DULWICH HAMLET 0 MAIDSTONE UNITED 0 Vanarama National League South Tuesday 26 October 2021

The Hamlet and the Stones slugged it out for a goalless stalemate in a tight contest that will have impressed the connoisseur of defensive organization and efficiency much more than anyone who prefers thrills and spills.

It was Hamlet who made the first attempt to test their opponents’ defence in the early minutes. Michael Timlin’s high cross from the left appeared to be overhit but the ball held up on the wind allowing Jordan Higgs to reach it and send a headed pass into the goalmouth in search of Danny Mills, only for a defender to intercept with a headed clearance. Jordan Green was next to stretch the visitors with a searing run into the box that was snuffed out when his cross was blocked and cleared at the near post. Stones retaliated in the 6th minute when Roarie Deacon swivelled to fire a hard low shot on target from the edge of the penalty box that Charlie Grainger held safely. Still inside the first ten minutes Quade Taylor’s far post header from Gio McGregor’s corner found Tom Hadler in the Stones goal equal to the test.

Following this lively start the game settled down into a period of sparring with both teams conceding free kicks in the middle third. Deacon was prominent for the Stones during this phase of the game, taking most of their set pieces and testing the Hamlet defence with a strong run and cross that saw Higgs perilously close to conceding a penalty as a tentative challenge was brushed aside. Hamlet came within a whisker of snatching a fortuitous lead in the 35th minute when Jack Holland, advancing down the right flank to receive a backwards pass, sent a high cross into the centre that nearly embarrassed Tom Hadler in the Maidstone goal as it sailed over his head and clipped the far post. It was the visitors who enjoyed the last attacking forays of the first half when, in quick succession, veteran former Hamlet defender George Elokobi headed wide from a far post corner before Deacon headed a deep cross into the goalmouth from beyond the far post which Holland hacked clear.

The second half opened with a yellow card within seconds as Stones right back Gavin Hoyte was booked for a clumsy high challenge on the diminutive Green. Two minutes later Hamlet had their clearest scoring opportunity of the entire match but unfortunately it fell to the wrong man. Still lurking near the penalty spot after a set piece had been half cleared, big defender Ronnie Vint was left completely unattended as the ball was returned to his feet but he was unable to steer the ball past the barrier of Hadler. As the clock ticked past the hour mark it was Maidstone who assumed the ascendancy, enjoying most of the ball and pushing Hamlet deeper into their own half. Hamlet might have been punished by a free kick conceded by Higgs but the Hamlet man atoned by blocking with a headed clearance as Stones debutant defender George Fowler fired a header goalwards. Shortly afterwards Stones had their best scoring opportunity of the night when Christie Pattisson, within a minute of entering the fray as a substitute, was played in on goal with just Grainger to beat but Andre Blackman appeared from nowhere to save the day with a magnificent covering tackle.

The final attacking moves of the game featured Hamlet substitute AJ Harris-Sealy. Firstly his teasing cross was smothered at the foot of the near post by Hadler, after great work again by Blackman to win a tackle and instigate a counter attack, then he cut inside from the right in trademark fashion to fire in a fierce 25 yard shot with his left foot that once more found the safe hands of the Stones keeper.

On balance both sides will probably settle for a point from this game of few chances. Stones boss Hakan Hayrettin will doubtless be the more relieved of the two managers as his team ended a sequence of three defeats, including an FA Cup exit to Kentish rivals Dartford, but they do remain unbeaten on their travels.

Team (3-4-3): Grainger - Holland(c), Vint, Taylor - Higgs, McGregor, Timlin, Blackman - McQueen, Mills, Green. Substitutes: Harris-Sealy (for McQueen 76), Kandi (for Green 76), Dayton (for Mills 84), Barnum-Bobb, Sterling (not used).
Attendance: 2,131

Report by Richard Watts