulwich’s season now on life-support whilst Worthing glance up the coast to Hastings as they seek to emulate their surprise success at last season’s post season play-off party.

Teams:
WFC: Rikki Banks; Joe Keehan; Andy Alexander; Stuart Axten; Ben Andrews (Capt.); Dominic Douglas; Jerahl Hughes; Karly Akehurst; Jamie Brotherton (Mark Pulling 88); Scott Kirkwood; Lloyd Skinner (Ben Johnson 66)
Substitutes not used: Enzo Benn; Chris Morrow; James Hancock

DHFC: Jamie Lunan; Steve May; Ricky Dobson; Benson Paka; Shayne Mangodza (Capt.); Marc Cumberbatch; Sebastian Schoburgh; Ryan Bernard (Darryl Plummer 82); Meshach Nugent; Charlie Taylor; Stanley Muguo
Substitutes not used: Billy Chattaway; Henry Darko; Osman Sesay; Sheikh Ceesay (GK)

Attendance: 312
Goalscoring:
1-0 WFC Ben Andrews 14th minute
1-1 DHFC Stanley Muguo 46th minute
2-1 WFC Jerahl Hughes 74th minute

Officials:
Referee: Mr G M Smith
Assistant referee: Mr A Colwell & Mr D Lyons

Dulwich Hamlet 3 Leatherhead 3

Dulwich Hamlet 3 Leatherhead 3

Ryman Isthmian League Division One South

Friday 14^th March 2008

"How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe, or how delineate the wretch whom with such infinite pains and care I had endeavoured to form?"

Floating fans making a Friday night pilgrimage to Champion Hill, bearing not the baggage of allegiance to Hamlet or Tanners might have purred with glee at the fruitful fare laid before them. A half-a-dozen goals surely enough to pleasure the proletarian but for the purist only weeping and gnashing of teeth at a hotchpotch contest riddled with clangers, peppered with snatched passes, one neither custodian would care to recall come the cold light of day.

The rag-tag, threadbare throng of travelling Tanners must have feared the worst as a mini stampeded saw Dulwich came hammering at Leatherhead's door from the off. Incisive Hamlet versus desperate Tanners. A whipped Sebastian Schoburgh cross nodded out to Benson Paka, a crowd of green shirts swarming around him to snuff out that threat but then Meshach Nugent latching on the ball, muscling past a marker a striking a sweet shot from outside the area a fraction wide of 'keeper Aaron France's right hand upright. Keystone Kops defending, all pie in the face, banana skin tackles, swinging boots into thin air. Apt then that that the opening goal would come coating with the lacquer of luck, though that it came from the boot of the enigmatic Schoburgh, one is in half a mind that invention outweighed intention. In came a throw bound for the near post and Nugent, but nodded out by a high-climbing defender. The ball reached Schoburgh, lurking on the edge of the area, and with a swing of the boot, the ball was hooked skywards, looping beyond the frozen figure of France, rooted to the spot as the ball arced over him and dropped into the far top corner of the net.

The goal should have been the clarion call for a cavalry charge towards goal from the men in Pink and Blue, but fortune favoured the Green battalion, who survived by hook or by crook, Dulwich frustratingly unable to build upon their lead and ultimately paying the cost as defensive blunderings turned that goal advantage lead into a goal deficit with two crazy minutes. Conceding a needless free kick wide on the left wing, five yards inside their own half, Dulwich readied themselves for Billy Marshall's delivery, green and white jostling with pink and blue. Pelted deep into the penalty area Marshall's free kick seemed to be a textbook gather for Sheikh Ceesay, but his hands failed him as the ball slipped through his grasp and into his net. The travelling gaggle seemed unmoved. A second goal two minutes later similarly failed to rouse them, perhaps inured by the capricious play of their team this term. This time it was collective culpability within the Dulwich defence as Steve McNamara scurried away down the left wing, whipping a low drive into the six yard box, Carl Gibbs the beneficiary as defender and 'keeper vacillated, the Tanners' striker stealing in between the dithering duo to stab the ball across goal and into the far corner of the net.

The balance of global gaucherie was swiftly restored as Leatherhead's France presented Dulwich with an equaliser upon a silver salver 'ere 60 seconds had swept by. In came a free kick, a powder-puff punch from France as he fearfully flapped like a turkey confronted by Bernard Matthews with a smile and a chopper. Amidst the flurry, the ball was knocked across to Charlie Taylor and the tyro striker continued to mine his current rich vein of form, gathering the ball to hook past the discomfited France as he tried to undo his error. Still he managed to reprieve himself as Schoburgh puncture a porous wall with low drilled free kick that the cautious custodian gathered to his breast as a mother might a found child.

The game blended brilliance and bungling, incisive runs from wingers all to provide the panache, defenders and attackers slamming a custard pie in its face with tentative tackles and faltering finishing. The turnaround saw Hamlet fortunes flicker as quick fire start to the second half saw them come so close to restoring that lost lead. First minute and Schoburgh, left alone on the right periphery of the area, flayed a low drive across the face of goal. Taylor went hunting for the ball at the back stick as France was beaten but could not provide the killer touch as the ball zipped the wrong side of the far post. Moments later Taylor was looking to make amends battling his way into the box but with the resilient Ryan Palmer in close attendance he could not fire off a shot in anger.

That cantankerous goal machine Dave Stevens, loved and loathed at Leatherhead as both loyal Tanner and soldier of fortune, as much so at the Hill, once more endeared himself to the locals as he and Ceesay exchanged heated words amidst a cockpit awaiting a corner. For a moment, an ugly scene bubbled at the brink of eruption as the spat sucked into others, but calm won over even though the two antagonists had to suffer the indignity of a schoolmasterly lecture from baby faced referee Mr Austin and cautions. Perhaps Hamlet were suffering the hangover of this scuffle when they were caught out by a first rate counter attack down their left flank mere moments later. Ricky Dobson beaten, the ball was pulled back and absentee defending gifted Leatherhead the go-ahead goal again, with late-arriving midfielder Matt Jones, as lonely as a leper on the edge of the penalty area, met a low ball from the right sweet and true to beat Ceesay low at his near post.

A free kick frittered away as Schoburgh lashed at the ball to send it spinning wide, its architect one of three to be sacrificed with 25 minutes left as Dulwich chased wraith-like victory. Schoburgh, Billy Chattaway and Ryan Bernard all made way with Osman Sesay, Darryl Plummer and Stanley Muguo respectively entering the fray with the requisite urgency injected. Deep throw to the near post, Nugent thrusting past his marker and firing in a shot from tight angle that almost crawled over the supine 'keeper. Having instigated the opening with a pass to Paka, Taylor should perhaps have done better than to hook a shot off target from 8 yards out when Benson Paka's shot deflected off Meshach to him.

Dulwich's requisite "penalty that got away" reared its ugly head soon after when Nugent appeared to be manhandled as he burst in the box, pawing hands trying to pull him back as had the goal in his sights, failing to send him tumbling but doing enough to ensure the final shot crashed into the side netting. Honesty not the best policy methinks.

That injustice was all but forgotten when Dulwich claimed another equaliser just two minutes later. Again providence would play its part. Paka's pass cannoned off the man in black, any recriminations swiftly turned to cheers as the ball fell at the feet Nugent on the edge of the D. Still there was much work to be done, Nugent thundering like Suffolk dray past a brace of powerless defenders, penetrating the penalty area and lashing a low, hard, angled drive beyond the fingertips of the diving France, the ball making a cosy nest in the corner of the net.

It should have been 4-3 two minutes when Nugent trotted into the right pocket, pumping in a pitch-perfect cross right on to the head of Taylor, unattended by lackadaisical defenders 5 yards from goal, but with time to think, maybe too much time, and place the ball the prolific young striker stooped to nod the ball past France but a gnat's breath too high.

The procrastinating tactics of the visitors, eager to hang on to a much-valued point, almost came back as, even at the death, there was a chance for a winner as with the 90^th minute ticking past, Taylor slipped the ball wide to Plummer hurtling up the left but this time France redeemed himself with a fine block low at his near post.

