Beckenham Town 2 Dulwich Hamlet 3

Beckenham Town 2 Dulwich Hamlet 3
London Senior Cup – Second Round (at Champion Hill)
Tuesday 18th November 2008

Noël, Noël, born is the King of Champion Hill. Gary Noel was the hero of the hour as he bagged a fine second half hat trick to see off Champion Hill FP, AKA Beckenham Town of the Kent League, the Hamlet fighting back from a first half deficit inflicted by one of their own, Danny Ward.
For a game switched from Beckenham’s Eden Park Avenue, currently undergoing modernisation works, Dulwich’s boss Craig Edwards made a number of changes from the side that had triumphed so emphatically at the weekend, with only skipper Marc Cumberbatch, his fellow centre-half colossus Cedric Ngakam and midfielders Fas Koroma and Stanley Muguo remaining. But tonight was a night for the squad men to show their metal, those that have anxiously twitched on the sidelines, champing at the bit for the opportunity to impress the management. In addition to the understudies, there was promotion albeit to a non-playing role on the bench, for a couple of the youth team’s bright stars, Tom Pratt and Louis Sprosen.
Ranged across from the Hamlet, a plethora of familiar faces in the Cambridge blue of Beckenham, from Michael Holder between the sticks to the combative Ward in the centre of the park. With others once of the Fish, now of this parish, Millwall inter alia there is a strange aura around the Becks, an inkling that these players should be plying their trade in the flurry of promotions battles in loftier reaches not down among the dead men in the depths of county football.
Transmogrified Hamlet stuttered to start as players were alien to one another in the heat of battle, the blood of young hearts pumped fast but the brains and boots of those wilier in the ways of the game thwarted the early attempts of the Hamlet to make a breakthrough. That was until the eighth minute when Famoud Sonko set off on a determined run in from the flanks, letting loose with a mighty wallop on the run, the long-range effort battered away by Holder. Junior Kaffo snaffled up the rebound but in a trice Nick Curran had pinch the ball off his toes.
A pedantic official meant frustrated fans and players alike, his decisions comprehensible to some not all, least of all Kaffo who seemed seriously nonplussed by his caution on the quarter-hour.
On 17 minutes a free kick found the head of Ngakam, a flicked header for the back stick hacked away to safety from the fast-closing Cumberbatch. However, having had the better of the opening exchanges, matters took a turn for the worse on 20 minutes. Ngakam conceded a free kick, booked to add to his woes, then, as if to heap further pain upon the Hamlet, Ward, hardly one for the aerial dogfights, was allowed to sneak in and deflect the ball past Sheik Ceesay. If the young scamp was to be believed the shoulder was provide the final impetus. Typically ebullient Ward’s post goal celebrations earned him a caution but of greater concern to the Hamlet was the disappearance of Ngakam down the tunnel. Had he received a second caution for an injudicious word or a not so bon mot? Seven minutes later an answer came swirling through the fog of confusion as Benson Paka cam on to replace Ngakam who it transpired had sustained an abrasion to his mouth in the lead up to the goal.
Dulwich struggled to get back on terms as the half wore on, unable to break down a resilient Beckenham defence but that all changed soon into the second half. Noel was unfortunate not to bring matters level six minutes in when some tricky skills took him into a great shooting position, Holder getting barely a hand to the Hamlet striker’s effort but rescued as Curran hacked the ball off the goal line behind him. However there was to be no such relief two minutes later when Noel galloped away from the last line of defence to hammer home the equaliser. On fire, the teenage hitman came close to adding his and Dulwich’s second soon after, his intricate footwork bamboozling the Becks defence but Holder paddling his strike. Once more though a chance proved precursor to a goal and again it was the pace of the young pup that proved too much for the old boys of Beckenham. Noel turned on the gas as the rearguard hesitated, cantering in on goal and firing the ball into the net low off the upright.
Just when it seemed as if Dulwich had the game by the scuff of the neck, frenzied defending at a free kick, a loose leg and a tumbling attacker gave Beckenham a lifeline to level as Mr Rowbury pointed to the spot. Ceesay guessed right but Joe Healy showed the touch of an old pro, low, hard and true into the bottom corner and parity reigned once more. Cometh the hour, or cometh the 59th minute, cometh the man, Noel claiming his maiden Hamlet hat trick with the sweetest of finishes, collecting a pinpoint free kick, turning on a sixpence and drilling the ball in low and hard across the goalkeeper and in via the far post.
No way back for the “hosts”, Dulwich rampant might have claimed more but for valiant keeping from Holder, reduced to one hand after a wrist sprain but playing through the agony with some telling blocks. Goalscorer Ward too suffered injury, carted from the field to warm applause after crocking himself as he flung himself in the way of a goalbound effort.
Next up in the competition will be Erith and Belvedere and Dulwich will once more be at Champion Hill, albeit this time in the more familiar role as hosts.

Teams:
BTFC: Michael Holder; Danny Gorman (Darren Wise 52); Nick Curran; John Maloney (Capt.); Luke Milner; Durrand Jemmott; Charley Hearn (Alex Tiesse 20); Danny Ward (Danny Lawson 76); Joe Healy; Danny Hunwick; Chris Hubbard
Substitute not used: Michael Ebanks

DHFC: Sheikh Ceesay; Femi Omegbehin; Kyle Graham; Junior Kaffo; Marc Cumberbatch (Capt.); Cedric Ngakam (Benson Paka 29); Fasineh Koroma; Stanley Muguo; Gary Noel; Famoud Sonko; Nick Ogbanufe
Substitutes not used: Tom Pratt; Laurent Hamici; Louis Sprosen; Jamie Lunan

Goalscoring
1-0 BTFC Danny Ward 22nd minute
1-1 DHFC Gary Noel 53rd minute
2-1 DHFC Gary Noel 58th minute
2-2 BTFC Joe Healy (penalty) 66th minute
3-2 DHFC Gary Noel 69th minute

Officials:
Referee: Mr John Rowbury (Orpington, Kent)
Assistant Referees: Mr Baresh Kebar & Mr Andreas Anastasiou

Attendance: 121

Crowborough Athletic 0 Dulwich Hamlet 7

Crowborough Athletic 0 Dulwich Hamlet 7
Ryman Isthmian League Division One South
Saturday 15th November 2008

Crow shooting season is officially open, newcomers to the Isthmian League cruelly put to the slaughter by a rampant Dulwich on golden late autumn day in the Weald. Not since Hungerford have the Hamlet’s travelling band been treated to such a massacre,
A golden day for Laurent Hamici, the rosbif with Gallic flair. The silent assassin leading the charge with a sublime hat trick, the goals of the Hamlet leading hitman sweetly complemented by an excellently finished quartet from his colleagues. But for the heroics of the overworked Mark Oldroyd between the sticks for the hosts the scoreline might have flown into double figures, a new mark chalked up in the annals of Hamlet history.
The Crows have had a heady baptism in the Isthmian League, just three victories to their credit in the current campaign though on their last outing they had stunned impecunious Folkestone upon their own turf. That triumph had instilled new hope in Steve Johnson’s men though ill fortune struck when injury robbed them of leading scorers Wayne Clarke and Gavin Gordon, whose shared 23 goals out of 32 had provided a rare chink of light in a mostly barren season.
The Hamlet were without Walid Matata, forced off in victory against Chipstead, Fasineh Koroma coming into an otherwise unchanged starting XI.
Dulwich began with majestic football, intuitive, quick touches on a shaggy pitch, already in its winter coat and dotted with fallen autumnal leaves, tricky perhaps but not for the Hamlet men who darted here and there, rhythmic, a tad faster than their hosts. Hamici knew it was to be his day. His body language cried out confidence. Lithe and fluent, a touch of arrogance, Six minutes passed and out of nowhere, Hamici opened the scoring. There seemed little opportunity, little danger when a slither of passes saw the ball end at the feet of Hamici fully thirty yards from goal. Without a second thought the Dulwich striker, his eyes on the prize, turned and rifled a shot low and hard towards goal. Perhaps surprised Oldroyd reactions were delayed, ball zipping low inside his right hand post as he belated flung himself across goal but in vain.
Hamici’s gluttony for goals has polarised some but his value cannot be weighted in goals alone. Had Oldroyd not battered out the close range effort of Scott Simpson, it might have been scored one made one, as Hamici lashed the ball low across the face of the six yard box to his strike partner. Electric Hamlet were buzzing, the heavy battalion thrown forward for a corner, industrious defending at last clearing the ball after the ball bounced bagatelle-like across the six yard box. With the Lunan Launch much in evidence, the home goal came under aerial bombardment on a regular basis, Oldroyd marking a brave block at the feet of Cedric Ngakam. Soon through the defence would be breached once more. Daryl Plummer found an extra gear to power past Crows’ skipper Justin Harris, the one-time Lewes defender, left in the wake of the flying winger and the gentlest of tugs upon the shoulder of Plummer sent him tumbling to the turf as burst into the box. Harris’ protestations of innocence bore no truck with referee Mr Rendell, and a yellow card was flashed in the face of the Crowborough captain. All the while Hamici had been awaiting his moment, the ball parked on the penalty spot as Oldroyd ruin through the gamut of Grobbelaar-esque distraction techniques, walking to the ball to confront his protagonist before taking his place on the goalline, springing like Zebedee on acid. Unfazed Hamici took a step up to the ball, no more no less, and calmness personified rolled the ball low into the bottom left hand corner of the net.
Five minutes before the break a needlessly conceded free kick saw Plummer’s name enter Mr Rendell’s pocket book. A somnambulating defence almost paid double as full back Dave Soutar glided in at the back of the six yard box, his first time strike on target but comfortably gathered low by Jamie Lunan.
On the stroke of half-time Dulwich drove an almost fatal stake into the heart of Crows hopes. The big boys were up for a corner, won by the steadfast refusal of Simpson to surrender a lost cause as he chased an overhit pass to the back line. Ngakam worried the defence with his towering presence to ball eventually dropping to his skipper, Marc Cumberbatch who swung a mighty boot at the ball as it dropped to him, Oldroyd scrabbling fingers getting a touch on the burning ball but only to divert it into the roof of the net.
There was no let up for the Crows after the break but to their credit they were not swayed from the philosophy of football. The teams of Steve Johnson and his partner in crime on the bench, Harry Smith, nine years and counting in the hot seat, have always reflected in belief in the game as she should be played, with style, with elegance, with honesty, a fatal error today perhaps. The Crows may have called upon the services of the Sussex journeymen, men of good heart, but these are not of yeoman stock, calloused palms, iron lungs, who in past lives might have had those same lungs blackened by the smog of the forge as they manned the bellows. Artist not artisans swell the ranks of the Crows but against the Hamlet’s thundering herd, those same artists were made as if to be the naifs of the playground, not the masters of the Uffizi and the Prado. Mesmerised but never seemingly demoralised, brief glimpses of a Crowborough fight back swirled out of the gloom that had enveloped the home faithful. Dulwich goal under early siege but lifted swiftly as the Hamlet broke those shackles, Benson Paka floating in a deep, deep cross to the back of the box where it found the unlikely head of Plummer, a looping header leaving Oldroyd clutching at the ether as it dropped into the net behind him.
‘Ere the hour mark had slipped by, the Crows were in tatters, the RSPCA’s hotline burning red as fewterer Edwards unleashing his pack upon the cowering hosts. Quicksilver in his boots, adrenalin pumping, Hamici tore into the blue flank with the savagery of a deerhound upon a wounded stag. Low and hard he drilled the ball across the face of the penalty area Koroma gleefully pouncing upon the ball to larrup it high into the net past Oldroyd, Aunt Sally in a fairground pitch’n’toss.
Centre-stage once, the spotlight fell upon Hamici as he completed his hat trick 5 minutes later, powering away from the last line of defence before tucking the ball past an exposed Oldroyd.
A brutal challenge left Plummer curled in agony upon the floor, the tackle made more distasteful for the dearth of bad blood in the game. One aging wag in the crowd took umbrage, threatened harm upon the referee’s car, his threat greeted with a grin and the revelation said car belonged to ‘er indoors. However the brutality of the Hamlet offence was more shocking, Gary Noel replaced the injured Plummer and moments later was a deflection away from making it seven. Paka galloped away down the left as Crowborough scanned the touchline for offside flag that never came, his effort beaten out by Oldroyd straight to Noel who swung a leg at the rebound only for a defender’s limb to send the ball curling wide. Still the replacement would not have long to add another notch to Hamlet history. Lunan’s free kick seemed overhit as Crowborough pushed their defence up high but Cumberbatch had slipped under the radar, harrying Oldroyd as he fumbled the bouncing ball. With the custodian struggling to regain his ground, Cumberbatch swivelled and slipped the ball across the goal to where Noel was waiting to spank the ball into the net. The rout was complete but time still remained. The Crows threatened briefly, perhaps dissuading the gentleman upon the dressing room for taking a leap, his depression lifted a little by a sterling display of close range shot stopping from Oldroyd, denying Simpson with an acrobatic low one-handed save, repeating the feat within a minute, the saves sandwiching a Hamici drive that whizzed past the far post. Reward for Oldroyd’s busy day and bulging net was man of the match, testimony to the dominance of the Red Army as belligerent in attack as Moscow’s finest, its play as melodious as its most excellent choirs.

