Dulwich Hamlet host London Seaward this Sunday at 2pm

Dulwich Hamlet Women’s welcome London Seaward to Champion Hill this Sunday in their first pre-season friendly. The game kicks off at 2pm and tickets can be purchased here.

London Seaward is the new name for Leyton Orient, following the club’s decision to cut ties with its women's team. With recent clashes between Dulwich and Orient producing some competitive contests, Sunday’s game should be another exciting affair.

Head coach Ryan Dempsey said ahead of the game, “Pre-season has been a little frustrating with pitch availability meaning that we've had to start a little later than we wanted. We've also had our first couple of fixtures cancelled due to the pandemic.

“It's the same for every team as the summer months can be a bit disjointed as players are away on their holidays and taking advantage of the restrictions being lifted.

“We're so excited to play our first pre-season game and even more so in front of our fans at Champion Hill. Our last game against Dartford in December when 600 fans came to watch seems like a lifetime ago now!

Turning to what to expect from Sunday, Dempsey continued, “Hopefully, we will have a fully fit squad and the plan will be to give everyone 45 minutes. We will have a couple of players from the reserve team included so it will be a good experience for them also of the newer players in the squad haven't played at Champion Hill in front of the fans so it will be interesting to see how they react. Pre-season is never about the results as it's more about getting players rhythm back & creating partnerships on the pitch.”

“Playing against London Seaward will be a fantastic first game back, they're a good team and have recruited well over the summer. Before their change of name, we have played against them a few times and all games have been fairly tight and highly competitive. Hopefully, we get a good crowd down to support us.”

Photo - Liam Asman