Perhaps another nail has been drilled in the play-off coffin but with a quartet of six-pointers remaining for the Hamlet, their fate still remains within their own hands. However for the management the hand scratching remains. Once frugal defence now philanthropic to goal-starved adversaries, pusillanimous attack now tigerish. "Faites vos jeux, Mesdames et Messieurs", the roulette wheel is spinning.

Teams:

DHFC: Sheikh Ceesay; Steve May; Ricky Dobson; Benson Paka; Shayne Mangodza (Capt.); Marc Cumberbatch; Sebastian Schoburgh (Osman Sesay 65); Ryan Bernard (Stanley Muguo 65); Meshach Nugent; Charlie Taylor; Billy Chattaway (Darryl Plummer 65)

Subs not used: Henry Darko, Tim Roberts (GK)

LFC: Aaron France; Asher Hudson; Ryan Palmer; Steve McNamara (Adam Bernard 82); Iain Hendry (Captain); Matt Jones (Lynvall Duncan 90+2); Stewart Holmes; Gareth Graham; Carl Gibbs; Billy Marshall; Dave Stevens

Substitutes not used: Glenn Boosey; Charlie Marshall; Dan Dean

Attendance: 289

Officials:

Referee: Mr Daniel Austin (Bognor Regis, West Sussex)

Assistant Referees: Mr Graeme Thornley (Harrow, Middlesex) & Mr Reuben Simon (Hounslow, Middlesex)

Goalscoring:

1-0 DHFC Sebastian Schoburgh 7^th minute

1-1 LFC Billy Marshall 30^th minute

1-2 LFC Carl Gibbs 32^nd minute

2-2 DHFC Charlie Taylor 33^rd minute

2-3 LFC Matt Jones 52^nd minute

3-3 DHFC Meshach Nugent 78^th minute

Dulwich Hamlet 1 Chipstead 1

Dulwich Hamlet 1 Chipstead 1
Ryman Isthmian League Division South
Saturday 8th March 2008

May I have your attention please?
May I have your attention please?
Will the real Dulwich Hamlet please stand up?
I repeat, will the real Dulwich Hamlet please stand up?
We're gonna have a problem here..

Clouds lowering, fans glowering as disjointed Dulwich, the promotion party in their sights, could only salvage a point against an earnest Chipstead, whose early season anguish is long behind them. With a mid-table position now firmly cemented, the Chips find themselves harbouring hopes of a top half finish in their maiden season in the Isthmian League. For Dulwich that last seat aboard the whirligig of the play-off remains theirs to win or lose, with first one challenger then another nudging ahead before slipping back, Walton & Hersham in midweek, Sittingbourne today beaten by stragglers, Worthing finding a late surge to hold 5th place for this weekend. Dulwich’s visit to Woodside Road upon Good Friday grows in import with each passing game.
But back to today’s events. Injury woes had disrupted the preparations of Craig Edwards and the management. Marc Cumberbatch was lost to the starting line-up with Ryan Bernard dropping back into central defence from that pivotal role in midfield where he had been so influential in the demolition of the Casuals a week previous. Stanley Muguo was recalled to a midfield that lacked the calming influence of the gargantuan Bernard stripped from engine room; pell-mell play confronted by industrious Chippies not enough to provide the service for Hamlet’s vanguard.
Leaden skies foretold what was to come as the guests, late of the Combined Counties, and upon their maiden competitive visit to Champion Hill, made fair weather beneath the foul, forcing a litany of corners in early play. However, despite all the hurly-burly in the Hamlet penalty box, Dulwich affrighted too often as bombardment intensified, but bodies before the ball thwarted the Chips. Fred Fleming had a close range shot charged down before the quarter hour as the ball refused to be cleared. A rumble of thunder? No the grumblings of the denizens of the Hill as the ball wormed its way through to Sam Butler, a alert Sheikh Ceesay somehow scrambling the ball off the toes of the advancing winger.
Not until the 20th minute did Dulwich menace the goal of Andy Parkinson but it was almost a glorious goal to wipe away what little memories had been garnered so far, Benson Paka capping a determined drive, letting fly with a furious strike on the volley, Parkinson snaffling the shot as one might a cannonball. A sup of that formula that turns Hamlet Hyde into Jekyll, Sebastian Schoburgh emerged from the pocket of his marker, turned on the gas and swirled over a deep cross to the back of the six yard box. Spring heeled, Charlie Taylor, leapt above his marker, angling the header back to goal but unable to beat Parkinson. Galloping into the attack Steve May carved a hole in defence, but perhaps panicked with his effort, a searing drive but lashed wide of the angle.
Chipstead’s Butler limped from the field to send the visitors awry and at last the pendulum seemed to swinging in Hamlet’s favour. Schoburgh delivered a deceptive corner, the defence drawn en masse to the front post whilst lurking in the rear was the true target, Meshach Nugent. Ducking to bullet a header beyond Parkinson the stalemate was about to be broken it seemed. But no! With the ‘keeper beaten, Cheops found a saviour in the woodwork as the ball rebounded back into play from the inside of the far upright.
A sweeping move, Billy Chattaway, the young colt, set free on the left wing by Paka’s incisive pass from the centre of the park, Chattaway winging in a low ball across the six yard box, zipping past Parkinson and bound for Nugent rumbling in at the back until Chris Head found an extra gear to hack the ball to safety. The clearance set in motion the wheel of a move that would lead to disaster. Carelessly conceded Dulwich found themselves awaiting delivery of a Chips free kick wide left, the ball’s arrival greeted with not with the stoicism but panic. Ping pong the ball flew from boot to head, dropped to substitute Jamal York, his snap shot clawed down by Ceesay but with defenders frozen Fleming would capitalise, dragging the ball down and with time for a second touch hooking the ball beyond Ceesay into the far corner of the net. From the Dulwich bench came the apoplectic tones of Craig Edwards; Ian Paisley might have berated him for his decibel level and passengers aboard a passing flight muttered reproachfully.
As if to muffle the tumult from the Dulwich dressing room, squalls swept across the arena sending the inmates scuttling for the sanctuary of the stands. The gods had been disturbed. Appeasement would come. Schoburgh chipped in the most delightful of free kicks, Taylor’s leap cried out goal but he failed to connect. Where the artist had failed, the artisan would bring succour. 51 minutes, the unsung Ricky Dobson pummelled a long pass beyond a moribund defence, Taylor cantering through to meet the ball and neatly slip the ball under the body of the exposed Parkinson as he dashed to the edge of his area.
But with the hard work done, Dulwich dozed again and but for a atrocious miss in front of goal by Danny Oakins might have found themselves back behind with 2 minutes, the Chips skipper somehow stabbing a shot wide of the goal after being left a solitary finger in front of goal.
Snake-charmer Schoburgh slipped in a pass to young Taylor to crown an expansive move, Parkinson blocking as the Hamlet forward attempted to prod the ball past him. Parkinson would quickly earn his corn as Dulwich set up camp in his penalty area for a brace of corners. A thumping header from Nugent saw the Chips’ custodian’s elastic arms tip the ball over the crossbar. Next delivery and the nemesis in gloves stretched skywards once move to brush the ball away from Bernard thundering in at the back stick.
One minute headless chickens, the next strutting peacocks, Dulwich’s play fluctuated from exhilarating to exasperating. Paka flicked a header backwards that dropped beyond the diving Parkinson, but beyond too the far post as Chattaway chased in after the ball. Bernard thumped a header into Parkinson’s midriff as he connected with a deep header but caught cold Dulwich almost found themselves torn asunder as Oakins took advantage of an acreage of space the size of Surrey to advance through non man’s land, switching wide to Scott Simpson to his left. But for the invention of Chattaway haring back, Simpson’s cross might have been the catalyst for Chipstead to regain the lead.
Champion Hill under leaden skies, lacking lightning, brief flashes, all too brief. One moment pass to draw the breath, next one to vex ultimately. Both sides guilty of spurned chances, though Dulwich more so for the Chips were relishing an expected point that would confirm their right to dine at the Isthmian table. Then with three minutes left, a bundle in the box, a ball that refused to be cleared and chip over and beyond, Schoburgh in pursuit but foiled as Parkinson slid in to hook a clearance to infinity.
Hearty applause from the acolytes of the country boys come final whistle. For Dulwich military jankers on the pitch.

