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PHOTO: Michael Cedano

REPORT | Dulwich Hamlet vs Folkestone Invicta

  • Venue: Champion Hill
  • Attendance: 3069

With kick-off underway at Champion Hill, it didn’t take Dulwich long to find their first in the game. A dangerous ball whipped into the penalty area by Krasniqi, dropped down and with not a single red and white shirt being able to clear, Michael Chambers with a marvellous move to turn and slot the ball bottom right and past Joe Colman. After just three minutes into the match, the Hamlet took an early lead.

Whilst Dulwich were looking for a second, Wanadio with a burst of energy down the right-hand side however Callum Davies and Folkestone skipper, there to clear away. After 10 minutes of play in South London, it was Dulwich Hamlet with the better opening, and a quicker start out the blocks in the Isthmian Premier midtable clash.

But inside the 15th minute of the game, an excellent passage of play from Folkestone and Ade Cole set Luke Holness through on goal; a one on one with the keeper, and the only thing stopping him. In what was his first professional appearance for the Hamlet, R’avan Constable was most indefinitely called into action following an astonishing shot-stopping save, got down quickly and parried away for what looked like a golden opportunity to make things level. Dulwich were caught lacking for the first time in the game, a swiftly attacking move but unable to convert for Folkestone and Luke Holness.

After what had been a stronger start by Dulwich Hamlet, the team kitted in pink and blue made sure to capitalise after 20 minutes of play. Anthony Jeffrey with what looked like a well-driven shot towards goal provoked a save yet attempted effort by Colman that perfectly dropped for the Hamlet number nine, and Mills was there at the keeper’s despair to head home for Dulwich’s second in the game.

Folkestone weren’t giving up that easy and hit back just three minutes after Dulwich’s two goal advantage. With the ball won down the left-hand side, Holness took it upon himself to drive into the box and poke the ball through in an attempt to pick out a red and white player. For Folkestone, luckily enough Kane Penn was there to fire home inside the 18-yard box, and pulling one back for the away side. In what had been only 30 minutes of play, we had a real game on our hands here.

With what would be the final 15 minutes of the first half, there was still more to come. Following Folkestone’s attempt to get back into the match, Heard hitting the bar with an exceptional effort, but with the woodwork coming to the rescue. The seasiders were so almost level in what could’ve been the score tied at 2-2. Would this go on to cost them?

Chance after chance for Dulwich and numerous amounted efforts finally lead to a third for the South-London based side. Three goals for the Hamlet and many thanks to assistance from Anthony Jeffrey, who with a perfectly picked out ball rolled across the box and finished superbly by Ryley Scott as he celebrated in front of the Rabble. Scott striking with confidence and into the top-left hand corner, well-worked, well-finished.

With the half-time whistle approaching, Dulwich were menacingly moving forward in pushing for a fourth, and a fairly dominating display going into the break. A four-goal thriller, Hamlet on top, and Folkestone Invicta having a lot to do in the second.

HT: DULWICH HAMLET 3-1 FOLKESTONE INVICTA.

After nothing notable mentioning within the first 10 of the second, Dulwich Hamlet seemed to have a good grip on the game. In hunting for a fourth, Danny Mills’ effort just over the bar and into the Rabble crowd. Later on, a half-attempted effort cleared off the line by Toby Byron and Folkestone Invicta for what looked like another Dulwich goal.

Moments later and as we found ourselves minutes before the fourth-official’s added time left to play, Folkstone were shown red and subsequently down to 10 men. Things were getting worse for the travelling side, a crunching challenge from their captain, and Davies sent down the tunnel. Seemed as though that two-and half-hour journey just got longer for the seasiders in stripes, three points lost, three goals down and a three-game suspension for the skipper. Safe to say it’s been a tough afternoon for Folkestone fans.

With both Danny Mills and Ryley Scott insanely close to having two between them, Invicta’s keeper Joe Colman was there to stop salt being added to the already occurring Folkestone wounds- as the game was closing in after four additional minutes.

FT: DULWICH HAMLET 3-1 FOLKESTONE INVICTA (ATTENDANCE: 3069 FANS).

Hakan’s happy Hamlet up to 11th in the Isthmian Premier Division. A rampant display from Dulwich at Champion Hill this afternoon, flattens faltered Folkestone in what was a four-goal thriller after a significant amount of goals in a predominantly first-half performance.

Image: Rob Avis

REPORT | Haringey Borough vs Dulwich Hamlet

  • Date: Saturday 04 November 2023
  • Venue: Coles Park Stadium
  • Attendance: 691

Ayuk Tarh’s second-half strike was cancelled out by Bobson Bawling as both sides picked up a point

After a forgettable first half, all the fireworks came in the second 45 at Coles Park, where Dulwich faced bottom of the table Haringey Borough.

Dulwich failed to fashion a single shot on target in the opening 45 minutes, with Ayuk Tarh’s miscued header in the 11th minute the closest they came to troubling Dillon Barnes in the Haringey goal. That’s not to say Dulwich didn’t create openings, it’s just the final ball was lacking, most notably when Luke Wanadio freed Ayuk and he miscued his attempted cross out for a goal kick.

