MONDAY MATCH PREVIEW - HENDON (HOME) KICK OFF 3.00PM

Gavin Rose’s men will be aiming to make amends for past performances against the Greens when they face Hendon this New Year Bank Holiday Monday.

Twice the clubs have met so far this season and twice have the Hamlet slipped below the standards expected.

Back on a balmy late August Bank Holiday Monday, it was the archetypal game of two halves at Silver Jubilee Park as Dulwich failed to come out of the blocks for the first 45 minutes, Gary McCann’s Hendon grabbing an early goal through Spencer McCall’s 9th minute penalty. Fortunately the hosts stalled themselves and failed to press home that advantage, allowing an Hamlet second half renaissance to snatch a share of the points. It was a halftime substitution that proved key with now departed Roman Michael-Percil instrumental after coming on at the break. Just after the hour mark the speedy winger’s pull back set up Gavin Tomlin to fire home the leveller, a goal that would spark Dulwich into action. Unfortunately home ‘keeper Brendan Norris was in fine form and made a number of fine saves to deny, among other, Michael-Percil, Ashley Carew and Danny Carr as the game finished all square at 1-1.

Less than three weeks the draw for the Second Qualifying Round of the Emirates FA Cup saw the two teams square up once again, this time at Champion Hill. The less said of the Dulwich display that afternoon the better as their FA Cup ambitions died with barely a whimper. In an even first half Kenny Beaney had the best of the Hamlet’s chances when he stabbed the ball past ‘keeper Berkley Laurencin only for Ollie Sprague to clear of the line but when the Dulwich skipper lost possession in his own penalty area moments before the halftime whistle it was Hendon’s Niko Muir that profited, firing home to put Hendon ahead. The Dons doubled their advantage just three minutes into the second half. Spencer McCall played a short free kick to the unmarked Luke Tingey on the left side of the box and his angled shot took a deflection on its way past Preston Edwards. From there the visitors played a controlled game, denying a disappointing Dulwich little more than a sniff of goal.

Hendon’s FA Cup run continued with a convincing 3-0 win over AFC Rushden and Diamonds but the short trip to Boreham Wood proved a bridge too far as the National League side eased through to the competition proper with a 3-0 win of their own.

Back in the Ryman League, Hendon’s form floundered. Up to 12th with 2-2 draw at home to Harlow Town, it would not be long before they found themselves knocking on the door of the relegation zone, slipping into the bottom four just a few games later after a run that included a 6-0 humbling at Middlesex rivals Enfield Town and 3-1 defeat at Canvey Island. Hendon seemed to be heading for a morale-boosting victory away to Lowestoft Town as Muir double sandwiched Casey McLaren’s goal but disaster was just around the corner. Micket Spillane grabbed a pair for the Trawler Boys to make it touch and go then, deep, deep into stoppage time home ‘skipper Chris Henderson popped up with a 95th minute equaliser.to stun the travellers.

Hendon put on a late show of their own as Sam Murphy scored with 8 minutes left for a vital 2-1 win away to Worthing but is was a rare candle of hope in a dark time. A single goal defeat at Burgess Hill Town was followed by a slaughter in Suffolk as Hendon’s FA Trophy run was derailed before it had left the station. Trailing at free scoring Leiston to a Matt Blake goal after 22 minutes, the dismissal of Casey McLaren, picking up a second caution for his role in an unseemly melee, left Hendon a mountain to climb. The rampant Blues took full advantage Blake added a second, Christy Finch also claiming a brace and Gareth Heath rounding things off as the hosts cruised to a 5-0 victory.

Having played 7 of their previous 8 games on the road, a return to home “turf” would be welcome for most clubs but given Hendon’s failure to win a single Ryman League game at Silver Jubilee Park, it must have been with heavy hearts that Kingstonian were welcomed. So it proved as K’s racked up a 4-1 win that gave a fillip to their own promotion ambitions. With Havant & Waterlooville next on the home schedule, the Hendon faithful must have one eye on the air raid shelters. Going a goal behind after just four minutes when Matt Patterson found the net for the Hawks, tactics must have been pulled from the Protect and Survive pamphlet. Survive Hendon did, long enough for centre half Arthur Lee to level late on and tweak the beak of the ambitious Hawks.

