A Wednesday night trip over the Thames into the East End to the wide-open spaces of the Mile End Stadium bathed beneath the twinkling lights of Canary Wharf where money rides and people crawl. Just the tonic the Hamlet needed after too many frustrating results of late although it must be too early to say whether the midweek massacre of the East Londoners reserves could be a way out of the desert or just another fruitful oasis on the journey.
It took a while for the Hamlet to find their flow but once they did, they quickly got their teeth into the opposition.

The opening goal came midway through the first half as a poor defensive clearance was pounced on by Sas Philp. A neat pass slipped in Sophie Manzi for an angled run into the box. A first effort was scuffed, blocked by a defender but Manzi was not to be denied, snapping up the loose ball and tucking it emphatically home inside the near post. A second goal was added within minutes as Rosie Stone lofted a ball deep to the back of the box, the host’s keeper pushing away the ball as Sarah Milner attacked the cross but only into the path of Hannah Baptiste who tucked home from 15 yards out. The custodian atoned for that with brave keeping defying Manzi soon after, denying the Dulwich striker with a courageous save at her feet after some tricky skills in the six-yard box. However, she found herself beaten for a third as halftime approached, Manzi’s slide rule pass from just inside the Seaward half dissecting the defence and sending Sas Philp storming through on goal to finish with a crackerjack shot past the ‘keeper at her right hand. Still time for another goal before the half time oranges. Out on the wing, Philp robbed a hesitant right back of the ball, cutting inside to centre for Manzi to clinically finish into the far bottom corner of the net.

The floodgates were now well and truly open. The whistle had barely gone to restart proceedings when Hannah Baptiste added to the Hamlet’s growing tally. An under-hit clearance was hooked back into Baptiste’s path and with the goal in her sights she unleashed a thunderbolt shot from 25 yards out. It might have taken a nick off a defender on the way but with power and precision a-plenty there was no doubt where the ball was heading – the back of the net. Just after the hour mark two of the Hamlet substitutes combined to make it 6 nil. Released on the right Ellie Milbourn scampered down the wing before delivering a deadly low ball across the face of goal that Jordan Williamson devoured at the back of the box with an adroit finish. Anna Jowle proved she can be just adept with her head as with her feet attacking a corner from the right to make it seven diverting the ball past the defenders on the line. Returning from her Covid induced hiatus Lucy Monkman was perhaps a tad fortunate to bag the Hamlet’s eight, a shot on the run from distance as she cut in from the wing bobbling on the pitch as the slippery shot squirmed through a shellshocked custodian’s legs.

The hosts must have been praying for a final whistle and an escape from their torment but Dulwich still one last bullet in their ammunition. Baptiste’s strength in midfield allowed her to advance before slipping a pass through to Jowle in the box. Sent tumbling by the defender’s presence Jowle preserved, getting back to her feet before tucking the ball into the path of the onrushing Jo Gibson who finished with aplomb bringing Dulwich’s blitz of the East End to a conclusion.

Team:
DHFC: 1 Saskia Reeves-Priestley; 2 Minnie Cruttwell; 4 Chana Hinds; 5 Rosie Stone; 7 Sas Philp; 9 Sophie Manzi; 15 Hannah Baptiste; 17 Sarah Milner; 18 Anna Jowle; 20 Harriett Crofts; 21 Jasmine Lacrette
Substitutes: 12 Ellie Milbourn; 13 Rhea Gall; 14 Lucy Monkman; 19 Jordan Williamson; 22 Jo Gibson
Goal scorers: Sophie Manzi 22, 45; Hannah Baptiste 28, 49; Sas Philp 44; Jordan Williamson 62; Anna Jowle 71; Lucy Monkman 78; Jo Gibson 90

Report by Paula Griffin