Fortunately for Dulwich, the home side didn’t manage to muster much more in the attacking third. A long-range effort from Matt Young in the 16th minute was comfortable enough for Will Lakin and Young shot wide a minute later when a pass to Bobson Bawling would’ve put the latter through on goal.

The home side's best chance of the first half came in the 36th minute. A crossfield ball evaded Dwight Pascal at the back post, but Alphanso Kennedy’s first touch was poor and it gave Lakin time to rush out and smother the chance.

Despite the lack of chances in the first half, neither side made a change at the break and Dulwich began to take a grip on the game. Our chief threat was Anthony Jeffrey, who was making his first start since returning from injury. His blistering pace was causing Borough problems down their right-hand side. Their first warning came in the 49th minute. Jeffrey skinned his marker and cut the ball back to the penalty spot where Mills collected. Hamlet’s centre-forward spun his man, but his shot was well blocked by Barnes and Krasniqi side-footed the rebound over the bar.

It was a warning that Borough didn’t heed. Just eight minutes later, in a move that was almost a carbon copy of the previous attack, Jeffrey’s cross was met by the onrushing Ayuk and he calmly smashed the ball into the corner of the net to give Hamlet the lead.

In a game of so few clear-cut chances, and against a side who had scored just nine times in their opening 11 games, the traveling support must’ve felt confident that Dulwich could see this one out and claim a vital three points on the road. But, within 10 minutes, the home side were level. Mekhi McLeod’s low cross from the right was turned in by Bawling, via a touch by Lakin.

Dulwich had 25 minutes to find a winner, Mills had a goal-bound shot blocked and Binnom-Williams fired just over with a free-kick from 20 yards, but Hamlet will be disappointed not to have forced Barnes to make a meaningful save after being pegged back and a draw, in the end, was a fair result.

Dulwich Hamlet Line-Up:

1 Will Lakin, 2 Dwight Pascal, 5 Michael Chambers, 7 Luke Wanadio (19 Josh Shonibare 76’), 8 Ryley Scott, 9 Danny Mills (14 Adrian Clifton 76’), 10 Anthony Jeffrey (3 Craig Braham-Barrett 88’), 15 Kreshnic Krasniqi 16 Akwo Ayuk, 18 Jerome Binnom-Williams, 20 Manny Parry

Unused Substitutes:4 Mark Ricketts, 11 Alfie Allen

Goalscorers: Ayuk Tarh 57’

Haringey Borough Line-Up:

1 Dillon Barnes, 2 Ebenezer Addo Kufuor (12 Mekhi Leacock – McLeod 64’), 3 Michael O'Donoghue, 4 Dexter Peter, 5 Jorge Djassi -Sambu, 6 Khalifa Jabbie, 7 Alfred Bobson Bawling, 8 Georgios Aresti, 9 Nadum Melvin-Lambert, 10 Matthew Young, 11 Alphanso Kennedy (14 Kasim Aidoo 88’)

Unused Substitutes: 13 Alex Zamani, 15 Oli Fusiek, 16 Ruben Tavares-Baptista

Goalscorers: Bobson Bawling 66’

Yellow Cards: Khalifa Jabbie 78’, Dexter Peter 82’

  • Dulwich Hamlet Line Up: 1 Will Lakin, 2 Dwight Pascal, 5 Michael Chambers, 7 Luke Wanadio (19 Josh Shonibare 76’), 8 Ryley Scott, 9 Danny Mills (14 Adrian Clifton 76’), 10 Anthony Jeffrey (3 Craig Braham-Barrett 88’), 15 Kreshnic Krasniqi 16 Akwo Ayuk, 18 Jerome Binnom-Williams, 20 Manny Parry Unused Substitutes:4 Mark Ricketts, 11 Alfie Allen
  • Opposition Line Up : 1 Dillon Barnes, 2 Ebenezer Addo Kufuor (12 Mekhi Leacock – McLeod 64’), 3 Michael O'Donoghue, 4 Dexter Peter, 5 Jorge Djassi -Sambu, 6 Khalifa Jabbie, 7 Alfred Bobson Bawling, 8 Georgios Aresti, 9 Nadum Melvin-Lambert, 10 Matthew Young, 11 Alphanso Kennedy (14 Kasim Aidoo 88’)
Preston Edwards

REPORT | Dulwich Hamlet vs Lewes

In a game of few clear-cut chances, the visitors took theirs to progress to the second round of the FA Trophy, defeating Dulwich in front of a crowd of 2,745.

Lewes opened the scoring in the 11th minute. A corner was delivered to the back post, which ex-Hamlet man Ronnie Vint nodded back across the goal. Preston Edwards – making his first appearance in his second spell at Dulwich – produced a fantastic save to deny Tommy Wood, but the rebound fell to Bradley Pritchard, who made no mistake from six yards out.

