What the papers have been saying....

We've got a bit of a 'backlog' to clear... so here's part one the local press round-up from the last three weeks.

Apologies for the delay, a combination of myself being on holiday, then a lack of time to type it all up...

There's an old saying that "Yesterday's news is today's fish & chip paper", so you may be wondering why am bothering to include what is by now old news? The answer is simple....

Not all of our fans are local, so do are not able to buy the local papers. We copy these reports for them.

Sorry for the delay, and enjoy!

So to begin with, we go back to the midweek edition of the 'South London Press', from Tuesday 21st October, which followed our draw away to Metropolitan Police:

Dulwich draw blank against Met Police

Dulwich Hamlet picked up a point against Met Police as they fought out a goalless draw in the Ryman League Premier Division on Saturday.
Gavin Rose's side started slowly and almost fell behind inside two minutes when Bradley Hudson rattled the crossbar, and a minute later Rob Bartley nodded a croner against the frame of the goal.
Hamlet's Ethan Pinnock failed to get on the end of a corner on 35 minutes and, after possession was recycled, Dean McDonald's backheel was met by Bagasan Graham, who was denied by the Met goalkeeper. Hamlet came closest on 52 minutes. Xavier Vidal played a neat one-two with Nyren Clunis and the former's cross was glanced just wide by Graham.
Dulwich host Hendon on Saturday.

Two days later, on Thursday 23rd October, the weekly 'Southwark News' also gove the match against Metropolitan Police:

HAMLET GET POINT OFF POLICE

On Saturday a stalemate was played out at Imber Court as two top of the table sides cancelled each other out in the scoring stakes.
The closest either team came to scoring came as ealry as the third minute when the home sides Bradley Hudson-Odoi struck the crossbar from the edge of the penalty area.
The game's next real chance came on 35 minutes as Ethan Pinnock just failed to get on the end of a corner and, when the ball was recycled, Dean McDonald produced a back heel inside the area that Bagasan Graham latched on to but he was denied by Stuart Searle.
The second period saw several chances go begging for both sides but in the end the deadlock could not be broken.
Hamlet boss Gavin Rose said: "On paper it looks like a good point away from home but we were not quite there in terms of movement and our end product. But we were away from home and I think we shaded it in terms of possession and conducted ourselves pretty well."
Although Margate were defeated at the weekened Rose feels they and Maidstone United are the teams to beat in the league, due largely to their squad depth.
He added: "At the moment the top two teams are a bit apart and there are two to three teams, and we include ourselves among those, who will be looking to stay close to them but you need a good squad to do that and we may look to get two to three players to compete week in week out. It's not just about matching up to Maidstone and Margate when you play them. You need to be able compete week in, week out against the other tough teams in the league and I think our squad is starting to feel the strain of that right now."

The same edition of the 'Southwark News' also ran an article on his concerns about his First Team size:

Dulwich Hamlet boss Rose-even with returning players our squad is still light

Hamlet manager Gavin Rose feels his squad is still light on numbers even if he gets all of his injured players back fit and healthy.
Dulwich have managed to stay in and around the top five of the league this campaign despite the fact several players have been injured, or little more than bystanders, since the season started.
But Rose thinks new faces will have to come in to Champion Hill to sustain a promotion push, even if those currently injured return to the first team squad.
He told the News: "We may be two or three players away from having that squad who can cope with tough games week in, week out. Even with our returning injured players we may still be a bit short. Now [as there a weekly gaps between games] may be a good time to look at that, look at our squad too and of course it gives our injured players a chance to recover as well."
Nyren Clunis' injury he picked up against Bognor was not as bad as first feared so he made a swift return to the squad last weekend but other first team squad members are still a bit away from returning.
Hamlet host Hendon this weekend and Rose expects a tough game against another side who are in and around the league leaders.
Last weekend Hendon defeated title favourites Margate 3-2 with Leon Smith bagging a hat-trick in an impressive win.
Rose added: "It will be a difficult game. I have a lot time for Gary [McCann, Hendon's manager] as his teams are usually very good, they work hard and are organised and we know what to expect from them. They have a couple of good forwards now, something they have been missing in previous seasons, and that has been positive for them and that is why they are picking up the points they have been this season."

