REPORT | Dulwich Hamlet vs Dartford

Sunday 14th January 2024, the day of Dulwich Hamlet Women’s biggest game of the season taking on the league leaders and only unbeaten side in the division, Dartford FC.

Hamlet headed into the game on the back of a 4-1 win over Ashford United on the previous Sunday. Hamlet got the game underway on a freezing cold afternoon at Champion Hill. It didn’t take long for Hamlet to stamp their authority on this match. In the 16th minute a free kick was whipped in which wasn’t dealt with and Shakira Kafero-Roberts was there to head Hamlet into an early lead.

After continued pressure from the hosts creating issues for the Dartford defence, it was the visitors who surprisingly struck next. Dartford won a penalty in the 39th minute which was smashed into the right side of the goal and meant the visitors were back in the game. It looked all set for the sides to go in level at half time but not on Lily Price’s watch as around 10 yards outside the box she struck a magnificent free kick into the top of the net to see Hamlet go into the break with a 2-1 lead.

As the second half was upon us Ryan made his first change of the game as Phoebe Read replaced Anna Jowle. In the 64th minute Hamlet made their second substitution of the day as Martha Goddard replaced Angel Reid. Minutes later the lead was extended to 2 as Kafero-Roberts got herself a brace after a mix up at the back saw herself 1 on 1 with the keeper and slotting it through her legs to slot the ball home.

After an injury, Asia Harbour-Brown was forced off to be replaced by Tia Searle. In the 80th minute Hamlet looked to have sealed this monumental victory after some fabulous work down the right wing from Goddard who set up Phoebe Read who then smashed the ball into the roof of the net for Hamlet to go 4-1 up against this previously unbeaten side. Hamlet were again forced into a change as the injured Morgan Searle went off and Rhea Gall was brought on.

Dartford were able to give themselves a glimmer of hope in the 88th minute as a free kick on the edge of the box was powered into the right side of the net to cut the deficit down to 2. Just after this Hamlet made their 5th and final change of the day bringing off Phoebe Read and bringing on Grace Craven to close this game out. Seeing the game out was not what Hamlet did as Summer Roberts, on her right foot, calmly placed the hosts back into a 3 goal advantage and shoot themselves up into 2nd in the league with a game in hand on current leaders Fulham.

This 5-2 victory saw Hamlet fans go crazy with the team’s remarkable performance to end Dartford’s 11 game unbeaten run and leapfrog them in the league table. The team will be looking to win their game in hand on Fulham to boost themselves into pole position in the fight for promotion.

HIGHLIGHTS | Dulwich Hamlet vs Ashford United

Match Report | Billericay Town 2 Dulwich Hamlet 1

Billericay turned pink and blue as a large contingent of around 170 Dulwich fans piled off the train on Sunday lunchtime and after a few drinks in the excellent Railway pub, made their way to the AGP stadium in anticipation of a cracking 2nd round Women’s FA Cup fixture. Hopes were high due to the fact that not many fans could remember the last time Dulwich had lost a game.

Dulwich fans cheered the team onto the pitch as they came out of the tunnel and headed to the back of the goal ready to cheer their team on for 90 minutes.

Play shortly got underway and Dulwich held up well to a team two leagues above us and was pretty deadlocked until the 18th minute when Summer Roberts had a chance from just outside the penalty area to score but it was comfortably saved by the keeper.

Almost immediately, Lily Price nearly had a chance when her effort on-goal nearly went in but hit the post and five minutes later she tried her luck from a free-kick but her effort was saved.

On the 34th minute Dulwich were awarded a free kick for a handball that was clearly in the area. After protests from both players and fans, the referee consulted with the linesman who judged it to be in the penalty area and a penalty was duly awarded.

Brit Saylor stepped up and calmly slotted it into the right-hand corner and Dulwich took the lead and the fans went wild.

Super charged Dulwich had another couple of chances before half time when a precision free kick from Lilly Price found Brit Saylor who came close to putting it in the back of the net, followed by an excellent shot by Phoebe Read being expertly saved by Billericay’s keeper.

