Time for the papers round-up

All the comment from the local & non-league press over the last week

Starting off with last Sunday, the ‘Non League Paper’ had our home match with Bognor Regis Town as their main feature in the Ryman League Premier Division pages:

Matt Drage picked the perfect time to open his season’s goalscoring account, which clinched victory in this play-off six-pointer with a weary Bognor Regis.
The Sussex side were playing their sixth game in 12 days and it showed, with top scorer Jason Prior getting no change out of Ethan Pinnock who was immense at the heart of the Dulwich defence.
Dulwich boss Gavin Rose was delighted to get back-to-back wins against two higher placed teams, after East Monday’s win over Tonbridge.
He told the NLP: “I thought we played really well today. The lads kept their focus, were solid at the back and broke well.”
Bognor’s Jamie Howell said: “I thought we played quite well and created enough chances to have taken something from the game. We’re in the middle of a hectic schedule, but there’s no pint feeling sorry for ourselves. We just have to dig in and go again at Kingstonian on Monday. We’re still looking to win the league.”
The first half was evenly matched, always interesting but lacking somewhat in goalmouth action.
Dulwich’s Jack Dixon fired over early on, but another 20 minutes elapsed before their next serious threat, a shot on the turn from Jordan Hibbert which was just wide.
Hamlet began to press strongly as half-time approached and Roman Michael-Percil’s ferocious drive from 18 yards drew a splendid diving save from Rocks goalkeeper Grant Smith.
From the ensuing corner Nyren Clunis gained possession on the left and his cross was met by Drage, whose header caught Smith completely wrong-footed, for his first goal of the season, in 51 games.
Bognor went close six minutes after the interval when Sami El-Abd’s downward header was kicked off the line by Kevin James.
Hamlet had a golden chance to double the lead on 54 minutes.
Dipo Akinyemi latched onto a Rocks slip, but after sidestepping Smith fired wide of an empty net.
However, the 18 year-old striker made amends just three minutes later with his fourth goal in three games.
Receiving on the edge of the penalty area, Akinyemi went past his marker on the outside and fired a low shot past Smith as the keeper advanced.
Akinyemi broke again midway through the half and forced a fine low save from Smith at his near post.
Bognor had some tired legs, but they battled to the end. Gary Charman went close with a header and Hamlet were lucky when a rebound narrowly cleared the bar.
STAR MAN: Ethan Pinnock (Dulwich Hamlet)
ENTERTAINMENT: ****(out of a possible five stars)

Two days later, on Tuesday, the midweek edition of the ‘South London Press’ led it’s non league column with talk of going up:

Dulwich Hamlet strengthened their play-off chances with a convincing 2-0 win over promotion-chasing rivals Bognor Regis.
The recent additions of on-loan Stevenage strike Dipo Akinyemi and former Spurs youngster Roman Michael-Percil have coincided with a swift change in fortunes for Dulwich.
Gavin Rose’s men broke the deadlock with a Matt Drage header following a lofted cross from Clunis. The 42nd minute goal was Drage’s first of the season.
The second half saw Dulwich take control, making good use of the searing pace of Clunis, Akinyemi and Michael-Percil.
The latter two players gave Bognor full-back Harvey Whyte a torrid time, taking it in turns to run at him down the left and cut into the away team’s penalty area.
Akinyemi made amends for a glaring miss in the 54th minute, with a low left-footed strike which beat Rocks keeper Grant Smith three minutes later-the pacey striker on target for the fourth time in three games.
Dulwich’s second goal took the wind out of their opponents’ sails and the Rocks were less of an attacking threat as the game drew to a close.
Boss Rose said: “I think our form has been good. We brought the two boys Roman and Dipo in and the two of them have brought a vibrancy and enthusiasm with their game that has lifted the rest of the players as well.”
Of his loan to Dulwich, Akinyemi said: “Dulwich have been looking after me really well. I came here to score goals and that is what I have been doing. It’s a really good environment here and they have got good players here. I think we have got a strong chance of making the play-offs. I think our chances are very high.”
The result means Dulwich kept a clean sheet for the first time since their 4-0 win over Harrow Borough.
Their next match will be away against Leiston, who are currently eighth in the Ryman Premier Division.

