YOUNG HAMLET LEFT STUNNED AS CHATHAM RISE FROM THE DEAD

07.05.10

Dreams dashed in Kentish fields, the youngsters of Gavin Rose's Academy Team must have awoken on Wednesday morning heads still spinning after they somehow contrived to have the John Ullman Memorial Cup rudely ripped from their grasp by the Chatham boys. Rough justice some might say but them justice is but a concept, muscle is the reality. Whilst the boys in Pink and Blue had the style, the culture, the pace and the precision, the lads of Kent had the pragmatic muscle, imbued with a steely determination and ne'er-say-die attitude to drag themselves out of the deep chasm of certain defeat, force extra-time and still not be cowed even when Dulwich rallied once more to regain the upper hand.

The skills are innate within the Hamlet, the killer instinct still to be fine-tuned and that they paid in silver. 19 minutes in and Dulwich were three goals to the good. Ten minutes into Act II and three had become four, yet still Chatham, like the archers of Agincourt, came again and again until that deficit was no more. Six minutes on the clock and Dulwich flowing like the Thames in torrent went 1-0 up. A missing header in midfield, Roy Odiaka pouncing upon the ball and gazelle-like striding away from a panting pursuer. The ball slipped into the path of Nyren Clunis dispatched with deadly aplomb from the boot with such ferocity the 'keeper had barely begun his dive before the net was tripling behind him. Four minutes later a Dulwich corner, lopped across the box evaded a clawing 'keeper and Odiaka had the simplest of tasks to find the goal, stooping to nod an unchallenged header home. 19 minutes 3-0 to Dulwich, Clunis again, refusing to give up on an overhit through ball, beating the onrushing 'keeper whose fractionally hesitation in leaving his line give Clunis the head start he needed. A defender stood aside, the 'keeper attempted to clear but was left dumfounded as Clunis produced a high kick worthy of the Moulin Rouge, nipped round the stranded goalie and turned the ball into the now unguarded net.

This might have been Chatham's cue to get the coach warmed up for the short journey back into the Medway Towns. The Kentish boys had to react. Up to this point they had been timorous, anxious, cowed and overawed, pushed beyond the frontline. However to their credit they soon had Hamlet on rearguard duty and but for some woeful finished and some dogged defending, with Callum Roberts a colossus against the red threat in the air, the Kent lads might have clawed back a goal or more before the break. As 'twas it was the Hamlet who struck once more as they began the second 45 minutes in similar vein. Naïve defending from the red shirts, an astute threaded pass through and behind the defence, on the right flank Odiaka the deadly assassin as he ignored vain offside plaits, drilling the ball low, hard and under an exposed number one.

Ah vainglorious Hamlet, surely the engraver could start carving their name upon the trophy now. However, the docker spirit lives on in this latest Medway generation. Lordswood became the Alamo. Chatham on ferocious charge. One, two! One, two! And through and through the vorpal blade went snicker-snack! Two goals in less than 30 seconds halved the deficit, the first had a whiff of controversy Adam Molloy believed he had clawed back the ball from the goal line after stabbed shot from close range but the assistant though otherwise. Straight from the kickoff comatose Hamlet surrendered the ball and a Chatham player waltzed through further galvanise the Chatham revival with goal number two.

Dulwich might have widened the gap but Odiaka swirling shot from the flanks singled the top of the crossbar. Ten minutes left and a stunner narrowed the gap even more, a deep cross from the left met with a ferocious strike that threaded the eye of the needle as it found the top corner of Molloy's net. 90 minutes played and the red army set up camp in the hamlet six-yard box as a free kick was delivered. Scores all level as a header looped over the outstretched hand of the 'keeper. Not so much a renaissance, more a resurrection.

Tired bodies roused to do battle once more in extra time. Ten minutes gone and Dulwich back in front, Clunis the flying ferret as he took delivery of a cross-field pass to smack a stonking shot home from an acute angle. Still Chatham refused to lie down. Three minutes later saw them draw level once more. A rudimentary pump down the throat of the Hamlet rearguard, defenders caught napping as Chatham chased. Molloy's punch thwarted the first threat but the ball fell to an opponent and despite the young 'keeper getting a hand to the shot, the ball was buried in the back of the net.

Could either side find a winner? Three minutes into the final period of extra time the question had an answer. Mere moments after Odiaka had wheedled his way into a great shooting position on the edge of the area only to have his effort charged down, Chatham had won a free kick on the fringes of the Hamlet penalty area. Once more, the heavy brigade moved into the vanguard. The ball delivered. Ping pong it bounced around the area as attackers attempted to drill it home, last ditch defending cleared but not far enough until the coup de grâce as ball skimmed across the face of goal to a waiting red shirt at the back stick whence it was turned home.

Time still favoured a last Dulwich rally but the chances came and went. The air chilled as Hamlet hopes froze and, at the last, Kentish fields took on the aspect of Flanders Fields as, tanks drained, bodies sank to the field.