Teams:
DHFC: Sheikh Ceesay; Steve May; Ricky Dobson; Benson Paka; Shayne Mangodza; Ryan Bernard; Sebastian Schoburgh; Stanley Muguo; Meshach Nugent; Charlie Taylor; Billy Chattaway (for Daryl Plummer 74)
Substitutes not used: Marc Cumberbatch; Ayoola Olatunde; Osman Sesay; Tim Roberts (GK

CFC: Andy Parkinson; Louis Clark; Chris Head; Fred Fleming; Andrew Wareing; Daryl Coleman; Craig Pitterson; Aaron Cole-Bolt; Danny Oakins (Capt); Scott Simpson; Sam Butler (Jamal York 29)
Substitutes not used: Joe Garner; Ashley Reid

Goalscoring:
1-0 CFC Fred Fleming 43rd minute
1-1 DHFC Charlie Taylor 51st minute

Attendance: 275

Officials:
Referee: Sr. Luis Pinto Nunes (Esher, Surrey)
Assistant Referees: Mr Colin Mallows (Burgess Hill, West Sussex) & Mr Simon Griffiths (Horsham, West Sussex)

Corinthian-Casuals 1 Dulwich Hamlet 4

Corinthian-Casuals 1 Dulwich Hamlet 4
Ryman Isthmian League Division One South
Saturday 1st March 2008

"Non Licet Omnibus Adire Corinthum", quoth Horace, "Not everyone is able to go to Corinth". Once mighty Corinth was renowned for the lavish lifestyle of its denizens, famed for the temple prostitutes of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, who serviced the prosperous traders and powerful potentates who made this city their home. Most celebrated of all these, Lais, was whispered to possess extraordinary abilities and charged tremendous fees to those who wished to avail themselves of her favours. For ancient Corinth substitute suburban Tolworth, ancient temples to the Gods replaced by nondescript bowling alleys rattling to the constant hum of traffic rushing past, heading somewhere else. Down an alley beyond the iron rail, lies King George’s Fields, grand name, if humble home now to the Casuals of Corinth. To drag your humble scribe away from his humble breakfast of plovers’ eggs, finest Whitstable oysters upon a bed of crushed ice and all washed down with the 1787 Chateau Lafite to these inhospitable environs, the ultimate sacrifice.
Rescued by the vagaries of reorganisation in seasons past, Casuals are once more haunted by the spectre of relegation though the shadow of that dreaded shade seems to have lifted from those who cling proudly to their amateur ethos despite Mammon’s creeping fingers. A sterile goalless draw at Champion Hill less a month previous had helped eased that threat and perhaps this contributed to an, at times, blasé performance from the hosts, though such indifference might have a sting in the tail should the Young Men of Horsham continue to upset their betters in the final weeks of this season.
Struggling oppositions had upset the Hamlet last week, with Hamlet’s usually reliable defence undone thrice by lowly Whitstable. The changes were rung. Steve May dropped back to his accustomed right back role. Ryan Bernard moved into a central midfield holding role, freeing Benson Paka to attack with greater regularity, but it meant no place in the starting line-up for Stanley Muguo. Recalled too was Sebastian Schoburgh who had spent many games straining at the leash on the sidelines, and at liberty at last to gnaw at Casuals left flank.
A shimmering spring sun had replaced the squalls and showers that buffeted the land the night before. Warm weather, almost autumnal, cast a pre-season spell upon the contest with neither side able to settle into any sort of rhythm in the early exchanges, neat but inconclusive. First chance fell to the Hamlet with left-winger, Bill Chattaway, striking a fizzed angled drive from the far corner of the penalty area across the face of home ‘keeper Colin Harris’ net. Casuals were like lightning, appearing in brief flashes and heading nowhere. Meshach Nugent collected the ball on the brink of the six yard box, the ominous presence of Chris Horwood looming over him, unable to turn and fire off a shot as he found himself crowded out.
Nary a clear-cut chance for the hosts in a disjointed, directionless first 25 minutes until one time teen tyro at Champion Hill, now vintage Casuals, Tyrone Myton chanced his arm with a ferocious shot from distance but drawn ever further from the target as it spun through the air.
Perhaps this was the spark haphazard Hamlet needed. Two minutes later and Schoburgh teamed up with an overlapping May, the latter’s low cross skipped over in the middle to allow Chattaway to rifle in a shot at the back stick, one that brought the best out of Harris as he battered the ball around the post. False dawn this was not for another two minutes spun by to Dulwich’s opening goal, as a long free kick was launched into the Casuals penalty area. Nugent rose highest to flick the ball on, and with a Greek chorus of static defenders as his backdrop, Charlie Taylor pounced on the ball to stab a shot under Harris, now sans defense.
Flagellated on the wings, Casuals shrunk back as the red tide swept forwards. 34 minutes and it could, nay should, have been two nil. Frisky young Taylor, relishing his role as a rapier foil to his strike partner’s bludgeon broadsword, danced his way through tackle and tackle, some legit some less so albeit in the Dulwich eyes only. Reaching the backline he selflessly dragged the ball back to Nugent, standing some six yards from goal, Casuals granted a stay of execution as Matt Smith thrust out a leg to block Nugent’s placed shot on the line. Nugent would have his moment though. Come the 41st minute and Schoburgh tormenting Chocolate and Pink, toying with those who had the temerity to attempt a tackle, slipped a pass into Nugent, hovering on the fringes of the area. Grace was replaced by muscle as Nugent threw off the throng of defenders that had engulfed him, turning away to rattle a low drive deep into the far bottom corner of Harris’ net.
Casuals would have their vengeance early in the second half as a crude challenge ended his participation but those curmudgeonly defenders would find little respite as the lamed striker was replaced with a bouncing bomb in the shape of the tenacious Henry Darko. His time would come but next blood belonged to May, fast recapturing his early promise and strengthening Hamlet’s stranglehold on victory with number three on 55 minutes. A bungled Corinthian corner provided the foundations but it was Taylor who would build on those as he sprung upfield. At first he seemed to look for a shot but with homesters streaming back to smoother his charge, he looked instead to May cantering up the right unheeded. With radar set on goal, May ignored the last ditch efforts of Harris and his defence as he slid the ball beyond the advancing ‘keeper and into the back of the net via the foot of a defender.
Unpitying Hamlet would not ease up. Pent-up disappointment translated into relentless attack as Casuals became sacrificial lambs that might appease the gods of soccer. Built like a boxer, dancing like a foxtrotter, Bernard had the woodwork as, with a little jink, a touch of sway - and wallop!, he crashed a drive from distance against the crossbar. Juggling Taylor had defenders mesmerised but drilled a drive mere millimetres wide of Harris far post.
Woes for the hosts as Myton crept gingerly from the arena, victim of a suspected broken ankle. Rejigged Casuals conceded a fourth not long after. Revitalised Schoburgh won a foot race with the dogged Smith, refused to concede that the back line would succeed where Smith failed and stretching to hammer a low ball into the near post. A perfect poacher’s goal for Darko, Harris down in vain as the prowling striker steered the ball home.
Their work done, Hamlet’s fly boys of the wing made way for replacements, first Chattaway for Daryl Plummer then Schoburgh for fledgling international, Jason Hawes. Perhaps Hamlet though their work too was done, for as the last rays dappled suburbia, Dulwich dozed as a corner was delivered, capricious Carlton Murray-Price unwittingly benefitting from somnambulant defending as the ball cannoned in off his net. That apart Dulwich had rekindled their promotion dreams and as if to rub home their superiority promptly strode to the other end where Plummer would find the net with aplomb, only to stymied by a benignly munificent assistant who spared home blushes with an debatable, if ultimately superfluous, offside flag.
Automatic promotion had long since galloped over the horizon, almost certainly into the bandit country of Kent after Dover’s single-goal demolition of Tooting yesterday, but with games against four of the five teams between themselves and disappearing Dover, Dulwich know their fate belongs not in the hands of others but firmly in their own.