Seven minutes before half-time the away side doubled their lead. Good work from Deon Moore freed Harvey Hughes down the left flank. The full-back had the freedom of Champion Hill and picked out Wood with his cross. The number nine took a touch to steady himself, before firing high and hard into the roof of the net, giving Edwards no chance.

All of Dulwich’s best chances in the first half fell to the impressive Luke Wanadio, who had a fine game and was a constant threat. In the 26th minute, Hamlet patiently worked the ball down the right. Krasniqi and Wanadio combined on the edge of the box, Wanadio spun his marker, before unleashing a shot that cannoned off the crossbar.

Then, in the 43rd minute, Clifton showed good strength to outmuscle his marker in the left-hand corner of the penalty area. The striker got his head up and rolled the ball across the box to Wanadio. He met it first time but his side-footed finish from 12 yards flashed agonisingly wide.

Whilst the visitors had been the better side in the first half, with chances also falling to Deon Moore, Ola Ogunwamide and Chris Whelpdale, a two-goal lead did slightly flatter them.

Unlike in the last home game against Kingstonian, there were no half-time changes from Hakan Hayrettin. Before the hour he had seen enough though and called for reinforcements from the bench, bringing on Mills and Jeffrey for Bonnett-Johnson and Clifton. It was still Wanadio who was looking most likely to do something for Dulwich and in the 59th minute an attacking thrust from the winger was ended with a foul in a good position.

Jerome Binnom-Williams was the man who stood over the ball, 25-yards out near the middle of the D. His effort was a beauty. Nathan Harvey was nowhere near it, but the post denied Dulwich a route back into the match.

The next 15 minutes were dominated by Lewes with Moore, who was giving Scarlett a torrid time, heading just wide and firing in a fierce drive, which Edwards tipped over the bar. In the final 15 minutes, the tide once again turned in the Hamlet’s favour. Jeffrey fired two shots off target, Ayuk was denied by a brilliant block and Mills rose highest to meet a cross but could only head wide. In the end, Dulwich simply ran out of time, and it’s Lewes who progress to the second round.

Dulwich are next in action on Wednesday, when we travel to Tooting to face Kingstonian in the League Cup and we return to league action on Saturday 4th November with a trip to Haringey.

Dulwich Hamlet Line-Up:

1 Preston Edwards, 2 Miquel Scarlett (Craig Braham-Barrett 80’), 5 Michael Chambers, 7 Luke Wanadio, 8 Ryley Scott, 12 Sean Bonnett-Johnson (Anthony Jeffrey 58’), 14 Adrian Clifton (Danny Mills 58’), 15 Kreshnic Krasniqi, 16 Ayuk Tarh, 18 Jerome Binnom-Williams, 20 Manny Parry

Unused Substitutes:, Mark Ricketts, Alfie Allen, Will Lakin, Elliott Romain

Yellow Cards: Binnom-Williams (48’), Luke Wanadio (65’)

Lewes Line-Up

1 Nathan Harvey, 2 Jake Elliott, 3 Harvey Hughes, 4 Archie Tamplin, 5 Ronnie Vint, 6 Arthur Penney, 9 Tommy Wood, 10 Ola Ogunwamide (Kalvin Kalala 71’), 11 Chris Whelpdale, 14 Deon Moore, 18 Bradley Pritchard (Alfie Egan 90’)

Unused Substitutes: 16 Archie Panyi, 17 Deshane Dalling, 20 Will Salmon

Goalscorers: Bradley Pritchard (11'), Tommy Wood (38')

Yellow Cards: Ola Ogunwamide (54’), Ronnie Vint (74’)

Photo: Rob Avis

HIGHLIGHTS | Wingate & Finchley vs Dulwich Hamlet

  • Date: Tuesday 24 October 2023
  • Venue: Harry Abrahams Stadium
  • Attendance: 154
Photo : Rob Avis

REPORT | Whitehawk vs Dulwich Hamlet

Dulwich picked up a valuable point on the road as we visited Whitehawk.

In everchanging weather conditions Dulwich visited a Whitehawk side that hadn’t lost at Home in 20 fixtures.

The visitors almost took the lead after just 8 minutes as Ryley Scott and Danny Mills went close only for their shots to be blocked well by the Whitehawk defence.

Mills would link up with Scott just 5 minutes later as he squared a ball to Scott only for his shot to be blocked on the line.

Top scorer Luke Wanadio then launched his own one-man Counter-attack after a failed Whitehawk corner. Despite stumbling under pressure, Wanadio stumbled but managed to get a low drilled shot away only for it to be saved by the hosts Goalkeeper.

Despite controlling the majority of the 1st half, the Hamlet went in at half-time level.

It would take 15 minutes for the 2nd half to really kick into life, this time Captain Jerome Binnom-Williams struck a shot from range, but his shot ended up going just over the bar.

Wanadio would go close again after 63 minutes as he cut inside and unleashed a shot only for it to go just wide of the far post.

With 10 minutes to go Dulwich finally turned their constant pressure into a goal as centre half Michael Chambers headed home from the corner to fire the Hamlet into the lead.