The weekly ‘Southwark News’, on Thursday, also focussed on the same game:

Dulwich Hamlet gave their play off hopes a welcome boost on Saturday when they defeated rivals Bognor Regis Town at Champion Hill.
A season that appeared to be slipping into mid-table obscurity a matter of weeks ago has been revived thanks to back to back victories against play off rivals Bognor and Tonbridge Angels in a six day period.
The return to form has coincided with the introduction of frontmen Roman Michael-Percil and Dipo Akinyemi to the starting eleven, after manager Gavin Rose brought the new faces into Champion Hill.
On Saturday centre half Matt Drage got the scoring underway just before half time and Akinyemi added to that effort in the second period, his fourth goal in just three games since joining the club, a goal which secured a 2-0 win.
After Saturday’s games Hamlet sit in fifth spot, the final play off berth, in the Ryman Premier Division and it looks like the fight for that position will be a battle between Dulwich, Kingstonian and Enfield Town.
Bognor Regis Town are only two points above Dulwich in the table but they have four games in hand on Hamlet, and they should garner enough points from those contests to secure a play off spot.
Barring late season collapse of form East Thurrock United and Tonbridge Angels look safe bets for the remaining places in the play offs.
Dulwich manager Rose has further strengthened his squad last week by signing utility player Lawrence Yiga from Canvey Island.
Injury prevented Kenny Beaney, who signed terms at the same time as Michael=Percil and Akinyemi, from making an appearance in a Pink and Blue jersey on his return to the club.
This Saturday Dulwich travel to Leiston seeking to continue their fine run of form of late. Their opponents are outside bets for the play offs and only a win will keep those hopes alive for the Suffolk side.
Hamlet are back in league action on Tuesday evening when they play away to Brentwood Town, this contest gets underway at 7.45pm.

And ,lastly, Friday’s ‘South London Press’ ran a feature which included our on-loan goalscoring sensation from Stevenage:

Gavin Rose hopes the restored centre-back pairing of Matt Drage and Ethan Pinnock wil lgive Dulwich Hamlet the defensive boost they need in their battle for a place in the play-offs.
The South Londoners, who face Leiston on Saturday in the first of their three remaining away games, kept a clean sheet last weekend for the first time since their 4-0 victory over Harrow Borough at the end of January.
Dulwich boss Rose hailed the resolute defensive efforts of his first-choice centre-halves as they dealt efficiently with the attacking threat posed by promotion-chasing Bognor Regis whose lead striker Jason Prior, has scored 32 goals so far this season.
Drage, who played at the back alongside captain-for-the-day Pinnock, put in a solid shift and scored his first goal of the season during Dulwich’s 2-0 win against the Rocks.
Dulwich boss Rose believes Drage’s exceptional performance and return to form has coincided with his defensive partner Ethan Pinnock’s return from injury.
“The ideal plan we had at the start of the season was to partner Matt Drage with Ethan Pinnock because, invariably, when they have played together they have normally done well,” said Rose. “The period when Ethan was out injured and not playing coincided with Drage having his worst form. When they play together they complement each other really well and I think they are equally as good as each other. Bognor Regis are always a threat going forward and I thought we were resolute in defence and maybe had a little bit of luck at times as well. It was a great result against a really good team. I think Bognor Regis were victims of their own success in the FA Trophy, where they battled hard in that game. Things haven’t worked out for them in a couple of their recent games.”
Dulwich have experienced a swift reversal in fortunes and a return to form with three crucial wins and two draws from their last five games.
Striker Dipo Akinyemi , who is currently on loan to Dulwich, has been instrumental in two of their recent wins.
The pacey teenage forward believes Dulwich have a “very high chance” of reaching the play-offs.
“Dulwich have been looking after me really well,” he said. “I came here to score goals and that is what I have been doing. It’s a good environment here with good players. I think we have got a strong chance of making the play-offs.”
Akinyemi, who is eligible to play for Nigeria and has been on target four times in the past three games for Dulwich, hopes to emulate Arsenal’s young striker Alex Iwobi by winning a call-up to the Super Eagles.
He said: “I would really like to play for Nigeria one day. It would mean a lot to my family and would show them I am there for them and want to make them proud of me.”
Rose said of his striker: “Dipo in particular is a goal threat and could have scored two or more against Bognor. We have an agreement with Stevenage that in the event of us getting into the play-offs that he would be available for us, so that is a positive thing for us. He hadn’t played for five weeks before he came to us, so he’ll be getting fitter and stronger as time goes on, which will be a bonus. I’m really happy with him. I also think the team have played really well in the last three games.”