All the news from the papers

We were busy last week, so here's a 'double dose' from the printed press over the last fortnight

We begin a belated round-up from the past fortnight with the report from the ‘Non League Paper’ on Sunday 24th January, for a top of the table clash in Essex:

East Thurrock twice came from behind to deny second-placed Dulwich Hamlet and keep themselves firmly in third.
Dulwich couldn’t have hoped for a better start, as they scored within 40 seconds, Ryan Moss rising well at the near post to head in off the upright.
Dulwich’s confidence was clearly visible for the next 15 minutes as they piled on the pressure and nearly made it 2-0 on 10 minutes when right-back Mitchell Nelson’s header from a corner crashed off the upright.
The Rocks slowly began to get back into the match and had a couple of chances. The best fell to Tom Wraight, who headed over the bar, from Sam Higgins’ cross.
The Rocks started the second half the better side and in the 51st minute were level. Ben Wood’s floated corner was nodded home at the back post by Tom Wraight.
Dulwich re-took the lead on 75 minutes, when winger Nyren Clunis ran onto a poorly executed back pass, rounded the keeper Lucas Lidakevicius and slotted home into an empty net.
But two minutes later, the Rocks levelled again, Higgins crashing the ball past Hamlet keeper Phil Wilson from 15 yards.
STAR MAN: Tom Wraight (East Thurock United)
ENTERTAINMENT: Three stars (out of a possible five)

Two days later the midweek ‘South London Press’ also led their non-league column on with the East Thurrock match:

Dulwich Hamlet couldn’t take advantage of a draw between Ryman League Premier Division promotion rivals Hampton & Richmond Borough and Tonbridge Angels as they were held by third-placed East Thurrock United.
Gavin Rose has warned his side not to lose ground on their rivals in these clashes but they will still be disappointed after dominating their hosts and twice surrendering the lead.
Ryan Moss gave the Champion Hill outfit the ideal start when he headed in Jordan Hibbert’s cross in the second minute.
Jack Dixon, Dean McDonald, Nyren Clunis, Mitchell Nelson, Ashley Carew and Moss all had opportunities to extend the advantage before the break, and they rued not taking those chances when Tommy Wright was left unmarked to head an equaliser six minutes after the restart.
The second half was more even but the SE22 club went back in front with 15 minutes left when Clunis capitalised on a defensive error to round the Thurrock keeper and roll into an empty net.
But Dulwich’s second lead lasted only two minutes as Sam Higgins took advantage of hesitant defending to crash home another leveller.
Hamlet play their re-scheduled league fixture against struggling Lewes tomorrow.

Forty eight hours later the weekly ‘Southwark News’ also headlined with the weekend draw:

A point earned by Dulwich Hamlet on Saturday away against East Thurrock United only added to the congested chased for promotion at the summit of the Ryman Premier League.
Hamlet, who are in second place in the table, led twice in the 2-2 encounter with Ryan Moss netting in the first minute and Nyren Clunis with fifteen minutes remaining.
But third placed Thurrock equalised twice through Tom Wraight on 51 minutes and Sam Higgins, who scored just two minutes after Dulwich had taken the lead for the second time.
Just ten points separates the top nine teams in the Ryman Premier table after Saturday’s games, as the season continues to be and up and down experience for a number of sides.
Leaders Hampton & Richmond Borough missed out on an opportunity to extend their two-point advantage over Hamlet when they succumbed to a last minute equaliser against fourth placed, before kick off, Tonbridge Angels.
Hampton were all set to grab all three points but were pegged back when Angels Nathan Elder scored in the final minute, meaning the top four sides in the league all picked up one point last weekend.
Hamlet will travel to Lewes on Wednesday night, after the game was postponed on the same day last week, knowing a victory will move them back to the summit of the Ryman Premier League.
Should dulwich win that game, which finishes after the News goes to press, against the bottom side in the league the Pink and Blues will have a one point advantage over Hampton.
However the Richmond borough based side will have played two games less than Dulwich although this season has proved no guarantee of points.

There was also a report, in the same 'Southwark News', on our forthcoming charity match:

Dulwich Hamlet FC have confirmed they will play a charity match in March against FC Assyria of the Middlesex County Football League.
All cash raised on the night will be split between two charities, namely Southwark Refugee Communities Forum and the British Red Cross Syria Appeal.
The club committee are working with the supporters’ trust and Southwark Council on the friendly contest, that gets underway at 7.45pm, that will help people in crisis both in this country and Syria.