Teams:
CAFC: Mark Oldroyd; Tom Boddy; David Soutar; Justin Harris (Capt.); Andy Ducille; Matt Foreman; Kieran Wilson; Luke Gedling; Luke Fontana; John Sinclair; Brendan Sebulida (Ross Campbell 66)
Substitutes not used: James Pallett, Craig Bishop

DHFC: Jamie Lunan; Peter Martin; Billy Chattaway (Kyle Graham 77); Benson Paka; Cedric Ngakam; Marc Cumberbatch; Daryl Plummer (Gary Noel 65); Stanley Muguo; Laurent Hamici; Fasineh Koroma (Junior Kaffo 82); Scott Simpson
Substitutes not used: Famoud Sonko; Sheikh Ceesay

Goalscoring:
1-0 DHFC Laurent Hamici 6th minute
2-0 DHFC Laurent Hamici 33rd minute (penalty)
3-0 DHFC Marc Cumberbatch 45th minute
4-0 DHFC Daryl Plummer 51st minute
5-0 DHFC Fasineh Koroma 60th minute
6-0 DHFC Laurent Hamici 65th minute
7-0 DHFC Gary Noel 72nd minute

Officials:
Referee: Mr Lloyd Rendell
Assistant Referees: Mr Anthony Rawlings & Mr Michael O’Keefe

Dulwich Hamlet 2 Chipstead 1

Dulwich Hamlet 2 Chipstead 1
Ryman Isthmian League Division One South
Tuesday 11th November 2008

“We ought to give thanks for all fortune: it is good, because it is good, if bad, because it works in us patience, humility and the contempt of this world and the hope of our eternal country”
Dulwich Hamlet sit proudly in third place in the table after this victory over troubled Chipstead, deserved in execution, fortunate in opportunity for the Chips had none of their own, striking the frame of the goal no fewer than a quartet of times during the course of the contest.
It was a shaky start for the Hamlet against a side whose cup exploits had perhaps o’ershadwed the paucity of their league performances that had seen they slip inexorably into the relegation slots. Not that they had relegation written upon their faces as they sparked into life and posed the greater threat in the opening quarter hour. With greater fortune, they might have built themselves a comfortable cushion of goals before Dulwich had engaged engines. The poor butt of Dame Fortune’s jests was Josh Smith, the nippy young winger left wondered he that detour he had taken through the Battersea Black Cat Sanctuary and Looking Glass Emporium on the way to Champion Hill had been such a good idea.
In 11th minute of the eleventh day of the eleventh month Smith spun inside Billy Chattaway and struck a shot beyond the hand of a diving Jamie Lunan only to see it cannon back off the base of the upright. Dulwich were similarly spared just four minutes later when a shot from lively if luckless Smith took a deflection off a Dulwich defender, arched over a stranded Lunan but rebounded back from the crossbar. As the half roiled on, Dulwich finally decided to take part. A booming long clearance was gathered by Daryl Plummer, the winger scampering clear in the inside-left channel and hitting a fearsome volley on the run, however veteran Chipstead 'keeper James Wastell produced a fine save to batter the ball away well low down to his right. Shortly afterwards, Scott Simpson shot wide from the angle when well placed eight yards out. Three minutes later Plummer was sent away on the left, centring for Walid Matata, free in the middle, to tuck home under Wastell, but much to the display of the wingman, the flag had long been raised against Plummer.
On song this evening Plummer continued to provide the chances. Looking lively on the wing, he found Laurent Hamici with a precise pullback, the striker pulling the trigger on a stinging snap shot but denied by the ever-alert Wastell, though ‘twas a pity there was no one in a Pink and Blue short on hand to profit from the ‘keeper’s parry.
O Fortuna velut Luna statu variabilis, semper crescis aut decrescis;
O Fortune, like the moon you are changeable, ever waxing and waning;
Fortuna waxed for the Hamlet, waned for the Chips as, on the stroke of half-time, Dulwich profited from her favours Jamie Lunan juggled the ball along the top of his own crossbar as he wrestled with a header from a Chips corner.
Manager Craig Edwards made a change at the break for Matata was struggling once more with his persistent injury. He drew Simpson across from the flank into the vanguard, bringing Nick Ogbanufe on for a delayed debut to fill the vacant wide berth.
Was it the change that lit up the Dulwich offence? Of course and who would argue with Mr Edwards! Eight minutes into the half with a masterpiece of a goal, but like all masterpieces, it is not just the signature of the master that makes the work. This was a fine goal, elegant in composition upon the canvas as first Chattaway, then Benson Paka and finally Plummer built the foundations. A neat flick in from the wing from Plummer as if to hand the brush and palette to Hamici, the final brushstroke, the final flourish belonging to the hitman as he shifted the ball to his right foot and from just inside the area drilled a shot with little backlift but almost infinite power beyond the defenceless Wastell.
The lead was short lived however when Simpson gave away a sloppy free kick five minutes later. From the free kick Laurence Buchmann swung in a pinpoint delivery, aided and abetted by a Dulwich defence that went AWOL as the unguarded Fred Fleming rose to head in past Jamie Lunan and off the underside of the crossbar.
Stung into action, Dulwich almost regained the advantage straight from the kickoff as the ball was played out into the left pocket, a chipped cross shot rising just over the bar. Dulwich continued push forwards looking for the winner and a goal-bound header from Marc Cumberbatch, getting on the end of Paka’s delivery, was deflected behind. The best move of the match secured victory for Dulwich when a fine pirouette on the halfway line by Paka enabled him to play a pinpoint pass into Hamici's path, the leaden footed Chips defence vainly pleading for offside. Bearing down on goal the striker had selflessness to turn the ball inside to Simpson in space, who shrugged off the challenge of Fleming to slam the ball home from close range.
Two minutes later, Chipstead were once again left cursing their misfortune when the ill-fated Smith beat the advancing Lunan only to see his shot strike the underside of the bar and ricochet back into play.
Deflated Chips threatened little after that. Dulwich could, nay should, have extended that lead, made it comfortable. A Lunan launch was nodded on by Cumberbatch, Cedric Ngakam swinging a leg at the loose ball, Wastell bravely blocking amidst the flying boots. The corner found the head of Ced but this time he was wide of the far stick. So well were Hamici and Simpson working as a double act, the BBC will soon be commissioning their Christmas special. The pair exchanged dinky passes on the edge of the area to create the opening, shame though that the shot was snatched at and always rising over the bar.

Teams:
DHFC: Jamie Lunan; Peter Martin; Billy Chattaway; Benson Paka; Cedric Ngakam; Marc Cumberbatch; Daryl Plummer; Stanley Muguo; Laurent Hamici; Walid Matata (Nick Ogbanufe HT); Scott Simpson
Substitutes not used: Junior Kaffo; Gary Noel; Kyle Graham; Sheikh Ceesay

CFC: James Wastell; Jamie Findlay; Laurence Buchmann (Shane Graham 82); Andrew Wareing; Fred Fleming (Capt.); Daryl Coleman; Nathan Campbell; Alec Brown (Aaron Cole-Bolt 74); Liam Oxley; Jamal York; Josh Smith
Substitutes not used: Chris Head; Gavin Quintyne; Barry Coleman

Goalscoring:
1-0 DHFC Laurent Hamici 53rd minutes
1-1 CFC: Fred Fleming 58th minute
2-1 DHFC Scott Simpson 65th minute

Officials:
Referee: Mr Matt Foley
Assistant Referees: Mr Dele Sotimirin and Mr Roger Wells

Attendance: 224

Dulwich Hamlet 3 Croydon Athletic 2

Dulwich Hamlet 3 Croydon Athletic 2
Ryman Isthmian League Division One South
Saturday 8th November 2008

Having conceded a brace of goals within the opening ten minutes for the second time in less than a week, Dulwich pulled themselves up by the bootstraps to record a third league victory in succession and move to the brink of the play-off positions. Victory looked a distant dream after a nightmarish start when Shabazz Baidoo cut in from the left wing, toying with Ryan Bernard before curling a crisp shot into the far corner of the net. Things got even worse four minutes later when Baidoo's deep cross in from the flanks was neatly nodded down by Danny Waldren giving Sean Rivers the simplest of tap-ins albeit from a suspiciously offside looking position. Premature chants of "Easy, easy" echoed from beneath the far terrace where the Croydon faithful had thronged.
Come the 12th minute and Dulwich began the uphill task of reducing the arrears with a goal from a textbook corner. Scott Simpson provided the delivery. Marc Cumberbatch battled to the near post to flick the ball across the face of a statuesque Nick Gindre and there at the back stick, sneaking in behind a dilettante Rivers, was Bernard guiding his header into the net.
In treacherous conditions, the pitch only passing muster after sterling work from volunteers, some surprisingly slick football was on show from both sides, the struggling Rams belying their lowly league status. Indeed with more accurate finishing Sam Clayton might have restored his side's two goal advantage but having broken through the last line of defence his finishing was wayward, the shot skidding wide of the far stick.
On the stroke of half-time came an equaliser courtesy of the Dulwich not-so-secret weapon, the Lunan Launch. Dulwich were awarded a free kick inside the Croydon half, the visitors curmudgeonly attempts to delay the kick in vain. A booming delivery into the heart of the penalty area, Gindre vainly attempting to punch through a thicket of own defenders, failing in his attempt and leaving Cedric Ngakam to loop a header over the 'keeper's air punch and into the unguarded net.
Dulwich brought on Peter Martin for Bernard at the break, the punchy young right back eager to reclaim that troublesome berth. His impetus and enthusiasm was reflected in a Hamlet onslaught. Simpson had the chance to give the Hamlet the advantage but he dragged a left strike against the falling body of Gindre.
It seemed as if time might prove the ultimate enemy as dusk settled upon Champion Hill but eight minutes from time cam a blockbuster gaol from the boot of Benson Paka to snatch victory from the early jaws of defeat. Martin and Laurent Hamici linked up well in the right corner, the ball flicked across to Paka lurking on the brink of the box. A quick juggle on to a deadly right foot, Paka packing a punch with a sizzling drive into the far corner, Gindre helpless as he flung himself across but all for naught.
Not content to sit upon their hard-won lead, Dulwich had the scent of goals strong in their nostrils. Moments later the rampant martin had a corker of drive battered away by a fast reacting Gindre. Paka zipped a low drive wide of the upright as the efforts rained in. but further goals were absent.
Sweet victory indeed but marred at the last by the controversial dismissal of Billy Chattaway for a second caution. First yellow had been rash, the young left back reacting in haste to a heavy challenge by erstwhile team-mate Tom Bolarinwa. However a pedantic official had him inconsolable, shocked as, having placed a free kick for Lunan, on his way from goal to take it, Chattaway booked for time wasting as walked away.