Teams:
CCFC: Colin Harris; Matt Smith; Russell Banyard; Scott Hassell; Chris Horwood (Capt); Tyrone Myton (Paul Hunt 69); Luke Gay; Ayokule Olusesi; Hinga Amara; Carlton Murray-Price; Daniel Green
Substitutes not used: Ben Ward; Richard Price; Martin Dunne; Paul Smith (GK)

DHFC: Sheikh Ceesay; Steve May; Ricky Dobson; Benson Paka; Shayne Mangodza; Marc Cumberbatch; Sebastian Schoburgh (Jason Hawes 84); Ryan Bernard; Meshach Nugent (Henry Darko 51); Charlie Taylor; Billy Chattaway (Daryl Plummer 79)
Substitutes not used: Stanley Muguo; Tim Roberts (GK)

Attendance: 124

Officials:
Referee: Mr K Haines
Assistant Referees: Mr A Williams & Mr R P Wells

Dulwich Hamlet 2 Whitstable Town 3

Dulwich Hamlet 2 Whitstable Town 3
Ryman Isthmian League Division One South
Saturday 23rd February 2008

The skies over melancholy Champion Hill wore mourning grey as Dulwich’s play-off aspirations were cruelly punctured by the visiting Oystermen of Whitstable, haunted by the faint spectre of relegation but playing exuberant football that belied their lowly status. Games against such opposition will prove the litmus test for those dreams. Twice Hamlet fought back from a goal behind to toy with the emotions of their disciplines, resilient animals too used to the lows, too long deprived of the highs, witness to many a false dawn. On this murky day, Dulwich had hoped to build on hard-fought victory away to Croydon Athletic, welcoming Whitstable into their web as a spider might an unwary fly, only for prey to turn upon predator, the triumph of the Oystermen further complicating the logjam around that final seat at the play-off party as results elsewhere say that multi-team dogfight concertinaed closer that a motorway pile-up.
The long knives had claimed a half-dozen or more victims as manager Craig Edwards prepared his troops for the final run-in, most high profile departure that of skipper Shawn Beveney who’d been tempted by Mammon to join promotion rivals Kingstonian in their quest to clinch their own play-off berth at the expense of Dulwich. Despite the exodus, the XI that started this game bore only one change from that that had taken the field at the Keith Tuckey, new boy Ryan Bernard added to defence in a traditional right back role. Mantle of captain passed to Shayne Mangodza, whilst on the bench England Schoolboy International Jason Hawes made a return to the squad after his Iberian sojourn.
Fruitless on their travels since almost upsetting Kentish rivals Dover, holding the table-toppers to draw at the Crabble at the close of 2007, Whitstable eschewed the role of underdogs constantly snapping at the heels of the Hamlet in a fast and furious opening passage. Sheikh Ceesay’s goal was threatened early and but for a comedic airshot from David Cory after a slipped pass allowed him to sneak in ahead of the newcomer Bernard, the Dulwich custodian might have found himself drawn into action a little sooner than he might have hoped.
Bernard was again in the thick of things when Dulwich forced a corner soon after, arriving in the box in pursuit of the ball but connecting instead with the head of counterpart Liam Quinn, the Oystermen’s defender sickeningly crumpling to the turf, motionless, whilst the concrete-bonced Bernard dusted himself off. With enough physios to suggest the stricken defender had BUPA, the groggy Quinn eventually staggered to his feet, bravely battling on despite a headache that would shame roisterers of the highest order until forced to depart mid way through the half. Before then though his teammates would continue to take the fight to the Hamlet, Jake Gess unfortunate as a strike from the edge of the area looped off a defender’s leg to loop up and over Ceesay, only to drop on to the roof of the net. With Hamlet’s defending unsteady, Whitstable might have exacted punishment from the resultant free kick but though the rearguard parted before him to allow a clean sight of goal, skipper Marcos Perona seeing his strike bounce through into the arms of Ceesay.
Pricked into action, Dulwich came close to snapping the stalemate when slack marking gave Meshach Nugent free rein to meet a corner delivered to the near corner of the six yard box, flicking a header on that flashed across the face of goal with visiting ‘keeper Kevin Fewell statuesque. That man Bernard was up in enemy territory three minutes later as Charlie Taylor controlled a bomb into the box before setting up his defensive colleague, only for Bernard to scoop the ball over the bar.
When Quinn tottered from the park, clutching his forehead in agony, a sense of foreboding might have engulfed Whitstable. On came Yoffy from Fingerbobs, sorry Steven Lloyd, bearded and balding and towering over his defensive associates, lacking in stature but not in heart. Though looking more like an aging folk singer, the replacement would go on to regularly thwart Hamlet attacks particularity those of an aerial nature.
Perhaps Dulwich could have done with defensive reinforcements themselves for barely five minutes had elapsed than Whitstable had swept into the lead with a well-worked move that owed much to the training ground but also a huge debt of gratitude to lackadaisical defending from a slumbering Dulwich defence. As the defence milled about aimlessly, fast thinking at a free kick saw the ball laid out to Danny Tipple, free on the left wing. His pass inside found Ian Pulman, mining a rich vein of goals at the moment, and having cut back across his marker, the clinical finish of the visitors’ deadliest hitman gave Ceesay not a ghost of a chance as the ball was hammered home into the far corner of the net.
Dulwich had the chances to equalise, Daryl Plummer’s free kick from 25 yards out finding the target but also the grateful hands of Fewell. Heavy pressure saw Fewell smother a close range effort as Mangodza got on to the end of a dead ball winged into the heart of the area. Steve May’s wickedly inswinging corner kept the Whitstable Number One on his toes, Fewell pumping to safety despite the presence of a Hamlet press-gang. Galloping away from sluggish defence, Nugent hammered a low drive from the edge of the box, Fewell the slenderest of touches to divert the ball again the base of the post, the bounce back wrong footing May as he sniffed out the rebound. Finally with 44 minutes on the clock came an equaliser and a maiden goal for the tyro Taylor. A fluvial, sinuous run from ten yards inside the visitors’ half, pursued doggedly by full back Gray Sayer, twisting first one way then the other as he tried to shake off the unrelenting defender. Waltzing into the penalty area, Taylor readied to shoot only for Clint Gooding to slide in to flay the ball from his toes. Fortune though had a cruel card to play as the ball cannoned off Lloyd back towards goal and Fewell attempted to flop on the loose ball, Taylor proved too alert plunging in to stab the ball under the diving ‘keeper.
Once more though somnambulant Hamlet would surrender that ephemeral parity before the half was out. Quinn’s extended therapy session meant inordinate stoppage though many might have argued that almost five minutes was excessive. Still no excuse for Dulwich dithering. Lloyd had drawn a fine full-length save out of Ceesay with a close range header from a left wing delivery but the danger remained and once more Tipple played provider, sticking the ball back across goal. Amid the melee Cory proved most determined, drilling the ball home as the defence exposed itself like a strumpet upon the Reeperbahn. Nary had a second passed from the restart before the man in black ended proceedings for that half.
Hamlet had been mild Dr Jekyll for 45 minute or more. Perhaps the half time libations would bring out Hyde in them. Frustrated early on as the assistant’s debatable flag stopped Nugent in his tracks as he galloped on to a defence-passing ball over the top, Dulwich had Ceesay to be grateful once more as he denied Nick Bagley Whitstable’s third with a smart, snap-save at the base of his near upright, turning the ball against the woodwork.
Forward momentum saw Taylor outpace the rearguard once more but pitiless fate saw the ball bobble as he prepared to shot, the effort flying high over the crossbar. That pace though would be telling when Dulwich claimed an equaliser once more with 64 minutes. The Red Tide had laid siege upon Hamlet’s goal but youthful pace did for brash adventure as the Oystermen found themselves wanting in defence as Dulwich broke away at a rate of knots. Releasing on the right wing the young colt Taylor galloped away, unselfishly looking up to whip the ball across to his strike partner Nugent, a veritable veteran, free, unfettered on the other side of the park. The trigger released first time; Nugent sent an unstoppable shot beyond the now exposed Fewell to bring Dulwich level.
That quick injection of a goal gave new heart to the Hamlet. Moments later a deep free kick bombed into the box, Plummer latching on to it but from the tightest of angles could only loft the ball on to the roof of the net. Then just when Dulwich thought those troublesome Oystermen dispatched, Mangodza was penalised, apparently for holding, and the free kick handed substitute Tommy Martin the hero’s moment. Carpe diem as the one-time Chelsea trainee produced a top drawer, top corner finish, chipping the ball up over the wall and beyond the clutches of Ceesay.
Where once Hamlet had been all but impregnable, twice in three games has the opposition found the net three times. Just twice had Hamlet scored four or more so this would be the acid test for Dulwich. Instead they would find a nemesis in the form of Fewell. 77 minutes and a free kick dropped into the six yard box, expertly brought under control from Benson Paka but a drive from five yards out was bravely blocked by the Whitstable custodian.
With 7 minutes left, Henry Darko came into the fray as a third striker, but try as they might Dulwich could not rescue even a point. From a long throw Taylor flicked an effort on to the roof of the net. Likewise Bernard with a header from a deep free kick to the back of the box. Then in stoppage a thunderous header from Nugent as the ball was swung in from the right wing but Fewell produced a match winning save, somehow stretching to turn the fiery header over the crossbar. A save of superiority that rips the heart from brave men.