Chambers turned from Goal scorer into defensive master as he blocked a shot destined for the bottom corner sending it out for a corner.

As we entered stoppage time however, the hosts late pressure found a way back into the game as they levelled it with 5 minutes left to play.

The Hamlet’s afternoon completely turned on its head 3 minutes from time as Ade Shokunbi was given a straight Red Card following a late lunge on the Half-Way line.

Despite dominating 89 minutes of the game, the Hamlet left the Sussex coast with just a point heading into Tuesday Nights tie away to Wingate & Finchley.

REPORT | Dulwich Hamlet vs Kingstonian

  • Date: Saturday 14 October 2023
  • Venue: Champion Hill
  • Attendance: 3,191

In what was very much a game of two halves, all five goals came in the second stanza as Dulwich Hamlet edged to a narrow 3-2 win and picked up a vital three points in this early season basement battle.

At a near sold-out Champion Hill, 3,191 fans witnessed a forgettable first half. During the opening 45 minutes there were just two shots on target and both were for the away team. Calling them shots on target is generous, as both efforts came from outside the box and picked up deflections on their way to the goal meaning neither keeper was forced into a save during the first half.

As fans filed away to the bars and food outlets during the break, they can have been forgiven for wondering if they had anywhere else to be, but those caught in the half-time queues would’ve missed the opening goal.

A Danny Mills header just forty seconds after the restart gave Dulwich the lead, with half-time substitute Anthony Jeffrey making an instant impact by laying on the goal. It was Dulwich’s first effort on target. It was a typical Mills goal, Jeffrey crossed from the left to the back post and Mills rose above his maker and powered a headed past Rob Tolfrey in the Kingstonian goal.

Jeffrey was one of two Hamlet half-time subs with Jeffrey and Ryley Scott coming on for Mark Ricketts and Sean Bonnett-Johnson. It was a bold attacking move by Hakan Hayrettin, and it wouldn’t take long for Dulwich to double their lead.

In the 55th minute, Jerome Binnom-Williams picked up the ball just inside the opposition have and strode forward. The left-back played a line-breaking pass to the feet of Mills on the edge of the box. The Hamlet number nine rolled his marker and found Akwo Ayuk. He showed neat footwork to dribble past his man before firing high and hard into the top right-hand corner.

Hamlet’s third arrived in the 67th minute. The away side failed to clear a Binnom-Williams corner and Luke Wanadio reacted quickest. He first won a header on the edge of the box and collected it himself. He took one touch to steady himself before firing hard and low. It arrowed away from the despairing dive of Tolfrey and found the side netting by the left-hand post. It was a sumptuous strike and gave Dulwich what would surely be an unassailable lead.

Kingstonian were down but not out. At 2-0 their top scorer Eddie Dsane had missed a guilt edged chance, firing wide when clean through, although credit must go to Will Lakin for closing the angle. In the 73rd minute, they would grab one back with Mark Waters arrowing a low shot past Lakin, who dived to his left but couldn’t keep it out. One goal can change a game and it was Kingstonian who were now on top. Tom Collins, who had come on for Dsane, lobbed Lakin, but his shot hit the bar and bounced over. Just a minute later Collins had another good chance but could only drag his shot wide.

Dulwich were looking edgy and nervy and in the 90th minute the fans were feeling that way too as Kingstonian reduced the deficit to one. From a free-kick on the right-hand side Niran Butler was left unmarked and he headed home from just six-yards out.

 

Dulwich had five minutes of injury time to survive and they managed to hang on for a vital three points. The win lifts them out of the drop zone and up to sixteenth in the table. Thank you to our fans for your wonderful support, the men’s team are next in action on Saturday 21st of October when we travel to Whitehawk. The next home game is against Lewes in the FA Trophy 1st Round on October 28th.

Dulwich Hamlet Line-Up:

1 Will Lakin, 2 Miquel Scarlett, 4 Mark Ricketts (10 Anthony Jeffrey 46’), 5 Michael Chambers, 7 Luke Wanadio, 9 Danny Mills, 11 Akwo Ayuk, 12 Sean Bonnett-Johnson ( 8 Ryley Scott 46’), 15 Kreshnic Krasniqi, 18 Jerome Binnom-Williams, 20 Manny Parry

Unused Substitutes: 3 Momodou Jallow, 17 Adam Dougui, 19 Elliott Romain

Goalscorers: Mills 46', Ayuk 55’, Wanadio 67’

Yellow Cards: Wanadio 62’

Kingstonian Line-Up

1 Rob Tolfrey, 2 Zack Chislett, 3 Jude Mason, 4 Rudy Allen (12 Darnell Goather-Braithwaite 55’) 5 Matt Drage, 6 Niran Butler 7 Mark Waters, 8 Emmanuel Adebiyi, 9 Andy Somo, 10 Eddie Dsane (14 Tom Collins 62’), 11 Rio Campbell (15 Hakeem Adelakun 81’)

Goalscorers: Waters 73’, Butler 90’

Yellow Cards: Eddie Dsane 33’, Niran Butler 79’

MATCH REPORT | CHESHUNT 0 DULWICH 1

  • Date: Saturday 07 October 2023
  • Venue: 292
  • Attendance: 292

Dulwich advanced to the next round of the 23/24 Isuzu FA Trophy thanks to victory at Theobalds Lane

The Hamlet advanced the in the 23/24 FA Trophy on Saturday afternoon thanks to a late winner from new signing Akwo Ayuk against 10 man Cheshunt.

