Match Preview - Dulwich Hamlet U18s vs Kidderminster Harriers Academy

Tomorrow (Wednesday) the ASPIRE Academy Dulwich Hamlet youth face Kidderminster Harriers Academy in the FCYA Playoffs - KO 1.30pm at Champion Hill

Champion Hill will be looking forward to a clash of the Champions this Wednesday afternoon as the double-winning ASPIRE Academy coached Dulwich Hamlet Under 18s go head-to-head with their counterparts from the Kidderminster Harriers Football Academy in the First Round of the Football Conference Youth Alliance (FCYA) National Playoffs.

The Kidderminster Harriers Football Academy is in its fifth year and has produced successful players ready to start professional careers, with a string of students having played with the Kidderminster Harriers senior team, winning a steady stream of accolades in local, regional and national football competitions. Players such as Tyrone Williams, Kennedy Digie, Luke Maxwell and most recently of all Dan Sweeny have graduated through the ranks of the Harriers Academy to break into the First Team at Aggborough.

This season has already seen the young Harriers clinch Division H of the Youth Alliance, the title confined on 15th April with a dramatic win over Tividale. Knowing that a victory would see them overtake Mansfield at the head of the field, Harriers hared into a two goal lead only to be pegged back to 2-2 by their opponents. Fears that the team might have to wait until their final league game away to Chasetown to lift the silverware were allayed when Lewis Clarke popped up to bag a late winner to spark euphoric scenes at the last blast of the whistle. That divisional title may yet become a double for Kidderminster have also reached the final of the FCYA League Cup. There they will face up against Romford Blues on the evening of Wednesday 4th May with Wycombe Wanderers’ Adams Park the venue. In the FA Youth Cup Kidderminster bowed out at the third qualifying round stage. There they narrowly succumbed to AFC Telford United 2-1 after big wins on the way. 7-0 at home Evesham United 7-0 in the Preliminary Round, 4-2 away Tipton Town in the First Qualifying Round, then 7-0 on the road at Halesowen Town.

Dulwich Hamlet’s involvement in the FA Youth Cup lasted a round longer before they lost out in a penalty shootout at Imber Court to the Me Police’s footballing cadets. The Boys in Blue would go on to become the unlikely heroes of the competition, sparking national interest as they felled Yeovil Town then shocked Burnley, beating their fulltime opponents in a penalty shootout after the game finished 2-2 at the end of extra time. Unfortunately, the dream died at the hands of Wolves in the 4th Round Proper as the Met were thrashed 5-0 at Molineux.

Away from the national spotlight, Dulwich Hamlet’s ASPIRE Academy youngsters once more probed their worth in the midweek and Sunday league competitions though as usual Junior Kadi’s teams toyed with the emotions. The Kent Youth League Under 18 North Division looked to be Dulwich’s for the taking but the withdrawal of Greenwich Borough turned the tables in favour of rivals Bromley as Hamlet’s six points and NINETEEN goals evaporated from the equation. The final day of reckoning left Dulwich Hamlet knowing a win would see them retain the title whilst a draw would mean a playoff with the young Lilywhites goal difference counting for naught in the Kent Youth League. If the previous season’s finale had been nerve-wracking, there could be no words to describe a remarkable conclusion this time around. A dingdong first half saw the competing sides share an incredible EIGHT goals. Still the winner was needed but the first half hour of the second half brought no further goals and the Dulwich youngsters found themselves facing the prospect of a do-or-die play with Bromley who'd inflicted one of the Hamlet two defeats in Kent Youth League games. But late on Dulwich Hamlet, fired up as their opponents flagged, found the goals that they needed and twice more they found the net as that all-important win ensured they had taken the Kent Youth League North Division once more, once more winning it at the death. The goals came from Ade Batula scoring twice whilst Klajdi Cani, Kiki Oshilaja, Cristian Bucin and Osman Proni also found the back of the net.

The business end of the FCYA season was a busy one with the Hamlet youngsters pushing themselves through up three midweek league games a week in addition to the Sunday Kent Youth League fixtures. On the 14th March the youngsters travelled to Three Bridges, looking for the win that would clinch the title. It was to be a false dawn as they slipped to a surprise 2-1 defeat but two days later there was no mistake as Cani scored four of the Hamlet’s goals to spur Dulwich to a comprehensive 5-0 victory away at Millwall. With two games remaining Dulwich Hamlet were divisional FCYA Champions for a third year running.

This game kicks off at 1.30 pm and admission is FREE.