The halftime whistle went and Dulwich headed back to the changing rooms brimming with confidence and a 1-0 lead over their National League opponents.

Billericay came out in the second half with a confidence they did not show in the first half and were quick to equalise on the 50th minute as Soraya Walsh shot from the inside edge of the penalty area and put the ball past Saskia Reeves-Priestley.

Ryan Dempsey responded to Billericay’s renewed enthusiasm by swapping Luna Alves Etienne for Angel Reid in order to bring on a fresh pair of legs.

Shortly after, a brilliant cross was put into the penalty area and found Asia Harbour Brown who headed her effort from close range, only for it to land in the hands of the keeper which was followed by the second substitution of the game when Ceylon Hickman came on for Morgan Searle.

With time running out and the prospect of extra time loomed ever more, Billericay would likely have taken the lead if it we not for Jodie Lodge running back and putting in a well-timed tackle on Maddie Biggs to prevent her scoring.

Maddie Biggs however got her goal in the 90th minute scoreing Billericay’s second goal of the game when she slotted in from the right-hand side of the goal.

Dulwich’s FA Cup dreams were over for another season in the same round we were knocked out in last season but no one can say the entire team did not put everything they had into it.

Billericay went on to draw London City Lionesses from the Women’s Championship, the second tier of English Women’s football.

MATCH REPORT | Barking 0 Dulwich 6

Last Sunday the team travelled to East London to compete in this year’s Women’s FA Cup against Barking FC. 

On the back of four wins in a row, the team went into this game full of confidence and seeking to put in another high tempo performance to ensure that they would be draw for the next round. 

With Barking competing at the same league step as Dulwich and having been promoted the previous year, a tough cup tie was expected by the traveling Hamlet supporters. 

Whilst both teams started strongly and equally had chances to break the deadlock, Hamlet started to take control of the game and in the 12 minute Angel Read came close in putting the Hamlet in front but the Barking keeper saved the close range effort.  Within minutes Hamlet had another chance to take the lead, but again the home keeper was able to save when forward Shakira Kafero-Roberts, went one-to-one with the Barking shot stopper which resulted in a corner for the visitors. 

Finally, the early Hamlet pressure paid off and in the 16 minute the visitors went ahead. A great cross into the penalty area, by Lily Price, found Kafero-Roberts who slotted her effort first time into the back of the net. 

Minutes later the lead was doubled. Another cross from out wide, this time from Reha Gall, found Summer Roberts who put the ball into the net for her first goal of the game. 

The Hamlet continued to apply pressure to the Barking defence and almost got a third in the 25 minute, but Roberts put her effort wide. 

Dulwich was now in full command of the game and in the 35 minute Phoebe Read made it three for the Hamlet! Following good work by Asia Harbour-Brown, who rounded the home team keeper, she managed to pick out Read who scored to put Dulwich three – nil to the good. 

Soon Dulwich made it four when in the 39 minute Gall scored following a Roberts head that hit the post only for Gall to head in the rebound. 

The second half started the same as the first half, with both teams having an equal opportunity with the ball.  Despite the Barking procession, the Hamlet defence stood firm and continued to pacify the Barking attacks. 

The first real chance of this half came on the 63 minute when Kafero-Roberts, who was always in the thick of it going forward, attempted a lob over the keeper but her effort went over the bar. 

Within a minute it was five for Dulwich, when Roberts scored her second of the game. 

Not long after a corner-kick delivery from Lily Price Read in the penalty area whose first time volley was headed on the line by the Barking defence. 

Roberts capped a great day by completing her first hat-trick for the club in the 80 minute. As Barking keeper came out of their box to try to collect the ball, Roberts managed to round the keeper to slot the ball into the empty net. 

That was to be the final goal of the game and in stoppage time, adding to the home teams already bad day, they went down to ten players when Kafero-Roberts was fouled denying her a goalscoring opportunity and leaving the referee no choice but to issue a red card.  The win see’s the team through to the Women’s FA Cup Third Round Qualifying away to Headstone Manor on Sunday 4 October.