The result gave new impetus to the Hendon’s battle against the drop, coming from 2-1 down at Leiston to win 3-2 thanks to a Muir double, stunning Bognor Regis Town as goals from Keagan Cole and Luke Tingey gave them a 2-0 win on the South Coast. However that elusive home win haunted Hendon like a will-o'-the-wisp. The visits of Canvey Island (0-0), Enfield Town (1-1, a penalty apiece) and Folkestone Invicta (3-3, after the Dons had trailed 3-1) all finished with the sides inseparable. Jimmy Bullard’s Leatherhead continued their creep away from the drop zone with a 3-1 win. Even Grays Athletic, for whom the Grim Reaper might be considering a season ticket, triumphed at Silver Jubilee Park winning beyond a shadow of a doubt with goals from Lheureux Menga, Joao Carlos and a Kieran Bishop double cementing a 4-0 win in the battle of the basement boys.

The last Saturday before Christmas sent Hendon up to surprise championship contenders Needham Market with all the present being handed out in a madcap first half. The fun began in the 7th minute when Joe Whight pout the Marketmen ahead. “Stand by for action! Anything can happen in the next half hour". It did! Luke Ingram grabbed a hat trick, Kem Izzet dispatched a penalty for the hosts. Karl Oliyide scored twice for the hosts. At 39 minutes the scoreline was Needham Market 5 Hendon 2. Remarkably it remained that at 90 minutes.

Yet it was tame by comparison with Hendon Boxing Day outing at home to local rivals & erstwhile landlords Harrow Borough. Perhaps the players had overindulged in the eggnog but from the moment Joshua Webb put Borough in front after just 2 minutes the now annual goal fest between the clubs’ was on. 5 minutes later, Dave Diedhiou’s header found the back of the net but Harrow were soon back in front through Harry Newman. 11 minutes played. Six minutes elapsed before it was 2 all as Sam Murphy converted a penalty following a foul on Reis Stanislaus. A “quiet” quarter hour passed before things sprung into life once more; Francis Babalola making it 3-2 to the Borough just after the half hour only for Casey Maclaren to instantly level with a screamer of shot. With the half time whistle about to blow. Stanislaus put Hendon ahead for the first time with another corker but the second half belonged to the visitors and would see dreams of a first three-pointer on home “soil” dashed. Joshua Webb converted a spot kick of his own to make it 4-4 before pantomime defending allowed Sahr Kabba to win it for Harrow.

Victory allowed Harrow to overleap their Middlesex rivals and escape the bottom four for the first time since late October. Meanwhile Hendon found themselves in 22nd spot. The points difference with the clubs around them a cigarette paper thin but only bottom club Grays Athletic have played more games. On the road only KIngstonian outside the top six have a better record but Silver Jubilee Park has proved a barren hunting ground with just 7 points mustered from a potential 36.

New Year's saw Hendon take an early lead at Staines Town through Casey McLaren only for the Swans to turn the game on its head with 3 goals in ten minutes in the latter stages of the game. Diedhiou did narrow the gap late in stoppage time but the 3-2 defeat left Hendon entrenched in the bottom four.

This Monday’s game takes place at Champion Hill Stadium, Edgar Kail Way, East Dulwich, London SE22 8BD, kicking off at 3.00pm. Main turnstiles will be open from 1.15 pm with the Greendale turnstiles open shortly after. Guests and officials are asked to enter via the Health Club reception as may Season Ticket holders on presentation of their Dulwich Hamlet Season Ticket.

Admission prices:

• £10 for Adults
• £4 for Concessions
• NB: Concessions cover Seniors - 60+, Teenagers (13-19), Unemployed (JSA), Disability Living Allowance (DLA), NHS Staff, Blue Light Services, Serving Members of the Armed Forces and Full Time Students. (Please bring a form of valid ID for your concession as you might not be admitted without that)
• Under 13s FREE accompanied by a paying adult