Here's what the 'Southwark News' & 'South London Press' have been saying over the last seven days

On Tuesday the midweek edition of the 'South London Press' concentrated on our FA Cup defeat at Hemel Hempstead Town:

Dulwich dreams dashed in cup

Dulwich Hamlet took the lead but were still deservedly ousted from the FA Cup in the third qualifying round, in a 3-1 defeat at Hemel Hempstead.
Erhun Oztumer chipped home keeper Laurie Walker in the 23rd minute. But their lead over the Calor League Premier Division leaders lasted just three minutes, as a defence-splitting pass found ben Mackey who beat Phil Wilson easily-though Kevin James seemed to be fouled in the build-up. Dulwich created the better chances up to the break, as Oztumer fired just wide from inside the box, and Mathieu Boyer twice forced saves from Walker. But Hemel bossed the second half from the moment that Lewis Toomey gave them the lead three minutes after the break, smashing in a cross. Only fine goalkeeping from Wilson prevented Hemel adding a third, and Ian Daly was injured in the process of trying to score past Walker in a quick break. Hemel doubled their lead when substitute winger Charlie Mpi converted a cut-back from the left. To make matters worse, Jerome Walker was sent off for a lunging tackle late on.

On Thursday the main non-league headline in the 'Southwark News' led with our excellent support in the Cup tie:

Fans and players raise game for FA Cup-Gavin Rose

Hamlet exited the FA Cup on Saturday at Hemel Hempstead but Dulwich gaffer Gavin Rose felt performances on and off the pitch at the weekend were top quality.
Speaking to the News after the game Rose heaped praise on the style of football played by two in form teams, and the level of support Hamlet received as a large army of Hamlet fans descended on the Hertfordshire town.
Rose said: "I thought it was a good advert for our level of football. They are a very very good team, we knew that going into the game and it proved to be the case on the day. The fans who travelled made it feel like we were playing a game at a higher level and the football on the pitch from both teams deserved to be displayed at a higher level too."
But the hamlet chief had no qualms with the final outcome, with The Tudor's prevailing 3-1. Rose added: They deserved the win. We may have shaded the first half but once they got that early second half goal it set us back really and when they got a goal on the break it's difficult to get back in the game. They probably had a bit more experience than us. Not neccessarily in age but in know how, their guys have more experience at senior level and I think that showed at times."
But Rose feels that both clubs have bigger prizes to chase this campaign, and success on those fronts will make Saturday a small footnote in either clubs history.
"The FA Cup can be nice in terms of the extra income it brings and the increased exposure it can give you," Rose explained. "But that can be in the short term, if both us and Hemel were to be promoted neither of us would worry about this game. In reality Hemel are not going to win the cup."
The late sending off of Jerome Walker at the weekend will lead to a ban for the Hamlet man, but Rose had some sympathy with his player.
He said: "his reaction was petulant but as a player I can understand his reaction. He was fouled and there were some tackles that the referee let go at the weekend that were quite heavy. We were 3-1 down and he was feeling frustrated so you can understand it in that respect. But he will be fined and he has apologised for what happened."

There was also a joint report on the Hemel game, and Monday night's London Senior Cup win, in the same edition of the 'Southwark News':

Dulwich bounce back after FA Cup exit

Dulwich wasted no time in getting back to winning ways on Monday evening, just two days after exiting the FA Cup away at Hemel Hempstead.
A much changed line up from Saturday started the London Senior Cup game and two goals from Marcel Henry-Francis and a late effort from Ramell Lake were enough to see Dulwich progress in that cup competition. Anthony Thomas got the solitary Hendon effort.
Dulwich crashed out of the FA Cup on Saturday with a disappointing second half that meant the hosts fully deserved their place in the final qualifying round.
Hamlet took the lead on the day in the 23 minute when Erhun Oztumer was released on goal and he exquisitely chipped the advancing Laurie Walker in the Hemel goal.
That lead lasted only three minutes as Kevin James appeared to be fouled in the centre circle, but the referee waved paly on and a pass was slipped through the defence for Ben Mackey to beat Phil Wilson easily.
After the break Hemel Hempstead were to boss the second half from the moment that Lewis Toomey gave them the lead three minutes after the restart.
A slick move opened up the left side of the Dulwich defence and Toomey was free at the far post to slam Hemel into the lead.
The third goal arrived on 72 minutes as substitute charlie Mpi was left unattended in the box to convert a cut back cross and seal a deserved win for Hemel.
The afternoon finished on a sour note for Dulwich as Jerome Walker, who had endured a frustrating afternoon, lunged into a challenge and can have no complaints about the red card that followed.