The weekend edition of the ‘South London Press’ ran a big piece on our attendance growth:

LATEST figures show Dulwich have the highest gates at their level in the Football League pyramid, averaging 1,202 per game.
Their nearest rivals in the Ryman League are Guernsey - whose 732 figure is little more than half Hamlet’s.
A crowd of 2,249 watched them beat Enfield 2-0 in their last home game.
Success under Gavin Rose has been a big factor - but so has a string of initiatives which seem to have attracted a student and so-called “hipster” crowd.
These have included an anti-racism day, collections for refugees in Calais and an anti-homophobia day - plus regular giveaways to schools and community groups.
Links to Brixton sites Brixton Buzz and Urban 75 have also boosted the club’s image among young fans and families - a reflection of the thriving community around Lordship Lane and other zones nearby.
Crowds have not been this big at Champion Hill since the late 1950s, when a derby against Tooting & Mitcham or Wimbledon would get 5,000 through the turnstiles.
The last big gate there was 4,000 in October 1964, when then-First Division leaders Chelsea took a full first team for the inauguration of new floodlights.
Supporter numbers have surged from a figure of about 250 when Rose first became manager in 2009 - they won promotion from the Ryman League Southern Division in 2012 and have been contenders for promotion for most of the subsequent campaigns.
The club has been close to going under in the past and there were threats to turn off utility supplies but new owners, property developers Hadley, have secured the future with a plan to revamp the stadium and build 200 flats and houses around the ground.
Hamlet commercial manager Liam Hickey said: “Every business needs to learn to communicate with its audience. Dulwich is doing that, making itself a part of its community, instead of just being a club that sits on the outside, just playing football. Social media is a massive part of that. A lot of clubs don’t do it very well. But competitive pricing and sending out the right message are crucial, too. We are trying to do the right things and send out the right message.”
Beer also makes a difference. The bar is supplied by micro breweries, and most games it has been hard for some fans to get a pint.
But they are opening a second bar, pitchside in the former groundsman’s shed, for tomorrow’s home game against Harrow Borough.
Chief executive Martin Eede said: “We are not a political club, but a social conscience seems to be a part of it. We like to attract everyone from the area and that means all people. And the more something grows, the more it grows. People have an enjoyable time. The people behind the goal - the Rabble, they call themselves - have fun irrespective of how the game is going. But the players really feed off that - it has built up so that now there’s a bit of a love-fest going on. The club is also much more stable. We would not have been viable as a business if any of our utilities had been cut off. People put their hands in their pockets to save us and we were very grateful. Things are much better now. The player budget has improved as a result of the crowds, which gives any club a better chance. But as Maidstone and Margate have shown recently, money does not guarantee success - and there have been times when we punched above our weight in terms of finances. You still have to get the right players. And we are not paying a king’s ransome.”
Club historian John Lawrence, who started going in the early 1960s, added: “If you give away 50 tickets, even if only two come back, that is a plus for the club. It has helped create a terrific atmosphere on matchdays. Ticket prices help, too - there are not many clubs around here who charge as little as £10 for adults and £4 for concessions.”
Wednesday’s scheduled Ryman League Premier Division clash against Lewes was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
Jordan Brown won’t face Harrow Borough as he is out with a thigh problem but Osei Sankofa could play after returning to the bench last weekend along with Rhys-Murrell Williamson.

Last Sunday saw the ‘Non League Paper’ cover our emphatic victory over Harrow Borough:

Dulwich returned to the top of the table with this ultimately comfortable win over Harrow, who had keeper Brendan Hazlett dismissed early in the second half with the score only 1-0.
Boro’ were more than a match for their hosts in the first half.
And they were a shade unlucky to trail at the break to a 39th minute goal from Nyren Clunis, who latched onto a through ball from Matt Drage and whipped his shot low inside Hazlett’s near post.
Marc Charles-Smith missed a gilt-edged chance to level, heading wide from close range.
Hazlett’s 47th minute red card, for handling outside his box and denying a clear goalscoring opportunity, turned things decisively in Hamlet’s favour.
Stand-in keeper Lewis Driver acquitted himself well in the main but had no chance when Damian Scannell skilfully lobbed him from 30 yards just after the hour mark.
Clunis netted his second and Dulwich’s third on 77 minutes, with a precise shot into the top corner.
The winger turned provider five minutes later when he squared for substitute Jacob Erskine, whose close-range shot squirmed through Driver’s grasp.
Dulwich also finished the game with ten men, defender Drage limping off.
STAR MAN: Nyren Clunis (Dulwich Hamlet)
ENTERTAINMENT: Three stars (out of a possible five)

And so to the current week, on Tuesday the headline in the ‘South London Press’ commented on us reaching the summit again:

Dulwich Hamlet edged back in front in the Ryman League Premier Division title race thanks to a 4-0 win over Harrow Borough on Saturday.
Another bumper crowd of over 2,000 at Champion Hill saw Gavin Rose’s side go back to the top on goal difference thanks to Hampton & Richmond Borough losing at Bognor Regis Town.
Nyren Clunis gave Hamlet the lead against the run of play on 39 minutes when he hit a first-time effort from Matt Drage’s long ball.
Dulwich’s cause was helped early in the second half as visiting keeper Brendan Hazlett lost his footing when coming out of his area to get the ball and handled outside the box. He was given his marching orders and without a reserve stopper on the bench, Harrow were forced to put an outfield player between the sticks.
They hung on for a while though, and it took until the 71st minute for Dulwich to make it 2-0 when Damian Scannell latched onto Dean McDonald’s through ball and lobbed stand-in custodian Lewis Driver from 30 yards.
Clunis got his second a few minutes later with a high shot from the edge of the area and Jacob Erskine bagged his first goal since his return from injury when his shot squirmed under Driver late on.
The South Londoners travel to Staines Town tonight.