Teams:
DHFC: Jamie Lunan; Ryan Bernard (Peter Martin HT); Billy Chattaway; Benson Paka; Cedric Ngakam; Marc Cumberbatch (Capt.); Daryl Plummer; Stanley Muguo; Laurent Hamici; Walid Matata (Gary Noel 69); Scott Simpson
Substitutes not used: Junior Kaffo; Kevin Lott; Sheikh Ceesay

CAFC: Nick Gindre; Danny Boxall; Luke Adams (Nathan Green 89); Simon Osborn; Richard Blackwell; Bradley Duke; Tom Bolarinwa (Lamin Ojo 70); Danny Waldren; Sean Rivers (Adam Greenway 81); Shabazz Baidoo; Sam Clayton
Substitutes not used: Ryan Myers; Jeremiah Olusanya

Goalscoring:
1-0 CAFC Shabazz Baidoo 4th minute
2-0 CAFC Sean Rivers 8th minute
2-1 DHFC Ryan Bernard 12th minute
2-2 DHFC Cedric Ngakam 45th minute (+2)
3-2 DHFC Benson Paka 82nd minute

Officials:
Referee: Mr Constantine Hatzidakis
Assistant Referees: Mr Gareth Mays & Mr Stefan Malczewski

Attendance: 194

Dulwich Hamlet 3 Whyteleafe 1

Dulwich Hamlet 3 Whyteleafe 1
Ryman Isthmian League Division One South
Tuesday 4th November 2008

On a blustery Tuesday evening Dulwich delivered a rapid riposte to their FA Trophy exit barely 48 hours earlier inflicting a sixth defeat in seven games upon perennial bogey boys, Whyteleafe.
Dulwich quickly seized the initiative and almost took the lead in the third minute when Walid Matata headed narrowly over the angle of post and bar from Daryl Plummer's cross. 'Leafe's Rob Tolfrey was by far the busier 'keeper and after cutting out a dangerous cross from Laurent Hamici, he denied Daryl Plummer when the winger was clean through. Shortly afterwards Matata squandered another gilt-edged chance when he got past Tolfrey, but allowed a defender to rob him with the goal gaping.
After that imposing if stuttering start, Dulwich went ahead in the 25th minute courtesy of Matata's maiden goal in pink and blue. Starting his first game since limping from the field early in the season opener, Matata was expertly poised to take advantage when Jamie Lunan's booming free kick into the post was flicked on by the head of skipper Marc Cumberbatch causing consternation in the 'Leafe six yard box. As 'keeper Rob Tolfrey scrambled to claw the ball away Matata was on hand to hook the ball into the net off the 'keeper's hand.
Whyteleafe threatened briefly when Denva McKenzie unleashed a fierce shot which was well held by Jamie Lunan, but we were soon pressing again and just before half-time Scott Simpson shot wildly over the bar when a fine run down the left by Plummer laid the foundations.
Dulwich were made to pay though for not taking further chances 'ere the second half had truly begun. Wide left, Andrew Martin larruped a deep ball across the box towards Nicky Greene, who had graced the Hill on Saturday in Fisher monochrome. Greene showed excellent poise to nick the ball past Billy Chattaway leaving him man to man with Jamie Lunan who stood not a ghost of chance as Greene pulled the trigger and bulleted the ball past him at close range.
Fears of a 'Leafe revival were not realised and with Laurent Hamici to the fore Hamlet went hunting their lost lead once more. The Hamlet's leading hitman danced a merry dance on the edge of the area, sent to the ground on the very brink of the box but the man in black gave naught but a shrug of indifference. A sniper's bullet from distance almost found its target but the range was off.
Call it greed, call it self-possession Hamici singlehandedly teased and twisted through the green wall, as effective as winter shrub. Lucky for the 'Leafe they had Tolfrey to rescue them as he blocked Hamici' initial effort. The rebound was seized upon, Tolfrey beaten with the drive but this time it was Adam Broomhead as saviour, the surly centre-half hacking the ball off the goal line.
In the 71st minute Matata struck once more to show the Hamlet faithful what they had missed. A free kick whipped across seemed too deep but Daryl Plummer rescued to surrender the ball to the by-line, keeping it in play, skipping around Asher Hudson before chipping the ball to the back of the six yard box. A crashing downward header from Cumberbatch was blocked on the line by Tolfrey but the loose ball was easy prey for the predatory Matata, smashed gleefully into the net from a few feet out.
Rampant Dulwich made victory certain with rare scares when Hamici's jet powered acceleration sent him free of a sluggish 'Leafe defence. Escaping down the left wing with green shirts floundering behind him, he bore down on the now exposed Tolfrey, the custodian powerless as bazooka boots sent a piledriver beyond his despairing dive and into the bottom far corner of the net.

Teams:
DHFC: Jamie Lunan; Ryan Bernard; Billy Chattaway; Benson Paka; Cedric Ngakam; Marc Cumberbatch; Daryl Plummer; Kevin Lott (Junior Kaffo 80); Laurent Hamici; Walid Matata (Gary Noel 80); Scott Simpson
Substitutes not used: Kyle Graham; Alim Sesay; Sheikh Ceesay

WFC: Rob Tolfrey; Asher Hudson; Michael Harney; Ali Reeve; Adam Broomhead; Jason Goodchild; Denva McKenzie; Sol Patterson Bohner (Ronnie Green 60); Andrew Martin; Paul Scott; Nicky Greene
Substitutes not used: Alhajie Jabbie; Cedric Kabongo; Michael Riley; Carlton Murray-Price

Goalscoring:
1-0 DHFC: Walid Matata 26th minute
1-1 WFC: Nicky Greene 48th minute
2-1 DHFC: Walid Matata 71st minute
3-1 DHFC: Laurent Hamici 83rd minute

Officials:
Referee: Mr John O’Brien
Assistant Referees: Mr Stephen Earl and Mr Mark Ford

Attendance: 170

Dulwich Hamlet 0 Bury Town 3

Dulwich Hamlet 0 Bury Town 3
The Carlsberg FA Trophy – Second Round
Sunday 2nd November 2008

This game was all but over as a contest almost before the quarter hour was out as dozy Dulwich surrendered three goals in the first 18 minutes allowing Bury Town a comfortable cushion which was never truly threatened despite Dulwich territorial domination for much of the remainder of the game. Daredevil defending, tackling timed to perfection, and confident ‘keeping from Marcus Garnham kept the Hamlet at bay and sent the visitors into the 3rd Round of the Trophy and another trip south, this time to Hampton & Richmond Borough.
Lackadaisical defending gifted Bury a lead after just three minute. Michael Steward whipped in a low cross from the right flank and with Dulwich’s defence impersonating a Madame Tussaud’s exhibit, striker Sam Reed zipped into the space behind them and tucked the ball past a wrong footed Jamie Lunan.
Excellent cover tackling from the much-vaunted Tom Bullard in defence thwarted a promising Hamlet attack, but then heartbreak for the Hamlet as Reed, under the watching eye of a Derby County scout, let fly from fully 35 yards out, Lunan slow to react as the ball beat him low at his left hand upright.
A third goal on 18 minutes completed Hamlet’s nightmarish opening. Reed was a whisker away from a hat trick as he flung himself at Stewart’s tempting ball in from the flanks. The ball was trapped on the backline by Lee Reed, his initial effort beating Lunan but cleared off the line by Cedric Ngakam. However the ball fell kindly for the same player and this time Reed made no mistake.
Thoughts of a cricket score troubled the mind, but perhaps with an eye on a big pay day awaiting them in the FA Cup six days hence, Bury took their foot off the gas, content to soak up Dulwich pressure, magnificent defending squeezing the life from each Hamlet threat. Marc Cumberbatch popped a close range header over the crossbar from Kevin Lott’s free kick. Laurent Hamici, hardworking but with a constant blue shadow, briefly shook off Bury shackles to latch on to Scott Simpson’s nod down but larruped his volley over the crossbar. As halftime approached Billy Chattaway’s threaded pass seemed inch perfect for Simpson but Sam Nunn, a constant minder, forcing him off balance at the key moment.
Three minutes after the restart an excellent opportunity for Hamlet to snatch a lifeline. Simpson hooked effort had Garnham clawing at the air, Hamici looping a header over him. Daryl Plummer went in pursuit but up went the flag for offside.
Walid Matata came on in place of Amine Djoumbe, playing out of position in the cursed right back role, a striker replacing a makeshift defender. A free kick awarded on the edge of the area once more presented Hamlet with hope. Plummer drove the ball low and goalwards but the blue wall went unbreached.
A fine save from Garnham to batter away Plummer’s volley, Matata with time, too much time, and placing his effort wide of the mark from 8 yards out. The Hamlet pressure unrelenting, the Bury defence unyielding. Hamici delivered, Cumberbatch rose and fell meeting the ball with a firmly planted header but Garnham was down to smoother. Even when Garnham was at last beaten, the referee’s whistle came to his rescue, the ‘keeper impeded as he came for a free kick, Ngakam taking advantage to nod the ball in but in vain. The young custodian was back in flying form soon after as Hamici’s rocket volley was clawed away at the near post in spectacular fashion.
Dulwich stacked the cards, strikers Junior Kaffo and Gary Noel on in place of midfielders Lott and Plummer, a fifties throwback with such a forward laden line-up. One goal might have unnerved the blue boys but resilience remained even when the loss of midfielder Lee Smith saw them play out the game with just ten men.

Teams:
DHFC: Jamie Lunan; Amine Djoumbe (Walid Matata 55); Billy Chattaway; Benson Paka; Ryan Bernard; Marc Cumberbatch; Daryl Plummer (Gary Noel 85); Cedric Ngakam; Laurent Hamici; Kevin Lott (Junior Kaffo 78); Scott Simpson
Substitutes not used: Alim Sesay; Sheikh Ceesay

BTFC: Marcus Garnham; Stuart Walker; Ben Coker; Gavin Johnson; Sam Nunn; Tom Bullard; Lee Smith; Michael Steward; Sam Reed (Andrew Wood 85); Liam Barrett (Steve Bugg 73); Lee Reed (Ashley Sloots 85)
Substitutes not used: James Paterson; Dean Greygoose (GK)

Goalscoring:
1-0 BTFC Sam Reed 3rd minute
2-0 BTFC Sam Reed 9th minute
3-0 BTFC Lee Reed 19th minute

Officials:
Referee: Mr Andy Parker
Assistant Referees: Mr Glen Tilley & Mr Jeff Stanley

Attendance: 245

Dulwich Hamlet 4 Whitstable Town 3

Dulwich Hamlet 4 Whitstable Town 3
Ryman Isthmian League – Division One South
Tuesday 28th October 2008

