TOM PEDROTTI EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

16.05.10

It may have taken until the 16th May, but Dulwich now have their chance to win some silverware this season, as Ian Neal's Under 18 Youth side marches towards Thamesmead Town's Bayliss Avenue to take on Hamlet slayers Chatham Town in the final of the John Ullman Cup. www.dulwichhamletfc.co.uk caught up with top scorer Tom Pedrotti to get the striker's pre-match views before his side's biggest game of the season…

Ian Neal and his Hamlet youngsters surprised most people with their 1-0 victory in the semi final over Gavin Rose's Dulwich Academy side, as sides such as Norwich, Dartford and Chelmsford City had all struggled to cope with Rose's whizz-kids in previous encounters this season. Pedrotti admitted himself that the result was a slight shock, but remained adamant that the victory was deserved.

"Yes, many people didn't expect us to win, but we took that on board and we were more motivated to win it in the end and deserved the result we got."

Although the topic of calling up youth team players from Ian Neal's side to first team duties is an extremely controversial and commonly mooted topic on the terraces, many supporters remain hopeful that some of Neal's youngsters will be noticed by Gavin Rose for next season's plans. Pedrotti happily states that he and the rest of the squad would be delighted with a call up, after performing admirably in front of both Junior Kadi and Rose in the semi final.

"Well it would be nice for any of the lads to be called up and I would like to be called up too, but we'll just have to wait and see until the end of this season to see if it will be any of us."

Hamlet supporters will already know a little about Dulwich's opponents today, having watched them perform a miraculous comeback against Rose's Academy side in the Onetwenty2 League Cup final back in early May, as they came back from 4-0 down to win the contest 6-5 after extra time! As well as being unbeaten in their league campaign this season, they have already beaten Neal's side 4-2 in the league cup back in October 2009. However, Pedrotti adopts an optimistic look upon the final today and thinks that they can use their earlier encounter with the Kent outfit to their advantage.

"Anything can happen in a final. Having played them earlier this season, we know what they're about and I'm sure we can give them a good game and hopefully end their unbeaten run today."

With five league games left this season, it could be argued that the Hamlet might be keeping one eye on their league position going into the final today and perhaps preserving some energy for the testing encounters yet to come. The young centre forward however, insists that every bit of focus will be directed into today's battle for silverware.

"Everything will be going into this game, we deserve to get something after the run we've had in this cup and after we will be concentrating on coming runners up in our division, hopefully."

After many on the terraces of Champion Hill have noticed Pedrotti's goalscoring exploits in the youth side this season, some believe that the youngster deserves a chance in the first team, after an apparently successful campaign for the striker. Pedrotti is in fact modest in his achievements, but hopes that he can cap a good season for himself with a trophy tonight.

"Well this season I wanted to give my all as it was my first and possibly last season with the club and I'm the top scorer, but it isn't just down to me scoring the goals the team has been fantastic all season and it can be made a great season by winning the cup on today."

© Richard Caldecourt