The last of three articles on The Hamlet in the 'Southwark News' featured on the future of our young star Xavier Vidal:

Teenager Vidal set to go on trial

Teenage midfielder Xavier Vidal could be the next Hamlet youngster to make the leap into league football as the club prepare to send him out on trial.
The youngster was a pivotal player in the Championship winning squad last season, where his calm head belied his years in central midfield, and that has not gone unnoticed.
His campaign has been hampered by injuries this season but now with him close to full fitness League clubs are once again keen to run the rule over the talented youngster.
Dulwich manager Gavin Rose told the News: "Xavier will be going on trial and there has been interest from four clubs. He will go on trial eventually but it is a case of fitting it in as we may need him to paly. It could be this week, as we don't have many games, or next week. We will see the best way we can fit it in but it is going to happen."
If Vidal makes the leap to the pro game he will follow in the footsteps of Paul McCallum, Quade Taylor and Michael Chambers who all left Champion Hill for full-time football.
Whilst there has also been verbal interest in last seasons Player of the Yeat Erhun Oztumer Rose also stated that as yet no firm bids had come in for the talented midfielder.
The Hamlet manager said: "There has been a lot of interest in him in the respect of people coming up and saying what a good player he is, or that people are watching him but there has been nothing formal to take him on. But all he has to do is carry on doing what he is doing and he will progress, it could be with us or elsewhere but in terms of his personal career I think he will progress to a higher level at some stage."

On Friday the weekend copy of the 'South London Press' led their non-league page with our great win for our youngsters against Hendon, in the London Senior Cup:

YOUNG GUNS LIFT HAMLET

Dulwich Hamlet go into tomorrow's FA Trophy tie with Harrow Borough on the back of morale-boosting 3-1 London County Cup win at home on Monday night.
Manager Gavin Rose, who rested the entire starting line-up from Saturday's loss at Hemel Hempstead, says some of his younger players did enough in the win to warrant serious consideration for a start tomorrow. "It gave us a great opportunity to give these guys experience," Rose said. "They played against a very experienced Hendon team-that alone would have been a bonus for us and them. The performance was even more of a bonus. The average age was 18 and our oldest player would have been Billy Crook at 23."
Marcel Henry-Francis's netted twice in the victory, giving the home side the lead when he finished confidently after being put through on goal. The visitors equalised after half-time before the 19-year-old swept home his second to put Hamlet in front. Dulwich then gave their senior debuts to youth team right-back Brandon Garner and winger Ramell Lake. And it was Lake who sealed the win. Xavier Vidal drove forward from midfield and laid the ball off to Lake who delivered a curling left-foot shot into the far corner.
"One or two of them will be pushing for places," Rose said. "We are having a think about it and will make our decision after training."
The trophy clash is, however, shaping up as a tough game. When Hamlet travelled to Harrow for a Ryman Isthmian Football League Premier Division clash in September, they had their wings clipped with a 3-1 defeat. "We didn't play too badly on the day," said Rose. "But Harrow were a lot more clinical than us. They took their chances well and deserved to win."
After that defeat at Harrow, Hamlet went on a free-scoring run of eight victories in a row which only ended with Saturday's 3-1 FA Cup defeat at Southern League Premier Division outfit Hemel Hempstead Town. "It is good that we are scoring goals and the team are playing really well," Rose said. "Harrow have some good players and have signed some even better ones in the last few days. So they will be strong. It is a big competition for both teams and it is a one-off again. They have already beaten us once this season so I can't predict a result. It's just a case of the boys going out there and working hard."
Rose is also counting on a decent crowd to carry Hamlet over the line. "The home crowds have been really good this season," he said. "The last league game was 712 against Lewes and long may that continue. The more people who are watching the more you want to do well-the more you want to run. You also don't want to do silly things on the pitch because your pride level is high with all the people watching you and cheering you on. it's a natural thing and it gives you that bit of adrenalin to make you work that little bit harder."