Teams:
DHFC: Sheikh Ceesay; Ryan Bernard; Billy Chattaway; Benson Paka; Shayne Mangodza (Capt.); Marc Cumberbatch; Steve May (Henry Darko 83); Stanley Muguo; Meshach Nugent; Charlie Taylor; Daryl Plummer (Ricky Dobson 80)
Substitutes not used: Sebastian Schoburgh; Jason Hawes; Tim Roberts (GK)

WTFC: Kevin Fewell; Gary Sayer; Danny Tipple; Liam Quinn (Steven Lloyd 22); Clint Gooding; Sam Denly; Jake Gess; Marcos Perona; Ian Pulman (Dan Lawrence 80); David Cory; Nick Bagley (Tommy Martin 60)
Substitutes not used: Tom Parker; Dan Wisker

Attendance: 302

Officials:
Referee: Mr Ashley Slaughter (Brighton)
Assistant Referees: Mr Gareth Mays (Epsom) & Mr Gary Dodd (Walton-on-Thames)

Goalscoring:
1-0 WTFC Ian Pulman 27th minute
1-1 DHFC Charlie Taylor 44th minute
2-1 WTFC David Cory 45th minute (+4)
2-2 DHFC Meshach Nugent 64th minute
3-2 WTFC Tommy Martin 73rd minute

Croydon Athletic 1 Dulwich Hamlet 2

Croydon Athletic 1 Dulwich Hamlet 2
Ryman Isthmian League Division One South
Friday 15th February 2008

Beyond the bright lights and fleshpots of neon-lit Croydon, awash to Burberry and cheap lager. Along a rutted ginnel behind the suburban necropolis. There one finds Mayfields, home to the Rams of Croydon Athletic, and now rededicated to the too soon departed Keith Tuckey, denizen and chief benefactor, in Athletic lofty ambitious to wrest the title of that borough’s senior non-league club from their rivals from the Arena. As the Trams have gone off the rails in recent years so the Rams have gambolled in Isthmian Fields, flirted with a return to whence they came but in that time broke dreams of more exalted clubs, among them the Hamlet. In the shadow of the city of the dead, a Friday night encounter beneath a half-spun moon came dripping with more foreboding than a Hammer horror. Would this night be the graveyard of Hamlet play-off aspirations, snuffing out those dreams like the naïve teen in the abandoned summer camp? Or perhaps this would be the night the spark of life was returned to Hamlet’s hopes, resurrected for the final run in to season’s end?
In more productive times, November last year, Dulwich had rampaged through an Athletic side more lambs than Rams but times have changed at Mayfields and so has the personnel. Of the starting XI just five of the Rams had featured in that rout and one of those, Sol Patterson-Bohner, was wearing pink and blue that fruitful afternoon. Dulwich too had rung the changes so not in such drastic fashion. With Billy Chattaway taking on a wing back role, Ricky Dobson had rare departure from the starting line-up whilst young Charlie Taylor made his full debut joining Meshach Nugent in a two-pronged attack.
Did those defensive tinkerings play a part in Croydon’s lightning quick lead for, those Dulwich threatened first, the rutting Rams had carved eventide’s opening goal just 3½ minutes from the first whistle. Dulwich’s defence seemed at odds with itself as the ball was flicked through the penalty area, Jordan Kiffin thundering though, running on to the ball ahead of Chattaway, a mellifluous, imperious drive under the diving body of a powerless Sheikh Ceesay. Too used to conceding the late goal in recent weeks, too, too late to salvage points lost, for once Dulwich had all the time in the world to gird the loins and go in search of recovery.
The Rams claimed the territory, Dulwich posed the threat. A booming Shayne Mangodza free kick exposed the aerial shortcoming of the hosts, Marc Cumberbatch battling for possession, refusing to let the ball run away for goalkick. The pressure remained and when the ball arrived back in the danger area, Cumberbatch set up Shawn Beveney to slip a pass into young Taylor, only for the striker to balloon the ball over the bar. A greater test for Gareth Williams, the Rams’ tyro custodian, as Nugent slipped the bounds of ambling defenders only for a quick-witted Williams to bravely block at his feet on the penalty spot. Fast and furious came the action as the Rams were galloping upfield to claim a corner. With the big guns in attendance, Richard Blackwell climbing above the rest, his thumping header goalbound it seemed until Steve May provided a vital block on the line. A moment later and an Athletic free kick was met by Rams’ latest addition, Bulgarian hitman Evgeniy Kurdov, but, eязък!, a quick fire strike, bound for the bottom corner was turned around they base of his post by the ever-alert Ceesay.
Surviving these scares, Dulwich were back in the ascendancy as the sprightly Williams denied the livewire Taylor once more as Rams' defenders went AWOL. However with the rearguard as pacy as dromedary in the Derby, the slippery attackers of the Hamlet would surely exploit such lassitude before long. The Dulwich faithful would not have long to wait. A cavernous gap down the middle made for perfect passage for Taylor, darting on to a through ball ahead of, not so, Athletic’s central defenders. Precision not power gave Williams a chance to assuage any guilt at a lack of vigilance from his teammates as he got a telling hand to Taylor’s attempt to swing the ball around him. But for skipper Beveney the chance was still alive, the big Guyanese giving chase as the ball threatened to crawl wide of the upright and at the last tucking the ball inside the post from the acutest of angles beyond it could roll out of play.
Ambling Athletic came within a whisker of conceding once more mere minutes later as the dangerous Taylor beat Williams to a lofted ball beyond the last line of defence, stabbing the ball past him but to his, and Hamlet’s, agony wide too of the woodwork. For such a neophyte custodian, the words young Williams used to berate his sluggish rearguard surely had not been learnt in the classroom.
Where Taylor was balletic, Nugent was battling. One surging, boring run, muscling and brushing aside all defensive ambush could only be denied a goal by that man Williams as he flew through the air to pluck a steaming 20 yard humdinger of volley out of the air from Dulwich’s number 9. Not to be denied Nugent would have his revenge before the half was up. The break was four minutes away when Daryl Plummer, quiet but efficient on the left wing, whipped in a cross of exquisite accuracy from the flanks. Spring-heeled Nugent leapt ahead of earthbound defenders, connected with a thunderbolt of a header, arching over and beyond Williams as every sinew was strained in his effort to keep the ball from his net. He failed and Dulwich led.
Dulwich had worked hard for their lead but come the second half and the industry on which they had built that lead would have to be redirected to other departments as Athletic sought parity with a more offensive structure. They would have to do it though without their skipper, Michael Harney, an awkward landing after nodding away a dangerous ball putting an end to his participation.
With Moses Ademola, restrained in the opening 45 minutes, to the fore, the firebrand Rams’ forward the greatest menace to Dulwich’s advantage, sometimes the only menace, Athletic took the game to Dulwich. Eight minutes in Ademola lashed a rising shot inches over the crossbar after defensive dithering had surrendered the ball to the Rams’ Three minutes later and again the ball was given away, Ademola diving in to meet a right wing cross with a crisp volley ahead of his marker that grazed crossbar. A fine block from Williams denied Taylor a deserved goal come the 58th minute but Dulwich were soon on the back foot once more. This time Ademola, an incendiary bomb looking to explode on goal, decided against relying on his colleagues taking a magical mystery tour of final third of the field, a mazy run, down the flank, back up, inside then incisive topped off by a shot on goal from 25 yards but possessing neither the power nor the precision to test Ceesay.
The Rams’ bluntly battered against the Hamlet ramparts to no avail. A loud shout for a spot kick when unheeded as Kiffin’s back of the box strike was charged down by Chattaway. A flurry of chances as time ticked away, the Dulwich box packed so full of Rams the animal rights protesters were rallying to the scene. Ceesay showed his mettle, stretching to tip over a ferocious drive from Luke Adams then making a certainly the match winning save low on his own line, keeping out Greg Andrews’ powerful downward header.