The Hamlet started the game on the front foot in complete opposite fashion to the league fixture between the 2 sides 7 days earlier.

It was new man Ayuk who went close after just over a minute as Wanadio whipped a ball in only for Ayuk's shot to go wide.

Krasniqi went close minutes later but his long range shot was saved well by the Cheshunt keeper.

Will Lakin on his Hamlet debut was called into action early on too but he got down well to save following a defensive mix up.

After a manic opening 10 minutes the game calmed down and it wasn't until the 22nd minute that either side would have a notable chance on goal. Lakin launched a ball up field towards Wanadio who bought it down but his shot was saved once again by the hosts goalkeeper.

Cheshunt would go down to 10 men on the stroke of half time. As Isiah Noel-Williams was handed a 2nd yellow after he whipped out Miquel Scarlett.

It wasn't until the 65th minute that the Hamlet would face another chance at goal, Ayuk received the ball from Parry only for his shot to be blocked on the line.

Substitution Hussein Siklawi went close minutes after coming on but he blazed his shot over the bar on the 71st minute.

Cheshunt would go close to taking the lead after 82 minutes but after some tidy build up play they fired a shot well wide of the post.

In what was a game the Hamlet dominated they finally took the lead after 86 minutes as debutant Ayuk who fired the Hamlet ahead with minutes left.

He bought the ball down, cut inside and poked the ball into the bottom corner to send the travelling fans into delirium.

Siklawi would almost double the lead but his shot was saved well by the keeper on the 90th minute.

Will Lakin would produce the save of the afternoon in stoppage time as he acrobatically tipped a long range shot over the bar.

With Lakin's late heroics Dulwich secured passage into the 1st Round of the 23/24 FA Trophy where they'll take on Lewes at Home on October 28th

MATCH REPORT | HORNCHURCH 0 DULWICH 1

  • Date: Tuesday 26 September 2023
  • Venue: Hornchurch Stadium
  • Attendance: 460

A disastrous opening ten minutes ultimately gave The Hamlet too much to do as they slipped to a single goal defeat.

Hornchurch moved to the summit of the Isthmian League Premier Division, as Dulwich were left to rue their slow start to the match. Whilst the home team were always the more threatening and fluent, neither keeper was called into much action throughout the 90+ minutes.

The Hamlet side saw Craig Braham-Barrett, Danny Mills and Elliott Romain come into the side, with Adrian Clifton on the bench and youngsters Adam Dougui & Finlay Lovatt not part of the squad.

The home side were quickly into their stride and took a 4th minute lead with a well worked goal by ex Hamlet man, Liam Nash. A crossfield pass from right to left by Dulwich nemesis, Sam Higgins, was met with a far post vollet by Tom Wraight and Nash was on hand to turn the fiercely struck effort past Ruddy. 1-0.

At this stage there was little to be seen from The Hamlet except one good run from Luke Wanadio but his excellent cross from the right drifted wide of the far post. That was as good as it got for the visitors as a minute later Nash had doubled his tally and the home side's lead. This time Higgins found Saunders who crossed into Nash with his back to goal. However, he was allowed to turn and fire past a flat-footed Ruddy in the Dulwich goal. 2-0

Dulwich's attempts to get back into the game were unconvincing , although the lively Wanadio forced a comfortable save from Henry in the home goal and the same player's cross was somehow turned over his own bar by Scott, when on another day he would have put through his own goal.

The game settled down into one in which effort exceeded quality with the home side happy to keep Dulwich at arms length and the visitors not showing enough urgency to break the pattern, as the game drifted to half time with little meaningful action.

Half Time 2-0

The early parts of the second half settled into the same patter, although Michael Chambers had two headed efforts, one of which went over the bar and the other comfortably saved by Henry. For Hornchurch, Saunders delivery at set plays seemed the most likely route to a third goal, but they were generally content with their lead and The Hamlet made little progress in changing the inevitable course of the match.

Bertram-Cooper dragged a shot wide for the home side before Dulwich unexpectedly found a way back into the game. A dangerous cross was cleared for a corner and Binnom-Williams delivery was perfect for Adrian Clifton to glance his header past Henry.

 The Hamlet suddenly found some belief, driven on by the energy brought by Clifton's introduction as he saw his cross just miss the far post but there would be one final wasted chance as a chance to exert some pressure was wasted when a short free kick was taken rather than getting the ball into the box.
 
Final Score 2-1
Attendance 460

MATCH REPORT | DULWICH Hamlet 2 Concord Rangers 0

  • Date: Saturday 23 September 2023
  • Venue: Champion Hill
  • Attendance: 2,558

An even contest turned on the sending off of Concord’s Joe Halsey, with Romain’s first goal for the club setting Hamlet on their way to three points.