“Hold fast to dreams, For if dreams die, Life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly, Hold fast to dreams, For if dreams go, Life is a barren field, Frozen with snow”
"Pah to global warming" said Mother Nature, as the first flakes of winter’s snow fluttered down upon Champion Hill, chilling the extremities of those braving the stroke of her chill fingers upon their frail bodies. For warmth the footballing faithful gathered around a fast and furious dogfight, a cauldron of a contest, bubbling over with carefree play and like a filling winter stew laced with drops of fortifying football and dotted with fulsome dumplings, tasty goals that will live long in the memory of those for whom the snow flurries held few fears. Previously impecunious in offence, the Oystermen of Whitstable splurged as their own goalscoring credit crunch were but a myth, twice battling from behind, snatching a lead mid way through the second half, only to surrender to a barrage of breathtaking bullets, first from Benson Paka then from the silent assassin, Scott Simpson, his 80th minute winner breaking the hearts of the Men of Kent.
Master mason Craig Edwards had been out in pursuit of new building blocks for the house of Hamlet, adding the experienced midfielder Kevin Lott, once of mighty Dover, to bring a cool head to the midfield crucible. The new boy introduced himself to his classmates in fine fashion after barely three minutes had elapsed. As smooth as a professional billiards hustler, his pass laid the foundations for Laurent Hamici’s opening goal, Picking up a cleared corner, he rolled the ball into Hamici lurking on the brink of the penalty area, the Hamlet hitman swinging around to leave his marker ghostwatching before drilling the ball low across the diving Kevin Fewell and into the far bottom corner of the net. Second half Hamlet had started a little earlier than expected, but the Oystermen were unfazed. Five minutes had passed and a free kick carelessly conceded wide on the left. Jack Tanner’s delivery a food [parcel to starving men and his skipper feasted, Liam Quinn climbing highest to delicately flick his header beyond the statuesque Jamie Lunan, the ball nestling inside the far post.
As the thermometer slid down, the temperature on field rose. Whitstable won a free kick a couple of yards beyond the Dulwich box, a crashing drive cannoning back off the Pink and Blue wall. Billy Chattaway larruped the ball out of harm’s way, his clearance the catalyst for a Hamlet breakout as Hamici outsprinted the defence. Fewell though was on the mark with a smart save to deny Hamici a second.
Call it naivety; call it candour, Whitstable’s open, free flowing play, a stark contrast to stale, timid Walton, played into the hands of the Hamlet. Eight exciting minutes, another Hamlet corner and amidst the melee, a sliced attempt at clearance cannoned down at an angle from the belly of the crossbar. Howls of anguish from the knot of fans behind the assistant referee as he failed to flag for a goal. The flow of pink and blue became an inexorable tide. Simpson unleashed a screaming free kick, none of your namby-pamby curled but a full blooded belter that left scorch marks on the woodwork as it ripped past. Hamici set up Simpson moments later, this time the shot hammered just over. A booming Cedric Ngakam throw finds Hamici; all hands to the pump as Whitstable block his effort.
A brief respite from defensive duties for the travellers with Danny Dolton’s audacious long-range effort spinning mere millimetres over the crossbar of Lunan. However it would be Hamlet reaping the rewards as they finally converted a chance, albeit in suspicious circumstances, to regain the lead on 32 minutes. The momentum came from Chattaway, in full flow up the left flank, his pass picking out Simpson, possessed of stallion speed turning on the power as he charged into the area. His cross shot beat Fewell and was turned in on the goal line by Daryl Plummer, who cast a nervous glance towards the assistant, but when no flag came began an embarrassed jig of joy. Embarrassment was writ large upon the faces of the Hamlet defence as once more he lead erased in quick and easy fashion. Ian Pulman’s wing wizardry was a joy to behold, but tackles were as ethereal as angel’s breath, Peter Martin brushed away, big Ryan Bernard humbled, Pulman dancing his way through before coiling the ball past Lunan.
Profligate Hamlet may well have restored a lead warranted by opportunity if not execution when 5 minutes before the break, a left wing cross was dropped into the penalty area. Simpson bounced off Hamici as his colleague won the battle for the ball, spinning to smack in a drive from the corner of the six yard box, a fearsome drive that brought the best from Fewell as he clawed away the stinging shot at his near post.
The dressing rooms must have been surreal places at the break, both managers presumably elated at the offensive performances of their respective charges yet apoplectic at defensive laxity on both XI’s parts.
An early Hamlet push that saw Hamici a fraction away from Paka’s drive across the face of goal was all in vain as the Oystermen were allowed to take the lead for the first and only time of the evening. Architect of their opener Tanner escaped on the right, taking his time before whistling a cross into the area. The chances to clear were there but half-hearted and it would take a man of substance to impose order. Unfortunately that man wore red; Paul Ainsworth controlled the wayward ball, pipping a pass to the prolific Dan Wisker who needed no second invitation to crack away his fourth goal in successive games.
An infusion of ambition fuelled the Men of Kent. Despite their lowly league position and the need for points, they resisted the temptation to shrink back into their shells and hide that precious pearl, three points. Pulman could have added to the Whitstable advantage not long beyond the hour mark, a crisp tackle in the middle of the park paving the way for a rampant Pulman to steam away from Bernard and Marc Cumberbatch, only deprived of a second goal by Luna’s smart save low to his right hand post.
Dame Fortune had a hand in the Hamlet’s equaliser coming in the 73rd minute. Simpson’s electric run set the night alight. A lay back to Hamici who pulled the trigger on what should have been a shot but instead it flew into the path of Paka, charging at full pelt towards goal. A first time drive from a chain away pinged down from the underside of the crossbar and this time there was no doubt the ball had crossed the line.
No surrender from either bench, from either XI. Hamlet brought on Walid Matata for his long-awaited debut, Whitstable bolstered the midfield with the experience of Clint Gooding. The night though would belong to a man who had been in the fray from first whistle to last. Ten minutes remained, the snow was flurrying around the Hill. Simpson in space on the left was the beneficiary of a mischievous back heel from Hamici. Red shirts swarmed around him but strength told, Simpson switched the ball to his supposed weaker right foot and lifted a curling, twirling drive over and above the fumbling fingers of Fewell and into the net.

Teams:
DHFC: Jamie Lunan; Peter Martin; Billy Chattaway; Benson Paka; Ryan Bernard; Marc Cumberbatch; Daryl Plummer; Cedric Ngakam; Laurent Hamici; Kevin Lott (Walid Matata 76); Scott Simpson
Substitutes not used: Junior Kaffo; Gary Noel; Ryan Bernard; Sheikh Ceesay (GK)

WTFC: Kevin Fewell; Gary Sayer; Danny Tipple; Liam Quinn (Capt.); Marcos Perona; Rob Thomas; Jack Tanner; Mark Munday (Sam Denley 90+1); Dan Wisker (Clint Gooding 76); Ian Pulman; Danny Dolton
Substitutes not used: Mick Lingham; Dan MacVickar

Goalscoring:
1-0 DHFC Laurent Hamici 3rd minute
1-1 WTFC Liam Quinn 5th minute
2-1 DHFC Daryl Plummer 32nd minute
2-2 WTFC Ian Pulman 37th minute
3-2 WTFC Dan Wisker 56th minute
3-3 DHFC Benson Paka 73rd minute
4-3 DHFC Scott Simpson 80th minute

Officials:
Referee: Mr Peter Georgiou (Earlsfield)
Assistant Referees: Mr Luis Pinto Nunes (Kingston-upon-Thames) & Mr Vince Penfold (Addlestone)

Attendance: 223

Walton and Hersham FC 1 Dulwich Hamlet 0

Walton and Hersham FC 1 Dulwich Hamlet 0
Ryman Isthmian League – Division One South
Saturday 25th October 2008

One of the less entertaining afternoons of the season, when autumn leaves put on a prettier show than the football on the field. It was afternoon when a number of sequences came to a conclusion; Dulwich finished their marathon stint away from Champion Hill, this match being their SIXTH on the road in succession. More noteworthy for the hosts was the fact that this match brought an end to a string of winless performances stretching back to early September, the victory celebrated gleefully by the knot of home supporters huddled beyond the running track.
Pretty it wasn’t but effective as Dulwich found themselves seldom able to wheedle they way through a swamp of red shirts packed deep in the Walton half, desperate to defend the lead given them after just 10 minutes when slipshod Dulwich defending allowed Phil Cramp to gallop away from the last line of defence and tuck the ball past a cruelly exposed Jamie Lunan. Cramp had earlier had a gaol disallowed for offside but there was no flag to rescue the Hamlet’s defence, wrapped in Lethe as the Swan’s attacker glided in and slotted the ball into the far corner of the net.
Charlie Taylor might have levelled matters three minutes after the goal but, having latched on to a weak back pass and knocked it past ‘keeper Richard Stroud sprawling across his feet, his honesty got the better of him as he stumbled on it pursuit of the ball only for it to creep over the back line before he could reach it.
A hairy moment for the home defence as the half hour approached, Lunan’s booming free kick, missed by his opposite number amid a flurry of bodies, Cedric Ngakam nodding a looping header towards goal. Somehow the red morass scrambled the ball away though not for long, Billy Chattaway rifling it back across the face of the six yard box. Scott Simpson’s acrobatic swing at the ball failed to connect and the home gaol remained intact. Mere moments later another ball hammered across the box tempted Laurent Hamici, back from suspension, but he too failed to apply a finishing touch.
Walton were forced into a change as redundant striker Zak Graham retired from the fray with a head injury to be replaced by one-time hero of the Hamlet, striker Sol Pinnock, newly arrived at Stompond Lane from Blue Square South side, Welling United. How Hamlet must have wished for a Pinnock of old in their ranks as they held the forward momentum only to fail to penetrate the red rearguard. Barely was Stroud truly tested though he had to be quick-reacting to get down and gather a Cumberbatch header after the big defender had flicked on a free kick.
The second half began with a rare spell of invention from the Swans, some neat footwork from Adam Moriarty out on the flanks capped by a cross to the far-post, from where Scott Hassell volleyed over. Moriarty charged forward to drive a shot in from the edge of the box only to see Luan untested as he fielded the effort comfortably. However those flights of fancy were grounded as Dulwich pushed them back to their nesting grounds. 13 minutes in and a stuttered clearance went straight to industrious Daryl Plummer, his arching effort to lob the ball back over the fast retreating ‘keeper in vain as it dropped wide of the mark. Next Hamlet raid and Taylor cracked an effort, the ball whirling away off a defender’s boot into the path of Plummer cantering up the right wing. Quick thinking Stroud was out like a flash to block at the Hamlet winger’s feet, the ball almost squirming from his grasp.
The chances came thick and fast, if only the autumn leaves mulched upon the turf had blown away as quickly. A third caution for the Swans as Mo Coly’s charge through the field was unceremoniously ended and a free kick in perfect position, central and 20 yards, clipped neatly over the wall by Taylor but floating on high over crossbar too.
Out of sorts Hamici was replaced by Gary Noel, a busy bee in attack at his best but frustrated by this red wall of Walton before him. To make matters worse, Coly was chopped from behind by a former Hamleteer, Sol Pinnock who has swapped the Kentish fields of Welling for Acacia Avenue and stockbroker Walton. The striker was fortunate not to added to the growing list of yellow brandished at the Swans, though was clear concern in his consoling pat on the back of his victim of a limping Coly was helped from the fray. A reshuffle for the Hamlet, but their defences had been weakened. Swans boss, Jimmy Bolton, espied the chink in the armour and brought on flying left-winger Sam Butler, the replacement’s introduction adding some colour to hosts’ bland display. Escaping down the flank with space to drive a number 13 bus, Butler rattled a cross into Cramp bearing down on goal. The second goal seemed certain but Cramp had reckoned without the fearless Chattaway eating up the ground twixt him and his quarry, a magnificent covering tackle sending the ball away for a corner just as the Walton man was preparing to strike.
As the game moved into stoppage time, Simpson hared into the penalty area, seemingly hauled back as he hurtle goalwards. The ball was hacked clear but Chattaway beat his opponent to the ball on the halfway line, hitting the afterburners as he sped up the touchline and unleashing a fearsome shot on the run that brought the best out of Stroud as he stretched to pluck the strike from the air. With all hands committed to attack, skipper Ryan Bernard up in the vanguard, it was inevitable that more gaps would appear behind. Once more Butler took advantage, a searing run down the by-line capped by a pinpoint cross towards Cramp, unmarked mere feet from goal. A simple tap in and a stamp was put on victory but somehow he scooped the ball into the air, Luna stretching a fist to punch the ball away as the striker tried to force in his own miscue. Not that it truly mattered for Dulwich had no time to mount a counter attack of note and defeat was sealed.