Teams:
CAFC: Gareth Williams; Graham Tydeman; Michael Harney (Capt.) (Terry Fennessy 48); Luke Adams; Richard Blackwell; Sol Patterson-Bohner; Jordan Kiffin; Adam Greenway; Moses Ademola; Evgeniy Kurdov (Greg Andrews 83); Danny Waldren (Arafat Kabuye 84)
Substitute not used: Bradley Duke

DHFC: Sheikh Ceesay; Steve May; Billy Chattaway; Benson Paka; Shayne Mangodza; Marc Cumberbatch; Shawn Beveney (Capt); Stanley Muguo; Meshach Nugent; Charlie Taylor (Henry Darko 74); Daryl Plummer (Sebastian Schoburgh 74)
Substitutes not used: Michael Kamara; Ricky Dobson; Tim Roberts (GK)

Attendance: 207

Officials:
Referee: Mr Ian Regan (Ashford, Kent)
Assistant Referees: Mr J R Slaney & Mr B Erguven

Goalscoring:
1-0 CAFC Jordan Kiffin 3rd minute
1-1 DHFC Shawn Beveney 26th minute
2-1 DHFC Meshach Nugent 41st minute

Kingstonian 3 Dulwich Hamlet 0

Kingstonian 3 Dulwich Hamlet 0
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 9th February 2008

The Hamlet dropped out of the play-off positions after a parlous performance against a Kingstonian side that rose out of their own furrow of depression with victory built on a solid bedrock of a defence that rarely allowed the Dulwich forwards a sniff of goal. With former Brighton Youth Teamer, Michael Kamara, making his début in place of the out of sorts Benson Paka, Dulwich began briskly with Dewayne Clarke buzzing a wing ball across the face of goal as early as the first minute. Not long after the new boy was in the thick of things as he was bundled brusquely to the turf mere millimetre from the edge of the K’s penalty box. But to Dulwich’s dismay naught came of the free kick as Shawn Beveney left the red and white shuddering as he slammed the dead ball into the defensive stockade. The massed ranks of the home guard continued in the same vein as Billy Chattaway larruped the loose ball into the same committed rearguard.
However the dark clouds were already gathering for the Hamlet as K’s sprung into life as Wayne Finnie served notice launching a long throw towards Bobby Traynor on the penalty spot only for the misfiring hitman to strike the ball wide of the mark. Conceding a contentious free kick, Dulwich were almost made to pay as Simon Huckle’s free kick picked out former Hamlet hero Jason Turley, but the ball refused to play ball, Turley unable to tame it and get away a shot of note. The K’s had scented blood and a move of quality tore a gash in the Hamlet flank, Neil Lampton sweeping the ball out to Traynor on the left, the striker slipping the ball to the lively Dean Lodge overlapping around him. The angle might have been against him but the self-possessed wingman lashed a low cross cum shot that took the merest of deflections but enough to send the ball zipping past the far post of the diving Sheik Ceesay. Turley was again threatened his former teammates as he took delivery of Huckle’s pass but always rising drive failed to trouble the net.
Come the 25th the locals, tenants in what was once their own home, at last saw the chances of their heroes become concrete with the opening goal courtesy of Traynor. Finnie’s booming throw with the power, accuracy and damage potential of a trebuchet was flicked on by the head of Huckle, rising highest at the front of the six yard box. Lurking at the back, mysteriously unguarded, was Traynor and the predatory K's man took full advantage to lash the ball low across the face of goal and into the far bottom corner. The lead might well have been quickly doubled had Dean Lodge not smacked his volley from the edge of the area into the body of Sheikh Ceesay, but a missed opportunity that would have carried greater weight had Meshach Nugent's angled drive swirled mere inches over 'keeper Luke Garrard's crossbar.
If there was hope of Dulwich staging a second half recovery, those hopes were soon dashed as K's grabbed number two in calamitous manner within three minutes of the restart. K’s had upped the pressure Huckle nodding the ball across the six yard box but it seemed to be an textbook gather for Ceesay as he tried to clutch the ball out of the air, but it sprung from his hands like a hot potato covered in goose grease. Amid the flurry of boots and bodies Finnie stooped with a head to prod the ball into the now yawning net.
Things were looking ominous for the Hamlet, a third goal only averted by the quick thinking Shayne Mangodza, swiftly across to hack the ball away from the rampaging Traynor who was in hot pursuit of a long ball nodded on.
A rare chance for the Hamlet as the K’s goal was threatened courtesy of a free kick. Dewayne Clarke had a thumping drive, bravely blocked by Jon Coke at close-range and though the Hamlet man was swiftly on the rebound to dart past the still-shuddering Coke, the K’s defender had back-up in the gargantuan shape of Gavin “Hoss” Cartwright, stretching a leg across the charging Clarke to halt his run. Debatable whether ball or man was played as Clarke tumbled to the floor but little compliant from the men in Pink and Blue.
Come the hour mark and a change was called for to reinvigorate the Hamlet. Beveney, Clarke and newcomer Michael Kamara all made way for Charlie Taylor, Sebastian Schoburgh and Benson Paka. For a while it seemed as if the touchline transfusion might have done the trick. Striker Taylor galloped on to a chipped pass into space, dinking into the area and trying to square the ball across to Billy Chattaway free on the penalty spot only for Finnie to slide across to cut out the pass for a corner. But moments later it was K’s rumbling up field once more, Tommy Williams serving a warning with a larruped strike on goal from distance, swinging wide of Ceesay’s left hand post at the last instant.
More medals for the gallant home defence as centre-half Marc Cumberbatch took return delivery of his own throw from Taylor, lashing a magnificent low cross from the back line, destined for Mangodza’s mighty presence in the six yard box, until Simon Sobihy stuck his head in the lion’s mouth to nod the ball away from his defensive counterpart.
The K’s tanks rumbled forward once more, a rising shot from one time hero of the Hamlet, Jason Turley, always, always rising too high as it cleared the woodwork. Still it mattered not a jot to the locals when a third arrived 11 minutes from time. A free kick was lofted into the box, Traynor picked out, a neat pirouette and shot charged down. However the danger persisted, Hamlet struggling to clear their lines, for which they would pay as Williams chanced his arm with a dribbling low strike from the edge of box, one that at first seemed to be routine for Ceesay but perhaps a stray divot caused the ball to bobble for calamity became catastrophe for the crestfallen Ceesay as the ball bounced off the custodian falling body and creep into the far corner of the net.
Though Steve May threatened a consolation lashing a fierce strike across the face of Garrard’s goal in the final minute after Schoburgh’s dance moves on the wing had gotten the better of Lodge, a quick break set in motion as Garrard bowled the ball out to Lodge, scooting down the flank. An inch-perfect cross from the inch high winger found Huckle, in the solitary space of eremite, wide out on the right, but the midfielder, drafted into attack, failed to find the target with a lolloping volley that bounced wide of Ceesay far upright.