The next day, Friday 24th October, the weekend copy of the 'South London Press' also focussed on our injury woes:

ABSENT STARS BEING MISSED

Dulwich Hamlet boss Gavin Rose says a top-heavy injury list is hindering his side's chances of challenging for promotion.
Five of Hamlet's forwards have been injured at some point this season, and Dean Lodge and long-term absentee Harry Ottaway remain sidelined.
Dulwich sit fourth in the Ryman League Premier Division but have not won in three games and Rose believes that a lack of cutting edge, caused by the injury list, is proving costly.
"Our recent form is down to a few things and one of those is injuries," said rose. "Our approach play is very good but in the last third, when it comes to creating chances, we are not as good. All of our players at the top end of the pitch have been injured at some point for several weeks and it means our Continuity and understanding isn't there yet. It takes time. If we had everyone fit, our rhythm would be a lot better in the final third. We've had Dean Lodge and Harry Ottaway out all season; Dean MacDonald's been out twice; Nyren Clunis and Bagasan Graham have both missed large chunks. It's hard to get the team's rhythm going when they are in and out of the side. Some have come back recently but to expect them to hit the ground running is still a tall order. We might get a short-term loan this week to bolster the squad but cash constraints will obviously affect that. "
Teenager Oshane Brown has stepped into the breach after injury to keeper Phil Wilson and Rose says his impressive form means the latter will not be rushed back.
"Oshane has a very promising career ahead of him." said Rose. "His temperament has been excellent for one so young. He's never looked scared or overawed of playing in front of our supporters. He's made the odd error, but that's no different to anyone at this level. We are very happy with him, considering the stage he is at. He can get fitter and he knows that. He will be a longer-term prospect for us-but a very good one."
Dulwich drew 0-0 at Met Police on Saturday and host third-placed Hendon on Saturday. Hamlet played the north London side three times last term and Rose believes that they have improved since they last met. He said: "They're a very good team and they have added goalscorers who are proven at this level and higher. That's made them dangerous. They will definately have their eyes on the top two, so it will be a good assessment for us. It will let us know how close we are. We will take the game to them."

And this was clearly a game that caught the attention, for it was the featured Ryman League Premier Division match in the 'Non League Paper' reports, the day after the game:

DULWICH LACKING IN FRONT OF GOAL

Dulwich Hamlet's goal drought continued after this top four clash failed to produce a goal for the four-figure crowd.
Dulwich had the lion's share of the chances but failed to score for the third league game running. It was only the second time in 37 league meetings between the clubs that a match at Dulwich had failed to produce a goal.
Dulwich manager Gavin Rose told the NLP: "There were two evenly matched teams out there today and I am pleased we prevented Hendon from scoring. At present we have too many round pegs in square holes up front with only Nyren Clunis playing in his customary position. But Hendon changed their formation to counter us which shows the respect they have for my lads."
Hendon boss Gary McCann admitted: "Neither side wanted to give anything away today and both relied on their goalie on occasions to keep the scoresheet blank. I would expect both of us to be challenging for a play-off spot at the season' end."
The match nearly got off to an explosive start when, in the very first minute, Dulwich's Bagasan Graham's angled shot was blocked by Greens keeper Ben McNamara at his near post and Clunis headed the rebound over an open goal. Hamlet kept up the pressure and McNamara twice saved long-distance shots from Kershaney Samuels.
Dulwich's approach play was let down by poor finishing and this was exemplified towards the end of the first half as both Graham and 17-year-old Shaun McCoulsky shot weakly when well placed inside the box. Having concentrated on defence in the opening half, Hendon displayed a little more adventure after the break and Dave Diedhiou drove into the sidenetting on 62 minutes.
Dulwich retaliated and the hard-working McCoulsky had the ball in the net seven minutes later but the goal was disallowed for offside.
Both sides made substitutions midway through the half in an attempt to break the deadlock, although Hendon surprisingly withdrew the division's joint-leading scorer Leon Smith.
In a flurry of end-to-end action on 75 minutes, Hamlet's O'Shane Brown parried Sam Murphy's low shot and when Dulwich swiftly countered, McNamara blocked bravely at the feet of McCoulsky.
Hendon almost nicked the points in the last minute of normal time, but Hamlet's skipper Terrell Forbes capped an excellent display with a superb tackle on Kezie Ibe and Brown saved well at the second attempt from Lee O'Leary.
Star Man: Terrell Forbes (Dulwich)
Entertainment: *****

And so onto the write-ups from a fortnight ago...