Teams:
W&HFC: Richard Stroud; Jon Boswell; Jordan Cheadle; Charlie Emery (Craig Dunne 58); Aaron Nowacki; Matt Elverson; Adam Moriarty; Rob Wilkinson (Sam Butler 77); Zak Graham (Sol Pinnock 32); Phil Cramp; Scott Hassell
Substitutes not used: Paul Sears; Louis Clark
DHFC: Jamie Lunan; Lemi Omogbehin (Mo Coly HT (Amine Djoumbe 70)); Billy Chattaway; Benson Paka; Ryan Bernard (Capt.); Marc Cumberbatch; Daryl Plummer; Cedric Ngakam; Laurent Hamici (Gary Noel 64); Charlie Taylor; Scott Simpson
Substitutes not used: Ryan James; Sheikh Ceesay (GK)

Goalscoring:
1-0 Phil Cramp 10th minute

Officials:
Referee: Mr Dan Austin
Assistant Referees: Mr Nigel Baker & Mr Barrie Small

Attendance: 123

Metropolitan Police 0 Dulwich Hamlet 2

Metropolitan Police 0 Dulwich Hamlet 2
The FA Trophy – First Round Qualifying
Saturday 18th October 2008

Wildly misfiring Met Police will rue the opportunities they had to gun down the Hamlet during their now-traditional first half reveries as they seemed to take time to adjust to the arrival of some new recruits to the Dulwich cause. With Laurent Hamici out suspended after picking up his quota of yellow cards, Craig Edwards managed to pick up some young talent, pulling the proverbial rabbit from the hat as the prodigal son returned to the vanguard. From the supporters a frisson of expectation as the name of Charlie Taylor crackled through the Imber Court ether, last season’s goalscoring hero taking the place of this term’s leading hitman. The anticipation of seeing the pair in tandem was almost palpable but the fans would have to wait.
A jealous eye must have been cast from the opposition bench for Jimmy Cooper’s coppers were similarly without their leading hitman, Scott Forrester’s indiscretions in the previous round precluding his participation. Likewise when the police roll call came absent too was influential if erratic defender Tommy Moorhouse, another to fall foul of the officials in that Waltham Abbey game. As early chances fluttered away like city bonuses, how Cooper must have wished he could have raided the ranks for a striker to make the best of the early Police advantage.
An off the ball incident, very much off the ball, had sidelined right back Peter Martin, meaning a debut in that slot for former Watford Academian Femi Omogbehin. With Billy Chattaway playing a more central role early on and Cedric Ngakam swinging across to the left back role, Dulwich seemed a bit disjointed in the early exchanges as they were pushed back time and again by a blue tide. Michael Cobden bombed a ball in from the flanks picking out former Tooting midfielder Vernon Francis who chanced his arm with a screaming 30 yard but harmlessly wide of Jamie Lunan’s goal. Soon after veteran Dave Newman slipped the ball into Craig Carley but the wily wingman cum striker dragged his effort beyond the back stick.
A chance for redemption fell to Carley within moments but from 20 yards out he failed to trouble Lunan. Police marksmanship proved even more wayward when Francis plopped in a cross from the rightwing, a defensive dropping to Stephen Goddard, scorer in both previous outings, but brutally ballooning the ball into the stratosphere from barely five yards out. Close range shooting proved the Achilles heel of the Police once more when from 10 yards out Carley’s shot sailed over to worry the horses of the Mounted Division more than Hamlet’s so far untested ‘keeper.
From the Alamo to attack and gently rolling forward Dulwich managed the game’s first shot on target soon after the quarter hour as Daryl Plummer razed a hole in the thin blue line of defence but his drive from outside the area lacked the power to more than warm the gloves of Will Packham between the sticks.
A cynical foul by Steve Sargent curtailed a promising charge upfield from Chattaway, earning the Met Police midfielder the afternoon’s first caution and allowing the ball to be pumped into the heart of the home area where the Police looked decidedly uncomfortable against the aerial threat of the Hamlet’s triumvirate of big men, Ryan Bernard, Marc Cumberbatch and Ngakam, the latter’s header flicking off the brow of Francis and over for a corner. Once more the Police defence looked jittery but as the ball ping-ponged around the six yard box, a blue shirt threw itself in the way whenever a Hamlet man struck at that elusive object.
From defence the Police built their best move of the match, Packham larruped a free kick from his own half deep into the right pocket, Garry Drewett scooping the ball past his marker and chipping a pass into Michael Cobden lurking on the edge of the area. The strike lacked the necessary power but was on a one way ticket to the bottom corner of the net until Lunan flung himself earthwards pushing the ball out at the last second. Still the danger hovered as Carley chased in the loose ball and this time the game-breaking goal seemed preordained, that was until Lunan spread himself once more to smother Carley’s attempt to tuck home the rebound.
From bumper cars running a circle Hamlet became Ferraris. Snorting like the prancing horse of that marquee, Chattaway, turbocharger at full chat, accelerated from one half to the other before sending in a deep, deep cross-field pass to the prowling Plummer at the back of the six yard box. Serpent of old Nile, Plummer became a mass of contorted sinews as he swivelled to strike the back goalwards, only for defender Stuart Harte, arms flapping in the manner of a demented turkey, to charge down his effort at the back post.
Engines finely tuned Dulwich drove at the Boys in Blue once more, Benson Paka the architect of an outrageous chip from distance that had Packham scrambling across the six yard box to pluck from the air at full stretch as the ball threatened to float past him. As half time whistle brought truce to the field of combat memories of the early Police barrage had long faded in the fog of history, Hamlet at the gallop now preamble over. Breathes were bated as Act II was awaited.
The watering hole is bracing stroll from the arena and uncompromising officials would not wait for your humble scribe to drain the dregs from his dram before the restart and so I must take the word of those present that the Police contrived the most glaring of misses almost before battle had been drawn in anger. Sergeant Sargent of the Police drilled a ball low across the face of Lunan’s goal, Francis and Carley both waiting to snap up the pass but neither connecting as the goal loomed large before them. It was to be the death knell of the Police challenge.
Dulwich replaced new boy Famoud Sonko, of the Stoke City Sonkos, with Tom Bolarinwa, announced as Ballerina by the crusty voice behind the tannoy. More pogo than pas-de-deux was the focused young winger. Within five minutes of the reshuffle the Hamlet had gone ahead, the goal engineered by Taylor on the right, hammering the throttle down as he left his marker choking on his exhaust. The striker’s instinct might have taken over but selflessly he whipped that ball across goal to where Scott Simpson was arriving at full pelt, bringing the ball under his spell, the Houdini of the wing shed the chains of defence, stretching to stab the ball past a helpless Packham. One chance one goal, a pæan to the Police’s coronach of chances lost.
Taylor was now in his element and with Hamlet’s next attack he swept across a deep ball to the back of the six yard where Plummer o’erleapt the full back but directed his header a foot wide of the upright. From engineer to pilot seat for Taylor, another page in the lore of the Hamlet for the prodigal, a goal conjured out of thin air, Merlin, Oz, Potter even bow your heads. Once more the left flank of the Police caved in, a will-o'-the-wisp Bolarinwa danced through before spinning the ball across the face of goal. A defensive touch away but only to Plummer who linked up with Taylor for whom the goal was the bull’s-eye but with a blue wall in the rugged form of Ron Edwards before him, a distant vision. No matter he drew back his foot, the trigger sprung and from 20 yards the ball curling on its inexorable trajectory over the grasping hands of Packham and under the bar.
Looking dead and buried at this point the Police were thrown an unlikely lifeline just two minutes later when Lunan was controversially penalised by referee Mr T Power as he scrambled for the ball after being impeded by Goddard. “Black villainy”, cried the Hamlet! But a Zorro waited to rescue Dulwich as master of the spot kick, Lunan, left his dive late smothering Carley’s precisely struck effort on the goal line. It seems an age since Lunan was beaten from the 12 yard mark, this save added to ones this year against Eastbourne Town, Charlton Athletic and Molesey inter alia.
Still a breath of life in the Police but even that came close to being snuffed out as Dulwich were within a linesman’s flag of screwing the last bolts on the coffin lid. The ball was launched out of defence by Chattaway, Plummer’s run seemingly timed to perfection as he latched on to it, marching on to stroke the ball past Packham only to be called back as the goal was chalked off. Not that it mattered much for with time in scarce supply and opportunities even scarcer, the Police were already preparing their yellow boards of excuse. Meanwhile the Hamlet when hunting in search of more prey, Taylor so unlucky not to put the seal on victory with a third shortly before time was called. A booming clearance beyond the last line of defence had Packham tearing headlong from his goal, only to find himself stranded as Taylor lifted the ball calmly over him. A Montmartre strumpet, the goal beckoned the ball in but as it dropped from the clouds, it sprung back off the hardened goalmouth and bounced back over the crossbar.
Where the hosts had snatched, gulped then regurgitated their opportunities, Dulwich nibbled, tasted then gorged. The Road to Wembley stretches out ahead once more.

Teams:
MPFC: Will Packham; Stuart Harte; Michael Cobden (Craig Brown 60); Ron Edwards (Justin Bowen 77); Dave Newman; Vernon Francis; Steve Sargent; Rob George (Matt Cefai 77); Stephen Goddard; Craig Carley; Garry Drewett
Substitutes not used: Steve Potterill; Mo Maan

DHFC: Jamie Lunan; Femi Omogbehin; Cedric Ngakam; Benson Paka; Ryan Bernard; Marc Cumberbatch; Daryl Plummer (Junior Kaffo 90+1); Billy Chattaway; Scott Simpson (Gary Noel 80); Charlie Taylor; Famoud Sonko (Tom Bolarinwa 54)
Substitutes not used: Mohamed Coly; Sheikh Ceesay

Goalscoring:
1-0 DHFC Scott Simpson 57th minute
2-0 DHFC Charlie Taylor 65th minute
Penalty Save Jamie Lunan from Craig Carley 67th minute

Officials:
Referee: Mr Tony Power
Assistant Referees: Mr Mark Englebretson & Mr Benjamin Furneaux

Attendance: 111

Godalming Town 0 Dulwich Hamlet 0

Godalming Town 0 Dulwich Hamlet 0
Ryman Isthmian League Division One South
Tuesday 14th October 2008

A musty air hung over Wey Court as Dulwich Hamlet were held scoreless by Chuck Martini’s Godalming, a side branded “too nice” by their manager after an FA Trophy humbling by Enfield Town in their last home outing but responding by going from nice to “noughty”! Whether it was good defending or poor finishing must depend to whose standard one nails the colours for Dulwich must have been disappointed not to greater exploit the flanks where the wing twins of Tom Bolarinwa and Daryl Plummer found enough space and time to reseed the potatoes that had earlier been lifted from a uneven pitch, made slick by early evenings showers.
Dulwich started Edwards Martini III (this time it’s managerial!) with the XI that had began the fight back at Sittingbourne, Bolarinwa coming into the starting line-up in the stead of Gary Noel. Likewise the hosts made just a single change from their valiant FA Cup exit at Havant and Waterloovile, prompting a shiver of anticipation amongst the home support, a tremor of trepidation amongst Hamlet’s travelling band, as leading scorer Kenny Ojukwu reclaimed his place in the Godalming vanguard.
First to make his mark was fecund Laurent Hamici, anxious to sign off on a goalscoring note before his season’s indiscretions forced into sojourn for the Hamlet’s forthcoming Trophy tie at the Met Police. Unlocking the offside trap with the dexterity of a seasoned goal burglar, Hamici snuck in to drive a shot across the body of ‘keeper Rodney Chiweshe but beyond the back stick. Early warning not of Godalming threat but of a bizarre display of refereeing from the man in black Mr Robinson came as the Dulwich goal was subjected to intense pressure from a sustained Godalming assault. All the while the assistant referee remained stock-still with flag aloft in indication of a hoist offence. Just as Brahim Eloumani rifled a shot in on goal, the referee waved play on, apparently signalling a Dulwich advantage, Fortunately Jamie Lunan was well-placed behind Stanley’s shot for Mr Robinson might have found himself buried beneath a barrage of protests from every direction.
Eight minutes and Graeme Purdy failed to punish the Hamlet as he missed a most glorious opening, flinging himself to get ahead of Ryan Bernard to Andy Ottley’s rightwing cross and connect with a diving header, only to send the ball wide of the back stick by a country mile.
The fancy feet of Daryl Plummer set up Benson Paka, the midfield maestro swinging the ball wide to Tom Bolarinwa scampering down the right. A deep cross was well met by the head of Scott Simpson, but his header skimmed wide of the upright. Hamici was but a fraction from giving Hamlet the lead after the quarter hour as he stole the ball from the toes of Simpson, his snapshot leaving Chiweshe clawing at the ether, but cracking against the outside of the post.
Ojukwu’s muscular charge into the area setting up Purdy but his shot on goal failed to trouble Lunan. Likewise a Marc Cumberbatch header as the big defender rose highest through the forest of defenders to flick on Lunan’s free kick.
Having traded punches for a breathless if untidy 20 minutes, the combatants took stock, eased off the gas and began to probe rather than punch, looking for that one chance to land a haymaker. Mr Robinson’s whistle began to take centre stage; one half expected the Notting Hill Carnival to parade through the stockbroker belt. Cue angry letters to the Daily Mail!
Having been cancelled out by their hosts, Dulwich gained an upper hand as half time drew closer. A sweeping move, up hill, down dale and along furrow saw the ball wed its way out to Plummer on the left wing. The wingman cut the ball back inside to Hamici, the striker jinking past a flatfooted defender but throwing emulsion upon a meisterwerk when a simple signature was required, the ball blazed harmlessly wide of the far upright. A moment later the chance to atone fell to Bolarinwa, the nippy winger hurling himself headlong ahead of G’s skipper Richard Taylor to connect with a valiant header but the ball brushed the near post.
The balance of opportunity slightly weighted in hosts favours as round two began, but the scales of chance all but bare. Eloumani threatened once more but his shot skewed wide from 15 yards. Plummer’s tempting ball across the box had no takers.
Officialdom gained fewer friends as Godalming believed they had made the breakthrough come the 58th minute. Taylor’s throw towards Carl Hutchings, lurking on the backline, was nodded back into the heart of the six yard box by the one-time Tooting man but as he did so the assistant’s flag went up and the whistle blew. Purdy had a simple task of dispatching the ball past Lunan, but whistle already sounded Dulwich relaxed. Frustrated Godalming protested in vain, believing the ball had not passed out of play before Hutchings had returned it. The Frustration manifested itself in such meaty challenges as yellow cards sprayed about in directions like a host of golden daffodils.
Bombardier Lunan’s free kick rattled the home defence, Godalming struggling to clear after Cumberbatch had flicked the ball on. Bolarinwa inter alia tried but failed and to the relief of the hosts the ball was finally cleared.
Rigid defence denied Godalming few openings, leaden footed offence easy prey for a well-executed offside trap. When the trap did fail, Luna proved adequate cover, denying the ubiquitous Eloumani in a one-on-one after Ojukwu had muscled Peter Martin off the ball and swung the ball in from the flanks. From thee resultant corner Ottley’s drifted delivery found Purdy, a shot rattled off goalwards only to be palmed onto the crossbar by the quick reacting Lunan before being cleared after Stanley shot the rebound into a mass of players. Dulwich tried for a break and might have done so had Purdy’s scything tackle not derailed Martin in flight. A caution followed.
Ojukwu tormented young Martin, spinning off and firing in a strike from the angle but ell high of the target. Glen Stanley also shot wide from an excellent position. Spared Dulwich girded the lions for one last attack as sands slipped through the glass. Two minutes over and Paka’s rifle shot brought a save of pure class from the under tested Chiweshe, his absence from action unapparent as he went full length to batter the shot away. Still time for nervous moments in defence as Taylor’s booming throw into the heart of the penalty area reached substitute Kristian Webb, a dinked head sailing beyond Ojukwu’s forehead and harmlessly beyond the back post.
Come Valentine’s Day 2009, Edwards Martini IV at Champion Hill, tonight’s phoney war will have long faded from memory by then.

