EASTBOURNE BOROUGH 2 DULWICH HAMLET 2 Vanarama National League South Saturday 4 September 2021

Hamlet were ultimately frustrated by a late equalizer from their hosts, having fought back from conceding the first goal to lead with 25 minutes to go. Despite enjoying the balance of play the visitors did not sufficiently work the home goalkeeper, who endured a torrid afternoon. Eastbourne, colloquially known as “The Sports” due to their origins as Langney Sports Club, looked the more potent force in sight of goal during their comparatively sporadic forays into the final third of the pitch.

Hamlet made the first serious attacking move when Andrew Harris-Sealy cut inside from the right in trademark fashion to fire in a hard left footed shot that was securely held by Curtis Anderson at chest height. Still inside the first ten minutes, Sports retaliated with a fierce rising drive from Leone Gravata that was touched over the bar at full stretch by Charlie Grainger. Hamlet centre back Tyrone Sterling twice headed narrowly wide of the target at set pieces, firstly clearing the bar from a Harris-Sealy free kick then just missing at the far post from Gio McGregor’s inswinging corner.

By this stage Hamlet appeared well in command in terms of possession. However Sports remained dangerous on the break and almost broke the deadlock when a great pass out of midfield from Charley Kendall released Gravata inside the penalty area, but Grainger came to the rescue with a well-timed intervention at the forward’s feet. The next significant attack from the hosts broke the deadlock on the half hour. A long ball down the middle seemed sure to be dealt with by Michael Timlin, who was poised to head clear, but the Hamlet man was blatantly yanked sideways by an opponent allowing the ball to reach Chris Whelpdale inside the box. The former Chelmsford City winger expertly trapped the ball before firing past the exposed Grainger with Hamlet players clearly expecting to be awarded a free kick. The referee, who consistently declined to give free kicks wherever possible throughout the game, took his lenient approach to extremes in allowing the goal to stand.

It took just six more minutes for Hamlet to draw level. Anderson attempted to punch clear an inswinging corner to the far post at full stretch under pressure from centre forward Danny Mills, only to send the ball spinning crazily backwards up into the air, and it dropped just beneath the crossbar and over the goal line despite the frantic efforts of Anderson and three defenders to keep it out. So, honours were even at half time.

The second period opened with leading marksman Mills getting his first clear sight of goal, a diving header narrowly wide at the far post from Jazzi Barnum-Bobb's dangerous right-wing cross. Hamlet boss Gavin Rose made a decisive tactical move three minutes before the hour mark in making straight swaps for Harris-Sealy and Chike Kandi, with wing twins Jordan Green and Darren McQueen entering the fray. Within ten minutes the switch paid off as Andre Blackman’s powerful angled delivery from the left into the centre of the penalty box tempted Anderson beyond his goal area. Perhaps over eager to atone for his earlier blunder, the youngster rushed out to meet a ball he never looked likely to claim and again tried to clear the danger with a flying one-handed punch that failed to connect properly. Sterling latched onto the loose ball and his miscued shot fell perfectly for McQueen, who pounced mercilessly to lash it into the unguarded net.

Hamlet’s attempt to see out the game with their lead intact was undermined with just over ten minutes remaining when skipper and defensive lynchpin Jack Holland was forced off with an injury. Experienced replacement Quade Taylor came off the bench to fill the breach but Hamlet seemed to fall into a trap of dropping deeper and trying to slow the tempo, inviting Sports to build their most sustained spell of pressure. With just four minutes plus stoppage time remaining experienced forward Greg Luer tried his luck with a low shot from the edge of the box, which Grainger could only push onto the post and into the net. There was still time for a big penalty shout from the home crowd when a forward collapsed under a challenge as he raced onto a ball at the far post but the referee was not impressed, so it finished all square at the final whistle.

Team (4-2-3-1): Grainger - Barnum-Bobb, Holland(c), Sterling, Blackman - McGregor, Timlin - Harris-Sealy, Dayton, Kandi - Mills. Substitutes: Green (for Harris-Sealy 57), McQueen (for Kandi 57), Taylor (for Holland 78), Moore, Higgs (not used).

Attendance: 752