Another look at last weeks matches, from the perspective of the opposition camps

Last weekend we hosted Carshalton Athletic, where we had a comfortable win over The Robins:

Carshalton fell to much fancied Dulwich in a game played in a monsoon

Despite only being one down after a poor first half the Robins rallied in the second but Tommy Bradford’s strike 13 minutes from time was not enough to salvage anything.

Jon Munday made his season debut at the back from the absent Quincy Rowe and Louis Hollingsworth came back in for Matt Males in the only two changes from Tuesday’s starting line-up at Bognor.

The tone for the first 45 minutes was set in the opening minute as Sean O’Toole made a brave headed clearance from a Billy Crook cross looking for Dean Lodge, the ex-Robins looking to combine early.

O’Toole took Carshalton forward on their first foray just after, running 50 yards down the left and teeing up Luke Pigden for a cross, but it was swiped away by the home defence.

The rain, which was unrelenting throughout, was causing through balls and clearences to carry further than usual, but the home side got used to it quicker, Hollingsworth doing well to stop Dulwich striker Harry Ottaway getting a shot off as he fed on a inch perfect pass on eight minutes.

Looking dangerous every time they came forward, Dulwich eventually took the lead on 14 minutes as Peter Adeniyi fed Lodge who, via a one-two with Erhun Oztumer, broke into the box and cut a shot across Michael McEntegart and into the far side netting.

Kevin James almost added a second two minutes later but his curling free kick went just wide of McEntegart’s right hand post, Munday made a good block on another cross shortly after and McEntegart missed an attempted punch but blocked a reactionary stab goalwards in the same movement as Carshalton were on the ropes.

Julian Owusu and Kieran Woodley were finding it hard to hold any clearances coming their way, although O’Toole did earn his side a free kick near the edge of the Dulwich box on 22 minutes but Pigden’s delivery couldn’t find Munday or Harold Odanetey at the back post.

Oztumer worked McEntegart just before the half hour as he bent a first time shot from 25 yards towards a top corner, but the Robins keeper palmed it wide at full stretch.

Owusu, to underline the wet conditions, took a measured Pigden pass down on his chest on the edge of the Dulwich box but slipped as he went to turn on the ball on 30 minutes.

Another major talking point of the game occurred on 35 minutes and meant the end of Ottaway’s afternoon.

The striker, Hollingsworth and McEntegart all closed down on a long ball through the middle and, as they clashed, the striker and goalkeeper came together heavily. McEntegart bravely kept hold of the ball but Ottaway had to eventually leave the pitch on a stretcher, reportedly with a broken leg. Paul vines, another ex-Robin, took his place.

Dulwich continued to work Carshalton hard off the ball by retaining possession for long periods, Munday accidently taking down O’Toole as the pair both tried to win it back at one point and Hollingsworth picking up a booking for bringing down Lodge.

HALF-TIME: 1 – 0

The skies opened even more at the break but Dulwich started on the front foot again and double their lead on 48 minutes. A free kick was delivered into Carshalton’s box and Mathieu Boyer slid in to score.

Steve Butterworth was brought on for Munday to try and add fresh impetus to the Carshalton forward line but Mark Goodman had to make a last ditch block to deny Nyren Clunis.

Woodley had a positive forward run over halfway for Carshalton on 52 minutes but, as Owusu created some space by taking a defender away, the forward slightly overran it and the ball was cleared on the edge of the box.

But it sparked some life into the Robins as an attacking force and they forced two corners, the second one of which Owusu almost beat Dulwich keeper Phil Wilson to with his head.

Oztumer latched onto a Vines pass but bent an effort just wide and Wilson had to tip a Goodman cross over his own bar as the teams traded attacks, while Wilson had to be nimble as he failed to hold a Adeniyi header back to him, sliding back to prevent a corner.

The Robins were getting some more crosses in but still not really testing Wilson, while McEntegart made a good save to deny Vines a goal against his old club. But it was Carshalton that grabbed the next goal of the game.

A free kick was initially cleared by the Dulwich defence and Butterworth did well to sweep a leg around the ball as Lewis Gonsalves tried to see it out of play. The substitute sent the ball into Goodman who, in turn, fed Bradford 20 yards out. He shifted it onto his right foot and sent in a shot that Wilson appeared to have covered, but it slipped from his grasp and went in.

The home crowd began to call out against every misplaced pass and clearance now as the Robins pushed for an equaliser, Woodley almost in on a Bradford through ball and the pair combined again on 85 minutes but the midfielder’s cross dribbled harmlessly out of play.

Odanetey made a powerful run forward on 87 minutes and his pass into sub Joe Nwoko drew Wilson out. The keeper slid in but again failed to hold onto the ball but Nwoko’s momentum just took him too far forward to be able to react and capitalise.

Dulwich broke straight down the other end and Oztumer cut in from the right, ran along the edge of the box and curled a shot into the far right hand corner to complete the day’s scoring.

On Bank Holiday Monday we shared points at Grays Athletic:

Blues and Dulwich grind out a goal-less stalemate in the bank-holiday sun at Mill Field today.

The much anticipated first meeting of the season between the newly promoted champions of their respective Isthmian divisions last season was dominated by two very well organised back lines.

In a very even opening period both sides struggled to create clear-cut scoring opportunities and when openings were made the final ball wasn't enough to prise open the defence or put either keeper under any pressure.

Best chance of the first half fell to Erhun Oztumer who latched onto a loose ball, wriggled clear of the defence but dragged his shot just wide of the advancing Kamurasi's left-hand post.

In the second-half Dulwich saw more of the ball but the home side had the best chances to score. Craig Pope's header pulled a world-class save out of Phil Wilson and Jack West hooked a lofted ball agonisingly beyond the far post after getting in behind the defence.

Both sides tried to play football on a dry, hard pitch in at times searing temperatures and tried to change the game with tactical substitutions but the game remained goal-less and the draw was the fair result.

It must be said that the match was played in a competitive but excellent spirit with both sets of supporters getting behind their team. The first half sing-off between the Blues and the visiting supporters was an equally entertaining stalemate.