Match Preview vs Gloucester City (H)

Dulwich take on The Tigers this weekend looking for their first Saturday points of the season

Tomorrow sees the Hamlet welcome the National League South’s most northern side Gloucester City to the KNK Stadium in the first league encounter between the sides.

The hosts come into the fixture still searching for their first points on a Saturday afternoon this season following defeats against Welling United, Concord Rangers and, most recently, Bath City last Saturday. In their last outing at Twerton Park, Nyren Clunis fired the Hamlet into an early lead, but despite still being ahead at the break, a second-half brace from Ryan Brunt swung the game in the Romans’ favour as Dulwich left empty-handed.

This week has also seen midfielder Byron Lawrence depart the KNK Stadium. The 22-year-old had signed from Billericay Town during the summer, impressing during pre-season with goals against Haringey Borough, HFC Falke and a long-range stunner against Charlton Athletic. However, despite starting in the opening-day defeat against Welling, Lawrence would only feature once more from the bench in the draw at Chelmsford City, and has rejoined former side Leiston on a 2-year deal. Coming the other way is defender Michael Kamara, who returns for his second stint for the club. Kamara was originally with the Hamlet during the 2014-15 season, scoring once in 27 games, before spending the last three years with Hampton & Richmond Borough. Kamara will provide cover for an injury-hit defence.

Gloucester sit two places above Dulwich in 16th position in their second year in the National League South, having won two and lost three so far this season. After an opening day loss at Concord Rangers, The Tigers earned their first points of the campaign in a 1-0 win over Oxford City the following Tuesday. That victory was followed by successive defeats to Slough Town and Bath, but they will arrive at the KNK having earned a narrow 1-0 win against basement club East Thurrock United at the weekend, that goal coming from forward Ben Seymour.

Just like the Hamlet, Gloucester are also unable to play at their true home of Meadow Park following extensive flood damage in the summer of 2007. Since then they have groundshared with Forest Green Rovers, Cirencester Town and Cheltenham Town and currently play their games at Evesham United whilst a new stadium is being built on the old Meadow Park site.

Similarly to Dulwich’s lengthy relationship with the Isthmian League, Gloucester were a Southern Football League side for 70 years continuously until their promotion to the Conference North in 2009. Since then, their best finish as a Step 2 side was 10th in their final year in the National League North in 2017, before they were transferred to the South. Manager Marc Richards brought in plenty of firepower during the close season, with the likes of Adam Page joining from Cheltenham, Ben Seymour from Exeter and Jake Mawford from Weston-super-Mare, as they look to have another steady year in their 10th season at this level.

Dulwich won the only previous game between the sides at Champion Hill in the Third Qualifying Round of the FA Trophy in November 1993, as goals from John Egan and Francis Vines helped give the Hamlet a 2-1 win. Karl Bayliss scored the Gloucester goal.

Kick off is at 3pm at Imperial Fields with admission at £12 adults and £5 concessions. Please be aware that the bar inside the ground has been hired out for a function, but fans will still be able to access the bar from one door alongside the pitch. Please note there will only be barrel of lager and one barrel of ale on offer, but the pop up bar will be open, as well the Sports Bar outside the ground.