Dulwich picked up their second league win of the season, beating rock bottom Concord Rangers, with a first goal of the season for Elliot Romain setting the Hamlet on the road to victory.

A goalless game turned on the sending off of Concord’s Joe Halsey in the 40th minute, with the right-back dismissed for two bookable offences within eight minutes. He picked up his first in the 32nd minute, for kicking the ball away, and his second for a foul on the edge of the box on Luke Wanadio.

At half-time Hakan Hayrettin went on the offensive. He made an attacking substitution, bringing on Romain for Finlay Lovatt. The gamble took just five minutes to pay dividends. From a long Jack Ruddy clearance, Adrian Clifton outmuscled his marker to flick the ball on, Adam Dougui, who was making his first league start for the Hamlet, found Romain and the ex- Ebbsfleet forward took a touch, before firing low into the bottom left hand corner of the net from the edge of the box.

Whilst the goal calmed the Hamlet nerves, the 2,588 who were watching on in the South London September sunshine, were not watching a one way contest. From a Khale Da Costa cross Tashae Anderson just couldn’t grow enough to stick it away. And from a Ricky Modeste cross Harrison Day finished smartly, but he was well offside. It was actually the third correctly disallowed goal of the game, with box sides having found the net in the first half, only for the assistant-referee to raise his flag.

For Dulwich, Craig Braham-Barrett, who had come on for Dougui, was linking up well with Jerome Binnom-Williams and he almost made it 2-0 in the 66th minute. Dulwich didn’t have to wait long to double their lead though. In the 70th minute, the Hamlet won a free-kick near the halfway line on the left hand side. Binnom-Williams took it, hitting it diagonally towards the box. Michael Chambers rose highest and he headed it across goal and into the bottom left hand corner of the net.

That goal seemed to knock the stuffing out of The Beach Boys, who are yet to score away from home this season. Only some heroics in from the Beach Boy’s keeper stopped Dulwich from adding a third, with Mason Terry making a string of fine saves to deny Scott, Braham-Barrett and Wanadio. The best of the lot though was an acrobatic diving save to keep out a Binnom-Williams piledriver, which was destined for the net.

Dulwich’s first clean sheet of the season, and first league win since the middle of August lifts them up to 16th in the table, while Concord, who remain goalless away from home this season, stay rooted to the foot of the table with a 100% record that no team wants.

Dulwich Hamlet Line-Up: 1 Jack Ruddy, 2 Dwight Pascal, 4 Sean Bonnett-Johnson, 5 Michael Chambers, 7 Luke Wanadio, 8 Ryley Scott 10 Adam Dougui (3 Craig Braham-Barrett 62’) 11 Finlay Lovatt (19 Elliot Romain 46’), 12 Marvel Ekpiteta 14 Adrian Clifton (9 Danny Mills 71’) 18 Jerome Binnom-Williams (c)

Unused Substitutes: 6 Jerry Gyebi, 16 Ade Shokunbi

 

MATCH REPORT | Haringey Borough 2 DULWICH Hamlet 1

  • Date: Tuesday 05 September 2023
  • Venue: Coles Park Stadium
  • Attendance: 417

Dulwich are out of this season’s FA Cup after defeat to Haringey Borough in First Round Qualifying replay

If recent weeks have seen choppy conditions for the Hamlet, then Hak and the boys may have hoped that a beautiful, warm September evening in north London was a sign of calmer waters ahead. However, it was not to be as Haringey Borough put an end to our cup campaign with a 2-1 defeat.

Haringey took the lead around half an hour in, thanks to a stunner from Khalifa Jabbie. Borough doubled their lead seven minutes into the second half through Kasim Aidoo and held on for the win, despite a slew of Hamlet chances and late hope through a Kreshnic Krasniqi goal.

After a game of few chances in the original tie at Champion Hill, it didn’t take long for Dulwich to register their first shot on target. Less than a minute was on the clock when Alfie Allen set his sights on goal 25 yards, but the shot was fairly tame and didn’t require Dillon Barnes in the Haringey goal to have to move too much to save it.

It didn’t take long for Borough to threaten our goal for the first time, with Alphanso Kennedy given enough space out on the Haringey left to whip in a low across the goalmouth, only for it to whistle straight through after no one on either side could get a touch.

For the next 15 minutes, the game seemed to revert to the same pattern that we saw the previous weekend, with Dulwich not able to produce too many openings from a direct style of play – in spite of an energetic display from Krasniqi, who was playing in a much more advanced role than usual – and Borough unable to penetrate our back line.

However, Dulwich were able to carve out a couple of chances in quick succession from set pieces. The first was a floated corner from Krasniqi which was met by a towering Michael Chambers. Barnes had to fight his way through a crowded box to punch clear, but the ball only went as far as Ryley Scott who was loitering on the edge of the box, but his shot was dragged wide.