Yesterday the headline in this week’s ‘Southwark News’ also highlighted the league table:

Dulwich Hamlet returned to the top of the Ryman Premier League last weekend following their 4-0 demolition of Harrow Borough.
Two goals from Nyren Clunis plus two second half efforts from Damien Scannell and Jacob Erskine ensured the Pink and Blues returned to the top of the table.
They were helped a great deal on Saturday when visiting keeper Brendan Hazlett saw red for a foul on Hamlet frontman Ryan Moss when the pair chased a losse ball.
With no keeper on the bench, and the game finely poised at 1-0, striker Lewis Driver donned the gloves but he could do little to stop Dulwich eventually easing to a comfortable victory.
On Tuesday night Dulwich travelled to Staines Town and they held on to top spot, on goal difference from East Thurrock United, with a 3-1 victory.
Goals from Ashley Carew and Moss, plus an own goal, were enough to secure the points.
This weekend Hamlet are on their travels again when they travel to Crayford in Kent to take on VCD Athletic who are currently trying to extricate themselves from a late season relegation dogfight.

And finally, from this double dose of a weekly round-up, today’s ‘South London Press’ ran a big feature on Nyren Clunis:

Nyren Clunis is only 24 but is still one of the most established players in the Dulwich Hamlet squad-and he is loving Champion Hill life more than ever.
Gavin Rose’s new policy over the last couple of seasons of making more summer changes has seen a greater turnover of players than his earlier years in SE22. But the winger has been one of the few to last the pace.
He made his first-team debut in late 2009 and has amassed 278 appearances, scoring 67 goals.
He has been there for all the highs of the last few years including promotion and play-off pushes. But the calibre of his team-mates, a promotion push for the National League South and the soaring attendances in SE22 means he has never been so excited to play in pin and blue.
“It’s the best time I’ve had at Dulwich Hamlet,” Clunis said. The supporters are great. They are there in their thousands every week now. When I started it was just a couple of hundred. It’s great being a team looking for the title-we aren’t interested in play-offs. I feel like I’m the most experienced even though I’m still young. We used to have mainly young players and a couple of experienced ones but that’s changed. The whole 11 is made up of experienced players now. I feel like someone who is established rather than one who is trying to break in. Gavin Rose has also added firepower with better wingers-it’s good to see talent like Rhys Murrell-Williamson and Albert Jarrett in my position. I like hearing stories from players who have been at a higher level. That’s where we want to go. The ex-pro’s are good role models for the younger players. Then you have players like Ryan Moss, a proven goalscorer. It’s good to have someone in there that we know if we give them chances from wide, they will do the business.”
Hamlet were in the Ryman League Division One South when Clunis began his career but he has improved along with his team.
He is very much at home at this level and is confident he and his side can more than compete if they achieve their aim of promotion.
This was in clear evidence just three weeks ago as the South Londoners provided a stern test for Yorkshire outfit Guiseley, who are two levels above, in the FA Trophy.
Dulwich lost 2-1 but pressed hard to find an equaliser and almost forced a replay at the death.
“We’ve always felt that we can compete in the higher leagues,” Clunis said. “That match did show we are capable of doing that. It was like any other match for us. It didn’t feel like they were superior to us-for us it seemed like a normal league fixture and we deserved at least a replay. We would like to finish top of the league obviously, but other teams have games in hand so it’s difficult to keep that position. When March comes round we don’t want to be third or fourth and chasing. We want to avoid the play-offs and go up as champions.”
Clunis has been in blistering from since he returned to the side in October after missing seven games with a knee injury.
In 21 games, he has banged in nine goals and notched four assists.
“I missed about seven weeks but as soon as I came back I was scoring goals,” he said. “I’ve had a little run and been consistent. Getting another two on Saturday and an assist was very pleasing.”
Clunis was in action again for his side on Tuesday as they picked up a 3-1 win at Staines Town on Tuesday.
Dulwich overcame the absence of the injured Ethan Pinnock, Danny Waldren and Jordan Brown. Murrell-Williamson’s deflected long-range effort gave the visitors the lead in the 26th minute. The wideman was brought down in the box two minutes later and Ashley Carew netted his 10th penalty of the season to double the lead.
Staines pulled one back early in the second half but substitute Moss settled any nerves six minutes from time as he met Carew’s cross with a diving header.
Three points were vital as East Thurrock United, Hampton & Richmond Borough, Bognor Regis Town and Tonbridge Angels all won.
Tomorrow sees Hamlet visit strugglers VCD Athletic, who Dulwich have already beaten twice this year-once in the league and once in the FA Vase. (Official DHFC website note: Actually FA Trophy. We have never been low enough down the non-league pyramid to have to enter the Vase)
“They are where they are for a reason,” Clunis said.