Teams:
KFC: Luke Garrard; Jon Coke; Simon Sobihy; Wayne Finnie; Gavin Cartwright; Tommy Williams; Neil Lampton; Jason Turley; Bobby Traynor; Simon Huckle; Dean Lodge
Substitutes not used: Jamie Beer; David Suchy; Saheed Sankoh; Steve Goddard; Luke Naughton

DHFC: Sheikh Ceesay; Steve May; Ricky Dobson; Michael Kamara (Benson Paka 60); Shayne Mangodza; Marc Cumberbatch; Shawn Beveney (Charlie Taylor 60); Dewayne Clarke (Sebastian Schoburgh 60); Meshach Nugent; Stanley Muguo; Billy Chattaway
Substitutes not used: Daryl Plummer; Tim Roberts

Attendance: 337

Match Officials:
Referee: Mr Marvin Thompson
Assistant Referees: Mr Gavin Collins & Mr Andrew Thacker

Goalscoring:
1-0 KFC Bobby Traynor 25th minute
2-0 KFC Wayne Finnie 48th minute
3-0 KFC Tommy Williams 79th minute

Kingstonian vs Dulwich Hamlet

Dulwich Hamlet 0 Corinthian Casuals 0

Dulwich Hamlet 0 Corinthian Casuals 0
Ryman Isthmian League Division One South
Tuesday 5th February 2008

For the 111th time of asking in the Isthmian League, Dulwich Hamlet crossed swords with the Casuals, who eschewed the Chocolate and Pink motley of Corinthians in favour of a plain unadorned strip reminiscent of that historic club who, in former, better times, swapped the white of the Casuals for the white of England. Not since the grey days of early seventies, when strikes and power cuts blighted the land and the only flare came from one’s trousers, had these teams, who had bestrode amateur football like colossi in the sepia tinted days of yore, failed to produce at least a goal in their clashes. However the curse of that fateful number, 111, Nelson seemed to hand over benighted Champion Hill like a pall. Early Corinthian assaults, testing Sheikh Ceesay to the utmost, gave way to Trojan defending from the visitors albeit aiding and abetted by a Dulwich side, blunted in its own attacking ambitions since the curtains came up on 2008.
Dewayne Clarke, the only change for Hamlet from the side that had stilled the tide of Dover for so long on Saturday; his weekend replacement, the electric eel of the wing, Sebastian Schoburgh retaining the place in which he had finished that encounter. For his part Casuals supremo Brian Adamson, the icy presence of relegation hovering at his shoulder, shuffled his pack like a drunken gambler hoping to bring an end to a ten game winless streak, the last five with nary a point. Former hero of the Hamlet, the acrobatic Tyrone Myton whose travels had taken him to suburban Tolworth via Scandinavian fields, started.
By the far the lively in the opening exchanges were the visitors. Hamlet seemed almost stunned that such lowly visitors had the audacity to rise up like neophyte Christians, loath to be devoured by Hamlet lions, the main course ready to smite the diners upon the nose. In a rambunctious opening passage it was the Casuals who would come closest to an early opener, the quicksilver Myton lashing an angled drive fiercely across the goal matching by a flying save from the sprightly Ceesay, turning the ball around his far post with an elastic dive.
Half the half had gone before Dulwich could muster a response as skipper Shawn Beveney muscled and squirmed his way through a wall of white on the edge of the box, only to be robbed of the chance of a shot as the gallant goalkeeper, Paul Smith, flung himself at the striker’s feet to smother the ball. But a moment’s respite for the Hamlet as Casuals’ rapier-like incision won them a corner, taken short to catch Dulwich short. An impudent effort from Matt Smith as he curled in a cross cum shot from wide had Ceesay stretched as if on the rack but the ball crept over the Hamlet custodian’s crossbar.
Stung Hamlet hit back with a corner of their own as Scott Hassell’s timely headed inception cut out Billy Chattaway’s leftwing cross bound for the head of Schoburgh. The delivery found the head of Shayne Mangodza, rising unchallenged but though met with aplomb his effort just failed to find the top corner of the net.
Chances swapped as Matt Smith’s low drive from outside the box after an incisive run fund only Ceesay before the action switched and Paul Smith reacted well to shovel a creeping angled strike from Beveney around the base of his left hand upright. Once more the Hamlet were in the ascendancy as the corner swung across but Beveney could only flick his header agonisingly across the face of goal. However best opportunity of the first 45 would fall to Myton as a cruel bounce deceived Ricky Dobson, letting the Casuals attacker in on goal. A crashing drive on the volley threatened a goal but the ever-alert Ceesay had sprung from his line to narrow the angle and batter down Myton’s shot.
Strangled by his markers, Meshach Nugent at last escaped their clutch on 38 minutes pirouetting on the ball to let loose a strike from 25 yard out. Paul Smith though was its equal as he smothered the shot in textbook style. Allowed to run too far by hesitant Hamlet, Ayokule Olusesi carved a hole through the middle before slipping the ball wide to Byron Brown but he failed to crown the chance with a drive, though on target, too close to Ceesay. Yet Dulwich still found the time to time back once more, another corner fast, Mangodza looping a header on to the roof of the net, but not before the long-travelled referee had spotted an infringement elsewhere.
The break saw a change for Dulwich as Daryl Plummer took over the wing wizard mantle from Schoburgh, almost instantly announcing himself as a rival for that position with some lunging thrusts at the Casuals flank. A trio of corner saw early siege laid at the gates of Casuals’ goal, Nugent twice denied as headers were flicked away upon the very threshold of the goal line. A powerful punch denied Beveney as Paul Smith beat him to the most tempting of crosses. Beveney’s run then set up Chattaway but from 15 yards out he scooped a drive over the bar, having held of a marker twice his bulk. Hamlet had the Casuals under a blanket of Pink and Blue, but on the hour mark a free kick could, nay should, have given them the vital fillip of a goal as Brown ran into the heart of the penalty area, free as a bird, to connect with a chipped in free kick, only to flick his header away from goal, almost as if in agoraphobic fear at the space granted him.
Sweet switchback as Dulwich sculpted an opening with crafted football, Chattaway the ultimate beneficiary as he burst into the box only to stumble under the challenge of Hassell. A brief wail of “penalty” rose from the knot of chilled fans, unsated by their annual spot kick award of the weekend, but unmoved; Mr Burton was in parsimonious mood.
A change was in order and Benson Paka, unrecognisable in form, out of sorts, made way for striker Charlie Taylor. His fellow replacement, Plummer, though was soon earning more plaudits as he won the chase for a long cross field ball, zipping past Richard Price, before clouting the ball goalwards from an unexpected angle, Paul Smith powerless as the ball singed the topside of his crossbar. Not long to wait for Taylor to have an impact, his instinctive run on goal creating the opening for Beveney but upon the tricky surface he drove his effort in the body of the Casuals’ custodian.
All power to the engines as Junior Baker became the final Hamlet substitution with less than a dozen minutes of football ahead. More corners forced, more hardy resistance and no white flag from the men in white, though skipper Chris Horwood might have found himself drowned in ignominy had his wild clearance inside his own six yard not cleared the bar. Gamesmanship that might have riled the spectres of the past gazing down from the Elysian football fields now took hold but it served its purpose as the match dragged into stoppage time, five minutes in all but even that was not enough to throw Hamlet a lifeline, as Chattaway was set up by Beveney, himself the beneficiary of Steve May’s industry in the corner, but the shot dug out rose over the bar.

