Sunday 14th November 2021

Dulwich Hamlet returned to winning ways in fine style, exacting swift revenge on a Whyteleafe side who had upset the odds to grab a single goal at Champion Hill just three short weeks ago shutting the hosts out with the Pink and Blues frustrated at every turn by the then bottom club. Going into this game without a win in the league since mid-September, 11 players unavailable or injured, the management found themselves drawing deep from the well of reserve talent. How they responded, honourable mentions to many that stepped up and full honours to Anna Jowle, scoring the perfect hattrick, header, left foot, right foot.

The early exchanges of the game proved cagy but there were already signs that Dulwich had changed their approach to the troublesome ‘Leafe’s tactics of the previous encounter. The hosts Echo Barrett, a compact midfielder much in the mould of the legendary Gillian Coultard, found her influence on the game much waned with Dulwich making better use of the overlap this time. It seemed only a matter of time before Dulwich turned dominance into goals as game progressed. With ten minutes until the break, another corner won, another delightful delivery from Rosie Stone and a textbook header that youngsters everywhere should study. Drifting silently behind here marker Anna Jowle deftly lofted her header from the edge of the six-yard box leaving ‘keeper Amy Jenkins clutching at air.

Although there came a confident cry for a handball and a penalty before the 45 minutes had elapsed that goal remained the separator as the halftime whistle blew. The second half was a horse of a different colour altogether with goals galore and spicy football abounding. Six minutes played and a gorgeous passing move culminated in a goal that should live long in the memories of those lucky enough to have witnessed it. Despite being clattered on the halfway line, Sophie Manzi was strong enough to nudge the ball into the path of Anna Jowle who found Asia Harbour-Brown galloping like a gazelle down the left wing. Harbour-Brown advanced to the corner of the area before pulling a low pass to Jowle who swept a left footed shot, that rose, curled then dipped over the ‘keeper and under the bar as it found a nest in the back of the net.

Dulwich were chomping at the bit now, hungry for more goals. A third was added just after the hour mark as Stone proved herself once more one of the deadly executioners of the dead ball scenario at the Hamlet. The angle may not have been favourable, wide to the left of goal and tight to the backline, but the delivery was exquisite the ball hanging in the air as it drifted beyond Jenkins into the far top corner of the net. Minnie Cruttwell came close to marking her debut for the Hamlet with a thunderous shot from distance that drew a spectacular save out of the overworked Jenkins. Quality continued to match quantity as Dulwich added a fourth goal ten minutes later as the ever-industrious Manzi earned her just reward. Having hooked a close-range effort over the crossbar a few moments before Manzi was in the perfect position to meet a pinpoint delivery from substitute Ellie Milbourn out on the right, diverting the ball out of reach of Jenkins & inside her near post with a deft header. Manzi could well have bagged a second goal as she outpaced the defence to latch on to Saskia Reeves-Priestley’s long clearance only for Jenkins to defy her, standing up well before turning the shot around the post with an outstretched foot. However, it merely delayed the evitable, a corner kick hammered low into the crowded penalty area and Jowle like a seasoned poacher first to the ball to hammer a low right footed shot into the net from six yards out.

There are frustrating days when one digs deep only to find dust and rocks, then there are days when one finds oneself mining a rich seam of gold. Sunday was just such a day.

Teams:
WLFC: Amy Jenkins; Holly Currier; Echo Barrett; Hannah Duncan; Kelly Poynton; Ellie Pace; Suzanne Davies; Amy Reader; Anais Reynolds; Sandy Abi-Elias; Rebecca Keyte
Substitutes: Olivia Gregory; Kaitlyn Lewis
DHFC: 1 Saskia Reeves-Priestley; 4 Chana Hinds; 5 Rosie Stone; 6 Sarah Walters; 7 Sas Philips; 9 Sophie Manzi; 10 Anna Jowle; 11 Anna Stones; 17 Minnie Cruttwell; 18 Asia Harbour-Brown; 20 Harriet Crofts
Substitutes: 19 Ellie Milbourn; 21 Steph Addison
Goal scorers: Anna Jowle 35, 51, 90; Rosie Stone 62; Sophie Manzi 73

Report by Paula Griffin