Teams:
GFC: Rodney Chiweshe; Andy Ottley (Shaun Elliott 84); Brahim Eloumani; Carl Hutchings; Damien Matthews (Chris Wales 68); Richard Taylor (Capt.); Glen Stanley; Victor Kiri; Graeme Purdy (Kristian Webb 81); James Mariner; Kenny Ojukwu
Substitutes not used: Adam Haddad, Garry Aulsberry (GK)

DHFC: Jamie Lunan; Peter Martin; Billy Chattaway; Benson Paka; Ryan Bernard; Marc Cumberbatch; Daryl Plummer; Cedric Ngakam; Laurent Hamici; Tom Bolarinwa (Fasineh Koroma 78); Scott Simpson
Subs not used: Gary Noel; Junior Kaffo; Mohamed Coly; Sheikh Ceesay

Officials:
Referee: Mr Tim Robinson
Assistant Referees: Mr David Gordon & Mr Tony Foster

Attendance: 108

Sittingbourne 2 Dulwich Hamlet 3

Sittingbourne 2 Dulwich Hamlet 3
Ryman Isthmian League Division One South
Saturday 11th October 2008

Save the best for last seems to be the Hamlet mantra these days as the Dulwich recovered from a simply dire first 45 minutes when they threatened little and achieved less to record a famous victory and maintain their Indian sign over Sittingbourne whose fans must be suffering Pink and Blue nightmares after this fourth victory in as many games against the Brickies. Indeed the men of Kent must be dreading the sight of handmade Bourne Park where they have picked up a single, solitary point in all league matches this campaign in stark contrast to the 100% record on their travels around the Isthmian.
It all looked o good for the hosts as they stormed ahead when Richard Brady mesmerised Peter Martin on the left wing, swinging a low ball into the near post where Hicham Akhazzan got ahead of his marker to deftly flick the ball between upright and the diving Jamie Lunan.
With Sittingbourne defence, bolstered by a brace of new signing in Jack Haverson and the experience Rio Alderton, looking as solid as the bricks that once dried upon these Kentish fields Dulwich found openings few and far between, constantly frustrated by an offside trap sprung upon them. Even when Dulwich got themselves in promising positions the red and black walls closed in on them as Cedric Ngakam found when Daryl Plummer took possession of a quick free kick, making a beeline for the by-line before dragging the ball back to his colleague, a stinging shot unleashed only to be charged down with a tender part of the anatomy by Nick Reeves.
Disjointed Dulwich seemed easy prey for hungry Bourne who should have added to their advantage after 20 minutes when Akhazzan returned the favour to Brady, flicking Colin Richmond’s pass into the path of the former Hamlet striker, defence in his wake and with only Lunan in his way. Against the odds Lunan kept his composure, kept his committal to the very last moment, snatching the ball low as Brady attempted to slip the ball around him.
A rare chink of light for the Hamlet as Benson Paka ignited the afterburners, charging through the centre of the park before dispatch a pass to Hamici overtaking on his left. The goal opened up before the Hamlet’s leading hitman but his natural instinct for the spectacular washed over him as a burning strike was unleashed towards the top corner of the net when perhaps slipping the ball across the face of goal might have been the better option. Young ‘Bourne custodian Matt Reed’s save was dazzling though as he clawed the ball behind for a corner. In the mêlée that followed the deliver of the corner a number of Hamlet players attempted to stab the ball home but a red and balk morass engulfed each effort. On defensive foundations the Brickies built yet more attacks and on 33 minutes came a second, and so many might have thought, a killer goal. Once more it was Brady returning to haunt his former team, dancing and dazzling on the wing, his cross was perfect for Richmond lurking in the penalty area, Lunan without a ghost of a chance as the ball was slammed past him for m close range.
A change was called for and the sacrificial lamb was Gary Noel, engulfed and ineffective in attack. On came Tom Bolarinwa, the master plan altered as Dulwich reverted to a traditional 4-4-2. Containment first as the shackles were put on the Brickies raiding parties, then offence but time was against them and the best the Hamlet could offer was a exploratory low range missile from Plummer some 20 yards out that warmed the gloves of Reed as he got down comfortably to smother.
Rambling Act I “Waiting for a Goal” a play about 11 men who divert and disport themselves while they wait expectantly and unsuccessfully for something named a goal to arrive. The Hamlet band as discordant as a Stockhausen symphony, the sheet music torn up at the break swapping cacophony for harmony as the orchestra took the stage for Act II. “Where there is discord, may we bring harmony”, quoth the management! These grating first half caterwauls replaced by flowing strings, great arias as Hamlet the Opera took the Bourne Park stage but then great theatre requires great tension, building to a crescendo for humble beginnings. Such was the Dulwich rampage in the second half that but brief flashes of red and black it was painted all in Pink and Blue.
Hungry Hamlet lions licked their lips, snapped their jaws and bit into the ‘Bourne defence. An early free kick was hammered into the penalty area, a flurry of boots and bodies as Paka drilled a shot towards goal, the ball larruped away to safety as it seemed bound for the bottom corner of the net.
The chances came thick and fast as Dulwich rapped loudly open the ‘Brickies door. “Open the door little piggies or I shall huff and puff and blow your house down”. A swinging Scott Simpson cross from the left proved a fraction to high for Hamici in the middle but Bolarinwa met it with venom at the back of the box, Reed alert to push the ball over. A Dulwich corner was met with a power nod back across goal from Ryan Bernard to his defensive partner Marc Cumberbatch, his header across the face of goal punched away by the overworked Reed whops was back in action almost instantly, stretching to tap away a deep Simpson cross from the menacing Bolarinwa.
The Hamlet impetus was squeezing the ‘Bourne defence further and further back behind enemy lines and soon the pressure would have to tell as a breach was made. With men in numbers up for a corner, ‘Bourne found themselves unable to clear the ball away, Plummer snapping up the loose ball 8 yards and thwacking the ball through a forest of legs into the net.
Rattle, rattle, rattle came the Hamlet charges. Bernard swung the ball deep across the field, picking a Plum, Daryl that is; who spun off his marker but could not beat Reed low at his near post. Simpson set up Hamici for what should surely have been an equaliser but where a feather touch as needed a howitzer blast was exacted, the ball shaking the bounds of Bourne Park as it fizzed wide of the upright.
The energetic Simpson, a player who evokes such heated passion between detractors and adherents, showed both sides a powerful run that left defenders panting in his wake then dancing up a blind alley as the goal loomed, eventually squeezed out as defenders swarmed around him. Jack Haverson denied him the opportunity to make amends as with the very next attack, Simpson brought down the ball to hammer past a stranded Reed, only for the defender to kick the ball off the goal line.
Would these exertions tell upon the Hamlet? A brief fright as a Sittingbourne free kick was headed back into the danger area by Billy Manners, late of this parish and substitute replacing substitute. Richmond latched on the ball with a ferocious volley, the side netting tingling as he just missed the target. The alarums had been rung and Dulwich came hurtling back, Reed added another fine save to his burgeoning portfolio as he tipped over a Paka effort on the volley but he had no chance when his defence went AWOL allowing Plummer a clear dash goalwards. Ben Payne tried in vain to relieve the situation with a last ditch tackle but succeed only in hacking Plummer to the floor. The Man in Black, Mr Brook, showed leniency issuing only a caution to the miscreant, but Hamici would show no sure compassion. Bristling with confidence despite Akhazzan’s feeble sledging, a few steps up to the ball and, bam, Reed was diving away as the ball beat to his left.
Could a winner still be in the tank? Billy Chattaway’s cross was met with stunning Simpson scissor kick as he and Bolarinwa hunted the same ball, the effort skying over. But a minute later predator supreme Hamici completed the unlikely turnaround as a free kick dropped to his feet 12 yards out, the striker pirouetted with the grace of a Nijinsky before hammering the ball high into the top with the power of Tyson punch.
“Do anything, even the impossible; it may only take a little longer when a miracle is required” – Anonymous

Teams:
SFC: Matt Reed; Nick Reeves; Joe Dowley (Capt); Jack Haverson; Ben Payne; Rio Alderton; Colin Richmond; Bryan Glover; Tom Bradbrook (Dave Milton 53 (Billy Manners 72); Richard Brady; Hicham Akhazzan
Substitutes not used: Ian Varley; Joe Horlock; Joe Plant

DHFC: Jamie Lunan; Peter Martin; Billy Chattaway; Benson Paka; Ryan Bernard(Capt); Marc Cumberbatch; Daryl Plummer; Cedric Ngakam; Laurent Hamici; Gary Noel (Tom Bolarinwa 40); Scott Simpson
Substitutes not used: Kyle Graham; Henry Darko; Junior Kaffo; Sheikh Ceesay (GK)

Goalscoring:
1-0 SFC Hicham Akhazzan 6th minute
2-0 SFC Richard Brady 33rd minute
2-1 DHFC Daryl Plummer 60th minute
2-2 DHFC Hamici 82nd minute (penalty)
3-2 DHFC Laurent Hamici 87th minute

Officials:
Referee: Mr Carl Brook (St Leonards-on-Sea)
Assistant Referees: Mr R Joss (Ramsgate) & Mr K Stone (Maidstone)

Attendance: 171

Leyton FC 1 Dulwich Hamlet 4

Leyton FC 1 Dulwich Hamlet 4
The FA Trophy – Preliminary Round
Saturday 4th October 2008

