SPOILS SHARED AS PRE-SEASON BURSTS INTO LIFE FROM THE OFF

14.07.10

The pitch was burnt umber and harder than a van Bommel tackle but Dulwich Hamlet and Redhill pulled out all the stops in a feisty friendly that marked the curtain raiser for both clubs pre-season schedule. Like a cosy cardigan the Hamlet starting XI bore a familiar look with many of the usual suspects in the line-up and some known faces from seasons past making a return to the Pink and Blue. Missing though were the likes of big Phil Wilson between the sticks, the Gallic flyer Nicolas Plumain and sombre striker Frankie Sawyer, the latter pair missing in action during the summer whilst the Sarge has hung up his gloves for the time being as work commitments clash. Returning to the fold, Luke Hickey, curiously surplus to requirements at Kingstonian, wingman Ellis Green and gargantuan central half Francis Duku, the Duke paired with Osa Obamwonyi at the heart of defence.

Under sombre skies, pregnant with rain, it was not a case of a gentle easing back into the routine but a full-blooded baptism of fire and fury. No holds barred in the early tackles, Dulwich with an early advantage, Redhill rapidly making inroads as the game settled into an up-tempo rhythm. Kevin James smacked an excellent curled free kick against the right-hand upright on the quarter hour. As the heavens broke water so Dulwich broke the deadlock. 20 minutes or so gone and a smart low drive from a rambunctiously rampant Sol Pinnock, standing on the angle of the six yard box rattled into the far bottom corner. However the lead lasted but five minutes for a goalkeeping error would present Redhill's Leon Dussard with a simple chance as he got behind the off balance 'keeper to slip one in from an acute angle. 'Hill would rattle the crossbar with a well struck free kick not long afterwards.

With half time fast approaching Kevin James drove home a cracking finish to restore the Hamlet lead or so he thought. However though the innocent James had come from an onside position to chase a long ball over the last line of defence, marching on to crack home a drive from 20 yards out, the miscreant had been Pinnock activating himself in the eyes of the flag wielder as he chased the ball from an offside position. James' passionate defence of his innocence bore no truck with officialdom.

Second half saw a number of substitutions for the Hamlet with Pinnock making way for Roy Odiaka. Also joining the fray, amongst others, were Gerry Gonnella and Yinka Salami as well as more familiar faces from days of yore, David Moore to name but one. Goal scoring honours went to a new name Sulaiman Bangura, the former Chelsea and Fulham youngster claiming the goal after Redhill's custodian had failed to claim a free kick delivered from the flanks. Once more though the lead was short-lived as Calvin Headley put the finishing touches to a lancinating attack down the Hamlet's left flanks.

Though the greatest prize on offer was pride, not pots, points nor pounds neither side shirked from the search for success. As the dusk enveloped the arena, Dulwich came so close in a pell-mell goalmouth scramble Justin Bowen bravely blocked in the act of shooting, the rebound, Moore likewise. A quarter hour left and Moore came close once again as he hammered a close range hooked volley that grazed the skin of the woodwork. A loud shout for a penalty at the death, harsh perhaps had it been given, equally frustrating that it were denied, naught from the referee though and the combatants left the field of battle honours even and rightly so.