Kresh then was handed the ball for a free kick on the byline about 5 yards in from the corner flag, and this time he tried to catch Barnes out when he noticed the glovesman was off his line, but the alert Borough keeper made it back in time to palm over the bar.

Coles Park erupted in the 32nd minute, when half of the ground thought that Borough had taken the lead after Arthur Iontton got on the end of a Michael O'Donoghue cross and his header crashed against the underside of the crossbar before spinning away from goal. Despite cheers from the home crowd and the appeals of a number of men in yellow and blue, the referee was insistent that the ball had not crossed the line.

It didn’t take long at all after this, however, for Haringey to take the lead for real. A short corner rolled out to Jabbie wasn’t closed down quick enough, and the Sierra Leonean international was allowed to unleash a curling effort from 30 yards that beat Jack Ruddy and flew straight into the right-hand corner of the net.

After that brief flurry of action, the game slipped back into a quite a gritty midfield battle, with not too much width or any clear chances to speak of for the remainder of the first half.

Like the first half, the second opened up with action from the kick off, this time in Borough’s favour. Some short and quick passing resulted in Aidoo getting into a non-threatening position on the edge of the box, where he hit the deck under some pressure from Jerome Binnom-Williams, but the man with the whistle was unmoved.

Five minutes later, though, Aidoo would have the last laugh, receiving a through ball to breach our back line and finishing past Ruddy from a tight angle to double the Borough lead.

With an uphill battle now to stay in the competition, Dulwich went on the attack, and were able to create chances throughout the second half, predominantly from set pieces. The first of these came off a Binnom-Williams corner, which Danny Mills rose high to meet, forcing a spectacular full stretch save from Barnes. The ball only went as far as a Hamlet man just outside the six yard box, but his header back across goal was cleared off the line, and Borough were then able to get the ball to safety.

Six minutes later, Kresh found himself in an advanced position again, and played an inch-perfect, defence-splitting pass to send Scott in on goal, but Barnes was equal to the young midfielder’s fierce shot and denied him his first competitive Hamlet goal.

As time ticked by, the rabble could feel this one slipping away, but the Hamlet were able to fashion a 74th minute chance from another Binnom-Williams corner, this time finding Chambers at the near post, only for the big man to glance it wide.

By this time, Luke Wanadio had been brought on, and was showing some of the flair and danger that has already endeared him to the Hamlet fans. It was his booming 84th minute cross from range that found Mills at the back stick. Our number 9 chested it down but the ball was stolen off his toes by Ebenezer Addo Kufuor before he could get a shot in from close range.

Seconds before the board went up for additional time, the Hamlet were given late hope. Wanadio was at the centre of it again, shooting from 30 yards out and forcing a great stop from Barnes, but Krasniqi was there for the rebound, and couldn’t miss from five yards.

However, as we went into five minutes of stoppage time Haringey – who have thrown away three leads already at this early stage in the season – managed the game with aplomb and didn’t give us a look in, earning their first win of the season. The loss also marks the first time that Hamlet have exited the competition in the first qualifying round since 2014.

Haringey Borough Line-Up: 1 Dillon Barnes, 2 Ebenezer Addo Kufuor, 3 Michael O'Donoghue, 4 Jorge Djassi-Sambu, 5 Dexter Peter (c), 6 Khalifa Jabbie, 7 Bobson Bawling (17 Georgios Aresti 80'), 8 Arthur Iontton, 9 Walter Figueira, 10 Kasim Aidoo (15 Temi Babalola 76'), 11 Alphanso Kennedy (14 Harry Philippou 88')

Unused Substitutions: 12 Stefanos Georgiou, 16 Pawel Kowalkowski

Goalscorers: Khalifa Jabbie 34', Kasim Aidoo 52'

Dulwich Hamlet Line-Up: 1 Jack Ruddy, 2 Marvel Ekpiteta, 4 Mark Ricketts (c), 5 Michael Chambers, 8 Ryley Scott (14 Finlay Lovatt 80'), 9 Danny Mills, 11 Alfie Allen (7 Luke Wanadio 55'), 15 Kreshnic Krasniqi, 18 Jerome Binnom-Williams, 19 Elliott Romain (10 Momodou Jallow 62'), 20 Manny Parry

Unused Substitutions: 3 Paul Chalobah, 6 Jerry Gyebi, 16 Ademola Shokunbi, 17 Kaya Hansson

Goalscorer: Kreshnic Krasniqi 89'

Yellow Card: Mark Ricketts 90'

Referee: Craig Barnett
Attendance: 417

MATCH REPORT | Dulwich Hamlet 2 Chatham Town 5

  • Date: Monday 28 August 2023
  • Venue: Champion Hill
  • Attendance: 2,282

Hamlet fell to a third successive defeat in the league following a rampant second half display from our bank holiday visitors, Chatham Town. Dulwich were perhaps unlucky to finish a fairly uneventful, but even, first half a goal down after Jamie Yila headed the Chats into the lead on the stroke of half time. However, there was no doubting which team had the better of the second 45, with a hat-trick from Chatham skipper Jack Evans and another goal for Yila sealing the three points for the away side, despite goals from Craig Braham-Barrett and Danny Mills.