As one road to Wembley is blocked off the diversion signs go up and Dulwich Hamlet set off on a new course to the fabled land, a trek that would commence at the ancient manor of Leyton FC, oldest football club of our fair city. Tucked behind the Hares and Hounds pub lies the Leyton Stadium though the E10 nightspot, home of Essex’s finest podium dancers according to the flyers, now dominates and bankrolls once proud Leyton. Down an alley and through turnstiles that once graced our national stadium and a hidden treasure of the amateur game emerges. Though the arena is still dominated by the twin rickety stands, mini versions of the giant that once dominated lost Green Pond Lane, home of the Lilywhites East London rivals Walthamstow Avenue, new terracing has cropped up at one end, perfect for the Hamlet hoards who arrived en masse, augmented by new blood, an itinerate band of students having adopted the Hamlet for an FA Trophy trek. ‘Twas the first time your scribe has seen crowd on class basis since the Trotskyites met the Stalinists in the old IFL, Ideologues Football League, a game that ended in farce when the Anarchist referee decided to leave the players to sort out their differences themselves.
So to the afternoon’s cast list, blue pencil overworked as the changes rang out. Dulwich manager Craig Edwards’ pre-match plans thrown into disarray with the absence of defender Steve May and the late arrival of Benson Paka and Fasineh Koroma. Interestingly he chose to leave leading scorer Laurent Hamici and loanee midfielder Charlie Howard on the bench, restoring Cedric Ngakam to the starting XI after his enforced absence from the FA Cup. Also returning and reclaiming the skipper’s armband was Ryan Bernard, having shaken off his injury that has kept him out since Ashford. Rehabilitated to the team was Peter Martin, putting in an excellent display at right back in May’s stead.
The Lilywhites made several changes in response to a poor performance in midweek as a mini-revival was stopped in its tracks by a fifth defeat in seven matches. With both leading scorers Paul Killick and Denis Maharjan missing, the management unleashed the beast as Greg Ngoyi was added to an impotent attack.
Bowdlerised cast list in hand, to overture and beginners please. With a howling wind ripping around the field of play, come three o’clock or thereabouts a mighty blast from the trump and to the fray, Dulwich in ascendancy in the initial clashes. “Gentlemen of the free-and-easy sort, who plume themselves on being acquainted with a move or two, and being usually equal to the time-of-day, express the wide range of their capacity for adventure by observing that they are good for anything from pitch-and-toss to manslaughter; between which opposite extremes, no doubt, there lies a tolerably wide and comprehensive range of subjects”. Ready for the sport, fey Lilywhites the prey, Dulwich had the hosts upon the back foot in a lively opening spell, former colleague Gbenga Sonuga and his defensive partners shredded like the finest Teutonic slaw and reduced to blustering rage directed at ‘keeper Rob Blackburne, suffering both a heavy cold and a heavy onslaught. Poor Rob for all his sufferings he got no word of praise for his heroics, some fine saves keeping the Hamlet at bay a particular fine reaction battering out a Marc Cumberbatch header on the quarter hour despite his bedazzled defenders blocking his view.
Flustered by their failure to convert their dominance, Dulwich’s platy began to fray. The Lilywhites threatened when Fabio Jesus’ cross was nodded on to Ngoyi at the back, the well-placed striker blazing the ball over the crossbar. The beast had served warning, a shot across the bows and a precursor to the opener. 26 minutes and the beast bit. The ball was whipped in from the left, Stuart Blackburne provided the service nodding down the cross and Ngoyi spun to larrup the ball low past the diving Lunan. But the beast was down, felled by the once notorious turf. He hobbled to the sidelines, gamely returned to the skirmish cut his courage was not enough and 6 minutes later he was replaced by Kevin Chakaodza.
In the meantime Hamlet began the hunt anew. Scott Simpson battled with Sonuga, the centre-half hanging to him limpet-like as the striker surged into the area, his tormentor’s close attentions preventing him getting in anything more than a shot that tickled the ‘keeper’s gloves.
A collective wince from the Hamlet hoard as Mo Coly was felled by Jackie Chan nee Andy Jones, looking like Savage, Robbie, tackling like one, the Dulwich man prostrate as the physio went to work. The expected caution for Jones never arrived as the miscreant siddled away from the scene of crime, though on the flag of the assistant his teammate, the outfield Blackburne had a yellow card flashed in his face for rash words. Barrack room language from the South London battalions at the escape of Mr Jones from castigation, but the wrath of the Erinyes would manifest itself as the hands of the watch crept over into time added on. The 45 had just ticked by when Lunan dropped a leviathan free kick into the heart of the penalty area; Ross Edwards rose above Bernard to head the first assault away but only the pugilistic Gary Noel, lurking in the D. The ball squirmed through to Cumberbatch 14 yards from goal, Junior Koandu throwing himself into the tackle but too late to prevent the centre half rifling a Winchester crack of a shot that nestled deep and low in the bottom corner of the net.
The mist of unreason descended upon Jones, a crude lunge and a booking. The free kick larruped in once more, Cumberbatch denied a second in as many minutes as he flicked on a header only for Blackburne to fling himself low to the base of his post and turn the ball behind, fans of all persuasions purring in appreciation, though that was lost upon his bickering rearguard. Protracted stoppage time gave Dulwich time to turn the contest once more in their favour. Five minutes in and Cedric Ngakam launched a booming throw into the near post, Jones’ hell intensified as, under pressure from Junior Kaffo, he succeeded not in clearing the threat of the throw but only in flicking the ball across the face of goal and into the far corner of the net.
With the whip hand, Edwards slipped a couple of aces into the game with Laurent Hamici and Charlie Howard replacing Kaffo and Coly for the second half. Fired-up Hamlet ripping and slashing at the ramshackle Lilywhites. Hamici tormented the defence time and again before setting up Daryl Plummer for the third. His marker left trailing in his wake, the substitute striker swept down the right, driving the ball across to his teammate who let rip with a fiery drive from the brink of the box that smacked into the back of the net.
A caution for Hamici put a dampener on things soon after, booked as he attempted to turn in a leftwing cross with a surreptitious hand that might have gone unnoticed but for the dark gloves he chose to don. A rally from the hosts, Lunan stretching to tip a buzzing shot from Jones, blustering but not threatening as a trio of quick fire corners came to naught. Ngakam left the field of battle to a peal of applause, Tom Bolarinwa added as Dulwich went for the jugular. Blackburne continued to defy, another fine save keeping his side within touching distance on scoreboard if not on pitch. Then with 8 minutes left came an academy award-winning goal from Hamici, orchestra stall and gods' bravos ringing in his ears, a superb one man show. He escaped on the left, zipped inside, poised and purposeful, he dragged the ball past defender after defender, dancing and darting as weighed up his options, finally leaving Valenti baffled and bemused and with a handful of shorts, as he drove a looping shot into the top corner, Blackburne’s despairing dive all in vain.

Teams:
LFC: Rob Blackburne; Steve Brady (Fabio Valenti 68); Junior Konadu; Craig McKay; Gbenga Sonuga; Ross Edwards; Paul Marks (Capt.); Andy Jones; Stuart Blackburne; Greg Ngoyi (Kevin Chakaodza 32); Fabio Jesus (Des Thomas 90)
Substitutes not used: Jordan Lockie; Tom Lewis
DHFC: Jamie Lunan; Peter Martin; Billy Chattaway; Mohamed Coly (Charlie Howard HT); Ryan Bernard (Capt.); Marc Cumberbatch; Daryl Plummer; Cedric Ngakam (Tom Bolarinwa 70); Junior Kaffo (Laurent Hamici HT); Gary Noel; Scott Simpson
Substitutes not used: Kyle Graham; Sheik Ceesay

Goalscoring:
1-0 LFC Greg Ngoyi 26th minute
1-1 DHFC Marc Cumberbatch 45th minute
2-1 DHFC Andy Jones (own goal) 45th minute (+5)
3-1 DHFC Daryl Plummer 60th minute
4-1 DHFC Laurent Hamici 82nd minute

Officials:
Referee: Mr. P Kelly
Assistant Referees: Mr. K Welsh & Mr. S Kay

Attendance: 83

HENDON FC 2 DULWICH HAMLET 1

HENDON FC 2 DULWICH HAMLET 1
The FA Cup Sponsored by E.On – Second Qualifying Round Replay

(at Earlsmead, Harrow Borough)
Wednesday 1st October 2008

The dream has died and Dulwich are out, ninety minutes of full-pelt football but over 180 minutes of play not enough to see off the Wandering Dons. The Wembley Arch o'erlowered the journey to Earlsmead, hosts to itinerant Hendon for this rematch of the sleeping giants, taut reminder of what might be, what might be should some oligarch come rapping upon the door. But then to Earlsmead where bright lights burn out the suburban slumber, casting shadows around a ramshackle ground that so often had been the graveyard of Hamlet hopes. Would tonight be different? The first twenty minutes said nay. Daryl Plummer cross from the wing in the very first attack squirmed from the hands of Berkeley Lawrencin. Over the line? The eagle-eyed Hamlet ramble said yay, the assistant referee demurred. On seven minutes the Greens had the lead as Dulwich’s reshuffled defence, still without Ryan Bernard and missing Steve May, trapped by London Transport, succumbed to penetrative thrusting from their “hosts”. Glenn Garner fed the electric Harry Hunt, the young striker hitting the gas to escape the clutches of Billy Chattaway, driving to the by-line and pulling a low ball across the face of the six yard box. Not a touch from defender nor attacker until at the back of the box Dave Diedhiou changed in to smack the ball home at the back stick despite Jamie Lunan’s desperate dive.
Dulwich threatened when a long through ball had Laurent Hamici, still suffering the twinges of injury but fast enough to outpace a trio of defenders, in pursuit but Lawrencin was aware enough to rush from his line and snatch the ball from the toes of the Hamlet hitman. Soon after a corner was one, skipper Marc Cumberbatch in the ascendancy as he rose to meet it but on guar at the back stick Lubomir Guentchev nodded the ball away.
Having rarely threatened since grabbing that advantage, Hendon spotted a chink in Hamlet’s rearguard and exploited it ruthlessly. Regular right back May had been severely delayed by transport trouble (oh for Pericles Johnson and his Athenian vision of London to be born in flesh; each man his own chariot and steed!) and Fasineh Koroma, drafted into that position in his stead had looked uncomfortable in an unfamiliar role. Guentchev flowed past him like a fine Bulgarian wine, Koroma struggling his opponent nipped past and rolled the ball back to the lurking Hunt. No second invitation for the predatory youngster who larruped the ball high past the hands of Lunan and into the roof of the old onion bag.
The ease with depleted Dulwich had been fleeced on the flanks had older supporters calling for the smelling salts as nightmares of a 10-1 mauling by Hendon back in their sixties golden age cam flooding back. However the Hamlet lads, unhampered by ancient memories, girded the loins and came back snarling back at the Dons. From 25 yards out Hamici spun of a brace off green-shirted markers sending a rifled drive a foot over the crossbar. From a corner Lawrencin spilled the ball under pink pressure, amid the melee Junior Kaffo’s stabbed effort deflected wide. The tricky Gray Noel produced a three point turn on the corner of the penalty area that left his markers prostrate upon their posteriors, an angled cross to the back stick nodded back across goal by Plummer but plucked from the head of Kaffo by the alert Lawrencin. A moment later Scott Simpson drove in a bobbling strike from distance that had the Hendon custodian scrambling across his goal as the ball bounced wide of the far upright.
Injury forced Hendon into a change at the break as Rakatahr Hudson was pulled off, James Burgess replacing him. Others might have wished it were them as Dulwich rampaged at them from the off, infused with stirring words from management. “Forward, the Light Brigade! Charge for the guns' he said: Into the valley of Death rode the six hundred.” Six hundred might only have been eleven but to the started Dons, rabbits in the headlines of the chundering Hamlet juggernaut. “'Forward, the Light Brigade!' Was there a man dismay’d? Not tho' the soldier knew some one had blunder'd: Theirs not to make reply, theirs not to reason why, theirs but to do & die.”
Three minutes in and a great chance for Mo Coly but from 10 yards he stabbed the ball into the body of the cowering ‘keeper. The pink and blue wave crashed down again and again until at last the defence buckled. On the hour mark the defenders stuttered, chances to clear went begging and the ball ran to Noel wide on the right of the area. With eyes only for goal, the tyro striker unleashed a ferocious rising drive for the smallest of targets, Lawrencin powerless as the ferocious strike zipped past him into the top corner of the net.
Hendon might have hit back with immediate effect when Garner was allowed a free run to the by-line, pulling the ball back for Guentchev but from close range he found only the side netting. Like a Polar Bears in Marrakech, that chance sat alone. Dulwich roared into attack, Chattaway’s impetus taking him through tackle after tackle before he was felled ten yards from the area. Hamici swept up the loose ball, rattled a shot goalwards that deflected off a defender, cannoned off Noel and looking to be heading for the bottom corner until Lawrencin pounced upon it. Route one for the Hamlet as Lunan bombed a free kick into the penalty area, Coly turning to try and hook the ball home only to find Lawrencin there to block his path.
The Hamlet brought Tom Bolarinwa for Hamici, also pushed Junior Kaffo into a more advanced role as they strove for that elusive equaliser.
Hendon’s Polar Bear found a friend when a lunging tackle saw the Dons awarded a free kick mere yards from the brink of the box, Hamici booked for his protests. However timid execution of the dead ball saw the ball knocked to Guentchev, who found the whole Dulwich army upon him before he let off a shot of note. A Dulwich corner nodded back across goal by the towering Cumberbatch snatched away from Bolarinwa, and then with the tie ebbing from them came glorious opportunity. Simpson was released in an acre of space on the left flank, delivering the most tempting of cross towards Kaffo, dissecting the Hendon centre halves. From five yards out the script had been written for that glory moment but, to the horror of the Hamlet horde, he somehow scooped his header over the crossbar. Like a punctuated balloon, the oxygen drained from the Hamlet. Hendon played keep ball, frustrating Chattaway who was booked after an altercation with an opponent. More frustrating though that Dulwich had succumbed after all their second half endeavours.