Teams:
DHFC: Sheikh Ceesay; Steve May; Ricky Dobson (Junior Baker 82); Benson Paka (Charlie Taylor 73); Shayne Mangodza; Marc Cumberbatch; Shawn Beveney; Billy Chattaway; Meshach Nugent; Stanley Muguo; Sebastian Schoburgh (Daryl Plummer HT)
Substitutes not used: Dewayne Clarke; Lumumba Amena

CCFC: Paul Smith; Richard Price (Russell Banyard 86); Dale Hennessey; Scott Hassell; Chris Horwood (Capt); Lee Matthews; Matt Smith; Ayokule Olusesi; Daniel Green; Tyrone Myton; Byron Brown
Substitutes not used: Hinga Amara; Carlton Murray-Price; Danny Sacha; Colin Harris (GK)

Attendance: 264

Officials:
Referee: Mr Gary Burton (Reading, Berkshire)
Mr Stephen Earl (Mitcham, Surrey) & Mr Jeff Lengthorn (New Eltham, London)

Dulwich Hamlet 1 Dover Athletic 1

Dulwich Hamlet 1 Dover Athletic 1
Ryman Isthmian League Division One South
Saturday 2nd February 2008

Relieved Dover Athletic left Champion Hill with the much-needed point that enabled them to fend off the challenge of Tooting at the top for another week but disappointed Dulwich will once more look to a late, late goal that snatched away the chance of claiming all three points almost at the death. Though Dover held the upper hand for much of the early exchanges they failed to batter down the band of brothers in Dulwich's defence, one for all and all for one, as the Red tide swept down upon them. Even when those hardy defences were breached poor finishing served to frustrate the Men of Kent. Backed by their legion of travellers the visitors posted intent with an incisive attack within the opening two minutes, the wily Frannie Collin sent scurrying away in the left pocket, hotfooting it past Ricky Dobson to cut a gash across the face of the Hamlet goal with a low drive, one that should have been better crowned than with Craig Cloke’s off-key larrup into the side netting at the back of the six yard box. A long, drifting free kick headed into the arms of Ceesay, a scuffed shot off target when well-placed by the troublesome Cloke. Jon Wallis failing to punish a Hamlet foul as his attempt to bypass the wall with a whorled effort came to naught as the ball flicked off the Pink and Blue wall. Collin again at the gallop, allowed the freedom of the wing, beat Dobson along the back line, a low cross deflected into the path of an half-aware Wallis but stumbling he lifted his strike into the azure sky.
The siege seemed finally lifted as Dulwich created their first attacks of notes as the half approached its midpoint. Chasing a long ball Meshach Nugent seemed to be hauled back as he bustled his way past Wallis but the referee’s eyes were elsewhere and no punishment was meted out. A quick free kick saw the ball reach Nugent 25 yards from goal, a strike unleashed one that defender Matt Bourne seemed to snuff out with his hands, though not in the mind of the referee. Fortunately Stanley Muguo choose not to wait for a whistle shrugging aside Bourne’s desperate attempt to haul him back but stabbing the ball wide of the post as John Whitehouse spread himself in vain.
Despite this rally such was the dominance of the Dovorians that it came as a shock to the travelling multitude when Dulwich went ahead in the 37th minute, though warning had been served ten minutes earlier when Stanley drilled a close range shot under the body of Dover custodian John Whitehouse only to see the ball crash into the side netting. Hamlet’s goal came courtesy of a kick from the penalty mark. Yes that’s correct after 3569 minutes of competitive football Dulwich had been awarded a penalty as Benson Paka was unceremoniously hauled back by James Rogers as he stretched out a leg to Bill Chattaway’s looped in cross. Initially there was no reaction from the man in black, Mr Robinson of Bognor Regis, but his assistant with a clear view from behind was in no doubt as with the thrust of an executioner he drawn his flag across his chest. Long discussion twixt assistant and referee, a card but not of red hue for the recalcitrant Rogers, though the mercy of the man in black was lost on him. Perhaps anxious glances amongst the Hamlet ranks for none had taken a spot kick in match play whilst donning the Pink and Blue motley. Responsibility fell upon the captain, Shawn Beveney returning from his Caribbean sojourn, and though Whitehouse guessed right, Beveney’s kick was neatly rolled beyond the ‘keeper’s reach into the bottom corner of the net. Wallis might have levelled matters soon after but blasted a strike into the midriff of Sheikh Ceesay after Collin had continued his probing at the Hamlet left flank.
Built on their resilient defence, Dulwich came out snapping at their guests from the off. Nugent dragged a low drive wide after Beveney had nodded a long ball into his path before bringing the best out of Whitehouse, a sizzling shot on the run as Matt Bourne trailed in his wake but pawed away at his near post by an airborne number one.
Barely four minutes later and Dulwich had the ball in the back of the net for a second time courtesy of Beveney but Dewayne Clarke had left his pass a fraction late, slipping the ball pass the onrushing Whitehouse for his skipper to slip into the now unguarded net but from an offside position.
A huge let for the Hamlet as a free kick, twice headed on by Kentish heads in the penalty area, dropped to the unmarked Collin skulking at the far corner of the six yard box. Crisply flicking the ball past a diving Ceesay it seemed to the already celebrating travellers that the equalizer had come but a friendly spirit was watching over Hamlet’s goal as the ball cannoned off the far stick, trundled along the length of the goal line before rebounding back out off the other upright. Collin tried once more but this time with a flick of infinite deftness from an angle surely too acute could only lift the ball on to the roof of the net.
Dover kept hunting for parity. A corner met with power and precision by a rising Shaun Welford was battered over the bar by the outstretched finger of Ceesay. Soon after a lashed drive on the volley whizzed wide of the far upright of the Hamlet goal.
As time drifted by, too languidly for the nervous Dulwich faithful, a chance came for the match winner. Substitute Sebastian Schoburgh slipped a perfect pass into the path of his captain, Beveney latching on the pass as he tore down the left wing. The goal beckoned as first one defender then a second were beaten. Whitehouse committed himself, lost in No Man’s Land, but Beveney dallied too long, a red swarm upon him, the shot blocked and the danger smothered. All too painfully that lost opportunity would lead in turn to a Dover equaliser, deserved perhaps but rough justice for the resilient Hamlet. A deep, deep free kick out of the Dover half was flicked on as the visitors won the aerial dogfights, substitute Byron Walker setting up his fellow replacement Welford who delivered an equaliser with a steaming drive on the left peg, inexorably heading for the top corner of the net despite all the efforts of the heroic Ceesay to reach it.
Little time remained but a Dover side, sensing Tooting’s hot breath on the back their necks at the summit of the Division, refused to accept that a point would be all their reward. Next attack brought a corner, one Dulwich struggled to clear and when the ball was redelivered it took a save of pure instinct from, Ceesay to push out a diving header from James Dryden on the fringes of the six yard box. Interminable injury time brought little respite for the Hamlet, a rare slip from Ceesay as he allowed a Wallis free kick to squirm through his hands went punished by the lurking Dryden, the unfortunate Dryden once more denied the hero-worship of lilywhite supplicants as he nodded over a close range header with just nanoseconds remaining.

Teams:
DHFC: Sheikh Ceesay; Steve May; Ricky Dobson; Benson Paka; Shayne Mangodza; Marc Cumberbatch; Shawn Beveney (Henry Darko 90+1); Dewayne Clarke (Sebastian Schoburgh 74); Meshach Nugent; Stanley Muguo; Billy Chattaway
Substitutes not used: Junior Baker; Darryl Plummer; Tim Roberts (GK)

DAFC: John Whitehouse; Matt Fish; James Rogers (Byron Walker 77); Matt Bourne (Shaun Welford 57); Craig Cloke; Graeme Andrews; Jon Wallis (Capt.); Alan Pouton; Lee Browning (James Dryden 57); Frannie Collin; Laurence Ball
Substitutes not used: Andy Hessenthaler, Dean Ruddy (GK)

Attendance: 484

Officials
Referee: Mr Tim Robinson (Bognor Regis)
Assistant Referees: Mr James Garratt (Blackheath) & Mr Jeff Lengthorn (New Eltham)

Goalscoring:
1-0 DHFC Shawn Beveney (Pen) 37th minute
1-1 DAFC Shaun Welford 88th minute