Unfortunately I was on holiday, and have been unable to see what the midweek edition of the 'South London Press' had to say on Tuesday 28th October; so it's 'fast forward' to Thurday 30th, and the coverage from the weekly 'Southwark News'.

The match report from the Hendon game again focussed on the lack of a win:

Stalemate once again for Hamlet

Dulwich played out their second successive goalless draw on Saturday despite dominating in possession terms against promotion rivals Hendon.
The stalemate follows hot on the heels of a 0-0 draw against Met Police seven days beforehand, demonstrating there is little to choose between three teams who currently sit in the play off positions in the Ryman Premier League.
At the wekeend Hamlet did well to shackle Hendon's hotshot striker Leon Smith, who has netted twelve league goals this term, but never created sustained periods of pressure.
However Dulwich did have the best chances on offer on the day and frontman Shawn MCCoulsky even had the ball in the back of the net, only for the lineman to rule it out for offside although that call could have gone either way.
Hamlet perhaps deserved to nick a result on the balance of play but there were few dissenting voices when the points were shared at the final whistle.
Dulwich skipper Terrell Forbes was left to pick out the defensive pluses in the last two outings, although he admits going forward things are just not clicking. He told the News: "The last two games we have done rally well especially from a defensive point of view, but we need to be better in the last third of the pitch. But that happens in games but we are still of a positive mind going into the next game which we will be looking to win."
Despite the problems going forward the 33-year-old centre-half is confident the side he leads will soon turn draws into victories. He added: "We are on training ground working on all aspects of the game including finishing and defensive work, but it [not converting chances] is just something that happens sometimes. We have good attacking players all around the pitch but sometimes it just doesn't happen. But we still have lots of positive energy around the club."

Another headline article in the same 'Southwark News' expanded on Terrell's thoughts:

FORBES: DULWICH YOUNGSTERS HAVE WHAT IT TAKES

Dulwich skipper Terrell Forbes is confident that Hamlet's current young crop of talent have what it takes to make it into the professional game.
The 33-year-ols has taken on the captains armband at Champion Hill this campaign, having joined from Dover in the summer, and he thinks a few of his young side could cut it in the professional ranks.
Forbes' own career started at West Ham and took in nine professional clubs before he joined Dover last year.
The centre-half has been impressed by what he has seen at Dulwich this season and he is certain some of the team could make the leap into the full-time ranks of the game given the chance.
He said: " Xavier [Vidal], Shaney {Kershaney Samuels] and Ethan Pinnock can all kick on if they get their heads right. They have to get the right mindset and they can kick on [to the professional game]."
He added: "I wish I could transfer the experience I have in my career into their heads. They don't always believe they have got good talent. I have played with some players that had no talent and worked hard, they are still playing in the Championship to this day."
But before anyone heads off to pastures new the tough defender is insistent that players who don the Pink and Blue jersey this campaign should have one goal in mind-automatic promotion from the Ryman Premier League.
"There is only one aim and that is promotion. There is no point in playing every Saturday if you are not thinking of promotion,"Forbes said. "With this team we should be getting promotion. You have to aim high and that means the automatic promotion spot, not the play-offs."
Forbes told the News that donning the captain's armband was something he was happy to take on, but he has a more subtle approach to leading his side rather than pure blood and thunder.
He said: "The manager gave me the armband and I am grateful for that but I believe we all have to be captains on the field."
He added: "Early on in my career I would not be a player that is the most vocal but with age you become more so, especially at the stage where your legs could go soon so you have to talk a lot more. You also have to read the game. But it is not just about shouting for me it is directing and talking to those around you. Some captains shout for no reason but I tend to direct people, it helps me too not just other players."

On the last day of October the wekend copy of the 'South London Press' healine concentrated on the move of one of stalwarts of the last few season, who switched to our lower division rivals:

Gonsalves in switch to Terrors

Dulwich Hamlet defender Lewis Gonsalves has signed for Tooting & Mitcham.
"He wasn't playing due to the emergence of Ethan Pinnock," said Dulwich boss Gavin Rose.
"Lewis has been a great servant and played around 200 games for us. He has been involved in all our success in recent years. Tooting have got themselves a winner who will bring the right mentality-he'll be a plus for them."
Dulwich are at home to Chalfont St. Peter tomorrow in the Ryman League Premier Division.

(It was actually an FA Trophy tie of course, against the Southern League club. The reports over the last week will appear here sometime tomorrow, on Saturday 8th November)