Teams:
HFC: Berkley Lawrencin; Kevin Maclaren; Craig Vargas; Marc Leach; Mark Kirby; James Bent; Lubomir Guentchev; Dave Diedhiou (Frank Wilson 90); Harry Hunt; Rakatahr Hudson (James Burgess HT); Glenn Garner (Charlie Mapes 71)
Substitutes not used: Festus Mansaray; Richard Wilmot (GK); Danny Dyer; Kayan Kalipha

DHFC: Jamie Lunan; Fasineh Koroma; Billy Chattaway; Mohamed Coly; Junior Kaffo; Marc Cumberbatch; Daryl Plummer; Charlie Howard; Laurent Hamici (Tom Bolarinwa 76); Gary Noel; Scott Simpson
Substitutes not used: Kyle Graham; Peter Martin; Tyran James; Nicholas Ogbanufee; Steve May; Sheikh Ceesay

Goalscoring:
1-0 HFC Dave Diedhiou 8th minute
2-0 HFC Harry Hunt 22nd minute
2-1 DHFC Gary Noel 60th minute

Officials:
Referee: Mr Richard Kendall
Assistant Referees: Mr Liam Walshe & Mr Boris Zbirka

Attendance: 139

Dulwich Hamlet 2 Hendon FC 2

Dulwich Hamlet 2 Hendon FC 2
The FA Cup Sponsored by E.On – 2nd Qualifying Round
Saturday 27th September 2008

The road to Wembley is a highway littered with many corpses of the hopeful and the hopeless but today Dulwich did not join them, as heart and spirit saw them through to a replay with embattled Hendon. All this despite the loss of Mo Coly to a contentious second caution three minutes before the break. By then Dulwich seemed doomed, already a goal down to a cracking Rakatahr Hudson strike on 23 minutes and playing insipid, directionless football enlightened only by the rapier-like raids of Benson Paka down the right wing. Stirring words stirred failing hearts and stiffened sinews. More controversy as a second Hendon goal was chalked off, much to the chagrin of a vociferous green clad horde from north of the Thames, then from the bench arose a hero in the shape of Gary Noel, whose goal 2 minutes after arriving in the fray levelled matters. Captain Fantastic Marc Cumberbatch snaffled up a rebound from the crossbar after ‘keeper Berkley Lawrencin had lost the ball in the unseasonably bright sun and in the blink of an eye the game had been turned on its head. Victory against the odds seemed on the cards but the Dons found a hero of their own in the industrious Harry Hunt who struck in the 78th minute to earn his side a replay.
The preparation for battle was hardly ideal for either contender. Dulwich had been beaten late in the day at home to Cray Wanderers to slip off the pace in the promotion race, though at least Craig Edwards could welcome back Laurent Hamici to partner Tom Bolarinwa in a changed strike force. Ryan Bernard’s injuries still niggled and with Cedric Ngakam cup tied, it meant a return to the line up for Coly, playing in the floating midfield-cum-defence role ahead of the three man rearguard. Behind that the last line of defence saw Jamie Lunan re claim the gloves after completing his suspension.
“You've Got Your Troubles, I’ve Got Mine”, might have been the theme tune from the North Londoners, defeat at Premier Division title contenders in midweek, paling into insignificance with the breaking Friday news that the gates had been slammed shut at Claremont Road, bolted down for the last time, to leave the Dons wandering homeless in search of pastures new. The FA Cup must have been a welcome relief for the emerald-clad Hendon hordes, for if this was their doomsday beckoning, they would face the grim reaper with a smile and a hangover. The boss, one Gary McCann late of this parish, had other thoughts. Unhappy with some players’ performances he wielded the axe. Experienced custodian Richard Wilmot relegated to the bench in favour of teenage tyro Lawrencin after some below-par displays. Up front Glenn Garner earned promotion from the Under 21’s to join the promising Hunt in the vanguard.
If the cauldron bubbled as the afternoon wore the early exchanges merely simmering, the combatants more ready steady cook than Hell’s Kitchen as they readied the ingredients for what would become a rollicking cup-tie of the old-fashioned variety. The first quarter hour was punctuated with misfires and mishits. Hunt looked lively, Paka livelier. The greatest Hamlet threats when the talismanic midfielder let rip down the wing, but this strike force failing to get on the end of some teasing, tempting, torpedo deliveries. Scott Simpson chanced his arm with a rattling strike on the volley from one cross but it ballooned over the bar by a country mile. A rare shot in anger from Danny Dyer for the Dons failed to test Lunan. On the quarter hour Bolarinwa sprinted on to a defence-splitting pass, only to see the onrushing Lawrencin diving at his feet and scrambling the ball away.
Power Ranger Paka switched from provider to predator as he gathered a long range clearance out of defence from Cumberbatch, bringing the ball under control, switching on the accelerator and hammering past his marker. Cutting into the box, he smacked in a shot but a foot the wrong side of the upright.
Set-piece frailty came back to haunt Dulwich as Hamlet threat was countered by Dons delivery. Cumberbatch threw himself upon the grenade as he blocked a fierce strike from Garner, supplied by Maclaren but for the resultant corner a weak defensive header feel to Hudson on the edge of the area who sacked the ball back on the volley, the ball deflected into the roof of the net off the hand of Lunan.
The Dons, exhorted onwards by the visiting choristers, singing their praises, drank from the well of hope and slowly took command of the game. Rattled Dulwich became ragged, Coly was cautioned for a needless tug back, and the chances began to flow for the visitors. A cross field ball picked out Maclaren, unguarded on the right of the box, his sweetly struck effort comfortably gathered by Lunan at his far post. Hunt got into a good position only to fire wide and then some neat interplay between James Bent and Garner ended with the latter wasted a great opening as skewed a shot wide from 10 yards out.
Brief relief for the Hamlet as they got back on the attack, a corner won, defensive header straight to Paka but a looping header too comfortable for Lawrencin who gathered with ease. A larruped free kick from Lunan booming the box but Cumberbatch couldn’t connect, running through to the Hendon custodian gathering as frustrated Hamlet attackers followed in, sniffing for a slip. Dulwich were spared when Dave Diedhiou and Garner challenged for the same rightwing cross, the former’s header spinning wide of the upright as the two teammates collided. Once more Paka provided the impetus for a Hamlet attack, supplying Hamici on the brink of the box, the striker’s effort blocked but whirling away to Charlie Howard but a snatched effort from 20 yards out proved no danger.
With two minutes of the half remaining Dulwich’s molehill became a mountain as Coly was cautioned for a second time and was sent from the field. Contentious to many, the referee’s decision to issue a second yellow, then the red came as the big man challenged for a high ball with Diedhiou, the Hendon man crumpling to the turf.
Craig Edwards resisted the temptation to make personnel changes at the break, instead switching to a even more offensive formation, one that almost bore fruit in the first minute as Bolarinwa was played in, denied both by Lawrencin at his near post and a fractional offside flag. But then fortune played a telling role as Diedhiou believed he had give his team a second, perhaps, killer goal as Bent’s leftwing delivery squirmed from the hands of Lunan under pressure from Hunt, Diedhiou smacking the ball home, only for Mr Norcott to rile the visitors by ruling that the Hamlet custodian had been fouled.
Sloppy passing from the Dons set up a chance for Paka, now marauding down the middle, a charging run down throat of the defence topped with a screaming low drive but wide of the mark. Hendon wasted a host of half-chances but the game swung back to the Hamlet midway through the half. 65 minutes saw Noel replace Hamici and just two later the substitute struck an arrow into the heart of Hendon hopes.
A slice through the flank led by Daryl Plummer, a pass that left defenders in limbo, Noel on the sprint in pursuit, knocking aside Bolarinwa in his single-minded quest for the ball. Lawrencin rushed out but Noel slipped the ball past him. The angle was acute but Noel kept calm, rattling the ball home despite the best efforts of defenders to recover their ground. Noel’s House Party convened at the corner flag. Barely had the Dons drawn a second breath and where once they had seemed in command, their lead had fully slipped its leash. A free kick was delivered high into the area, defender Mark Kirby getting a head to it but only backwards toward his own goal. Lawrencin attempted to palm the unexpected away, only to turn the ball against his own crossbar. Dons dithered, Dulwich didn’t. Cumberbatch latched on to the loose ball and from 8 yards drilled the ball into the net to spark delirious celebrations that seemed so unlikely 20 minutes earlier.
Forlorn Hendon rolled back, only to flounder on Hamlet breakwaters. Delicious victory seemed within toughing distance of the Hamlet as chances went begging. Then on 78 minutes a heartbreaker as Hunt sealed a razor-sharp charge forward from the Greens. The Assistant Referee was waving his flag furiously as the Dons stormed up field, albeit for a Dulwich offence, only to lower it having failed to attract the attention of the man in black. How cruel that would have been or how fortunate had Mr Norcott noticed and halted play for the ball made its way to Hunt, hovering on the edge of the area, picking out the bottom corner with a 20 yard drive that beat Lunan low, cracking against the upright before swirling along the line to nestle in the far corner of the net.
Pure theatre and epilogue to the goals still more excitement as the protagonists went hell-bent for a winner. Lunan parried away a Hunt effort; Plummer had a smacker blocked by the diving Kirby, Noel unable to turn the loose ball home with a miscued header. The 90 minutes had clicked over when best chance of all went begging as a deep left wing cross was nodded back across goal by Diedhiou for the diving Hudson but a looping header skimmed the crossbar.
Feisty football had failed to find a winner and so we reconvene at Harrow Borough, gypsy Dons home for Wednesday at least.

DHFC: Jamie Lunan; Steve May; Billy Chattaway; Benson Paka; Mohamed Coly; Marc Cumberbatch; Daryl Plummer; Charlie Howard; Laurent Hamici (Gary Noel 65); Tom Bolarinwa (Tyran James 85); Scott Simpson
Substitutes not used: Kyle Graham; Junior Kaffo; Robert Bartley; Fasineh Koroma; Sheikh Ceesay (GK)

HFC: Berkley Lawrencin; Kevin Maclaren; Craig Vargas; Rakatahr Hudson; Mark Kirby; James Bent; Danny Dyer (Frank Wilson 78); Dave Diedhiou; Harry Hunt; Charlie Mapes; Glenn Garner (Lubomir Guentchev 69)
Substitutes not used: Festus Mansaray; Richard Wilmot (GK); Michael Roche; Kayan Kalipha; Marc Leach

Goalscoring:
1-0 HFC Rakatahr Hudson 23rd minute
1-1 DHFC Gary Noël 67th minute
2-1 DHFC Marc Cumberbatch 69th minute
2-2 HFC Harry Hunt 78th minute

Officials:
Referee: Mr Wade Norcott (Harlow, Essex)
Assistant Referees: Mr Michael Jarvis (Braintree, Essex) & Mr Peter Wilson (Chelmsford, Essex)

Attendance: 353