on what our opponents have been saying about us, prior to this weekend.

A couple of weeks ago we went down to the Kent coast, and beat Margate in the previous round of the FA Cup:

MARGATE FC 1 (Charles Ademeno 45) DULWICH HAMLET 2 (Green 51, Pinnock 62) Attendance 508

Second half goals from Ellis Green and Ethan Pinnock sent Dulwich Hamlet into the 3rd Qualifying Round as they came from behind to beat Margate at Hartsdown Park. Dulwich had the better of the early exchanges, Walker firing wide and Green being denied by a fantastic save from Gate keeper Holloway. On 15 minutes Ademeno weaved his way through the Hamlet defence leaving four in his wake only to hit his shot straight at Wilson. Ian Daly, who had scored the all important second in the previous encounter, should have put his side ahead five minutes later, but fired high with the goal at his mercy following Jerome Walker's shot had been deflected. But it was the home side that took the lead on the stroke of half-time, Bodkin was tugged to the ground inside the box and striker Charles Ademeno fired his spot kick straight down the middle to beat the diving Wilson.
But the lead was short lived, and despite the introduction of Phil Walsh who struck the post three minutes into the second period, the tie was to be turned on its head with two fine strikes. On 51 minutes Green diverted his header past the helpless Holloway and just eleven minutes later Pinnock found himself unmarked before striking his side ahead from the edge of the box. Walsh, Avery and Kinch all went close but even with Wilson looking uncertain at times they could find no way past the big number one.To add to Margate's woes 16 year old George Whitelock was sent off with just a minute remaining in what seemed to be a case of miss identity.

We followed this up by the midweek trip in the League, up to Bury Town, in Suffolk:

Bury Town`s Ram Meadow blues continued as they were well beaten by a very good Dulwich Hamlet side.
The visitors looked to attack from the first whistle and using the full width of the pitch gave the Bury defence plenty to think about with sometimes five players in attacking positions.
Marcus Garnham was much the busier keeper and made good saves from a Erhun Oztumer free kick and Mathiu Boyer effort also went close.
Bury`s best effort came from a Joe Whight free kick that that Phil Wilson could only parry, but Shane Tolley just failed to reach the rebound.
But most of the play was at the Bury end and after Oztumer had fired just wide and Garnham had saved well from Ellis Green, the visitors went ahead after 35 minutes. Oztumer found time and space outside the Bury box and fired home from 25 yards despite Garnham getting a hand to the ball.
Another fine save by Garnham kept out a header from Ian Daly before Dulwich doubled their lead in first half stoppage time when Jerome Walker fired home from close range following good work by Ellis Green.
Half Time: Bury Town 0 Dulwich Hamlet 2
Yet another fine save by Garnham denied Daly as Dulwich again started strongly, but he had no chance two minutes later when after sustained pressure, Walker ran through the home defence to shoot low past the keeper, putting the game out of sight with 30 minutes left.
It was largely one way traffic towards the home goal and it was no surprise when Dulwich scored a fourth. On 75 minutes Oztumer appeared to go down very easily in the box and he got up to fire home from the resultant penalty.
With the game safely won Dulwich appeared to sit back and Bury tried hard for a consolation with John Sands coming closest with a header from Russell Short`s cross, and then firing just wide from a free kick.
Full Time: Bury Town 0 Dulwich Hamlet 4

This was followed up by another good Hamlet win, last Saturday at home to Lewes:

Lewes’ unbeaten start to the season finally came to an end after a defeat against a Dulwich Hamlet side who have now won their last eight games, reports Tom Harper.

Garry Wilson was able to call on captain Jack Walder after the influential midfielder missed last weekend’s FA Cup victory at Chalfont through suspension, but was still without injured duo Sam and Nathan Crabb and the suspended Ade Olorunda, who was serving the final game of a three-match ban.

The confidence of both sides was evident in the opening stages, with Dulwich keeping the ball well but Lewes having the first effort on goal with Nick Wheeler seeing an effort from the edge of the area comfortably held by Phil Wilson at his near post.

It was the hosts who took the lead after just 13 minutes though, with the impressive Jerome Walker getting in behind Jay Lovett and sending a cross along the six-yard box which Steve Brinkhurst could only deflect into his own goal. Falling behind appeared to galvanise Lewes, who then enjoyed arguably their best spell of possession in the entire game. They could have equalised soon after going behind, when Ben Austin sent a free header over the crossbar from a Wheeler corner.

However, the Rooks were back on level terms ten minutes before the break. Lovett was the scorer, as he hooked the ball home from close range after a Ross Treleaven long-throw was flicked on by Austin.

Lewes were dominating possession at this stage and were unlucky not to go into half-time ahead when the dangerous Wheeler saw another effort parried at the near post by Wilson.

Dulwich started the second half on the front foot and saw substitute Nyren Clunis denied a goal inside the first minute of the half by the offside flag. A minute later though, the hosts did regain their lead. Clunis was the provider this time, as his left-wing cross was headed back across Banks and into the corner at the far post by Walker.

After 56 minutes, the lead was doubled. An excellent passing move from the hosts ended with Kevin James evading a couple of challenges in the penalty area and finishing well past Rikki Banks.

The Rooks found a route back into the game just two minutes later, as Jack Dixon sent a superb 25-yard half-volley over Wilson and just under the crossbar for his eighth goal of the season.

Lewes looked dangerous on the break during the five or ten minutes following this goal, but the closest they came saw Matt Crabb send a deflected effort from the right-hand side of the penalty area just wide of the far post. Unfortunately for the impressive contingent of travelling fans, the game was ultimately put beyond the Rooks after 68 minutes as Dulwich regained their two-goal advantage. Marc-Anthony Okoye was the scorer, as he sent a near post header from a James corner across Banks and into the far corner despite the best efforts of Austin on the line.
Lewes continued to work hard to try and find a route back into the game, but Dulwich were playing with the confidence of a team currently in excellent form and forced Banks into two fine saves in quick succession late on.
The Rooks had the final chance of the game as Wilson made a fine save to keep out a header from substitute Fraser Logan, but the final whistle went just a few minutes later and brought to an end an incredible start to the season.
Lewes were the better side in the first half and were unlucky not to be ahead at half-time, but Dulwich stepped up in the second half and produced an impressive display of pace and movement in attack to get the three points.

The official Lewes website also had a photographer of the game, and these can be viewed by CLICKING HERE

We shall be republishing what Hemel Hempstead thought of The Hamlet yesterday, and the Hendon viewpoint from tomorrow, in the next few days.