Our visitors came to us riding high, with their 100% record so far this season already marking them out as contenders for a third successive promotion. Our fortunes had been mixed coming into this one – back-to-back defeats in our last two tarnishing promising performances in our opening two games of the season.

MATCH REPORT | Horsham 2 Dulwich Hamlet 1

  • Date: Tuesday 26 September 2023
  • Venue: The Camping World Community Stadium
  • Attendance: 1,018

For the second away game in succession Dulwich conceded an injury time goal to drop points on the road. Daniel Ajakaiye’s 95th minute winner proved the difference between the two teams and earned Horsham a 3-2 victory, much to the delight of the vociferous home support. Of the two late goals, it’s likely this one from the Hornets that will sting more, given Dulwich had led 2-1 with fewer than 10 minutes to play.

It was the home team who began the brighter at The Camping World Community Stadium, with Dulwich slow to get going on the artificial surface. Horsham were rewarded for their early endeavour in the sixth minute. A bouncing ball was hooked hopefully on by Tom Richards towards Jack Mazzone. The Horsham number nine managed to get goal side of Manny Parry and the Dulwich defender tripped him inside the area, leaving the referee with no option but to point to the spot.

And it was Mazzone who would convert from 12-yards, hitting it hard and low to Ruddy’s left and sending the keeper the wrong way. Hak must’ve hoped this goal would awaken his slumbering side and it did. Dulwich began to dominate possession, albeit with more probing than penetrating attacks. In fact Hamlet’s best chances in the opening half hour came for set pieces, where our aerial advantage was evident. In the 12th minute, from a Jerome Binnom-Williams delivery, Danny Mills connected with a dangerous downward header, which Lewis Carey in the Horsham goal did well to punch away.

Fifteen minutes later Mills again had the better of his marker from a corner, this time he nodded it back across goal and Michael Chambers was close to connecting, but once more Horsham managed to clear their lines.

From open play it was Sanchez Ming and Luke Wanadio who were looking most threatening for the Hamlet. Dulwich were finding success with left to right diagonal balls that freed the marauding Ming down the wing. From one of those surges he found Wanadio, but his shot was more high, than handsome. It would be the first of three Wanadio efforts in quick succession, with the last the best of the lot, forcing a sprawling diving save from Carey. It would be Dulwich’s best, and last, effort of the opening 45 and they headed down the tunnel one goal behind.

Whatever Hak said at half-time clearly had the desired effect as Dulwich noticeably upped their intensity from the off. Within the opening five minutes Richard Pingling, Wanadio and Mills had all threatened, the latter with a trademark header that he couldn’t quite keep down. The game was being played in the Horsham half and the pressure was building.

The dominance would pay dividends in the 62nd minute. Mills was proving a handful and from a cross from the left towards him at the back post, Horsham would handle and the referee, after a pregnant pause, awarded a spot-kick to the pink and blue.

The responsibility would fall to Ming and he was more than equal to it, confidently stroking the ball down the middle of the goal, with the keeper diving to Ming’s left. At this stage Hamlet were purring and it felt a matter of when not if they would score a second. In one attack Wanadio and Miils both had half chances, Dulwich recycled the ball, and a cross found Ming free at the far stick, his rasping shot was goal bound and only a fine stop from Carey denied the Dulwich defender a quickfire double.

 

But, if Hamlet felt like there were only one winner in the game, they would soon have to rethink that. Horsham had looked dangerous on the counter-attack and from one such transition Richards was sent clean away down the right hand touchline, he had multiple men open in the middle, but his cross couldn’t find any of them.

Just sixty seconds later, that missed opportunity would look incredibly costly, as although Ming had been denied a double, Hamlet would not be. Binnom-Williams crossed diagonally from the left, Mills did what he does so well and nodded it back across goal, Ade Shokunbi timed his arrival perfectly and kneed it into the back of the net from a few yards out. Two goals in four minutes were no less than Dulwich deserved for their dominance and we were dreaming of a first away win since January.

Dominic Di Paola had reacted to Dulwich’s first goal by bringing on Daniel Ajakaiye and he reacted to the second by throwing on Charlie Hester-Cook and Horsham’s subs would play a huge part in bringing the home side back into the game.

Hester-Cook in particular was neat and tidy in possession and the field began to tilt in favour of the home side. With just eight minutes to go they would draw level. A high through ball by James Hammond was controlled on his chest by Lee Harding, the Horsham right-back somehow had the freedom of the Hamlet penalty area, and the ball found its way to Richards, who showed poise that had been lacking earlier, to fire a low shot past Ruddy.

In the last of the regulation minutes Dulwich almost fashioned a goal of their own through good work from our substitutes. Miquel Scarlett, who had replaced Richard Pingling, fizzed in a cross towards Adrian Clifton at the near post. The Dulwich striker looked to have a tap-in, but great work from Carey, who had anticipated the cross and dived at the feet of the onrushing Dulwich striker to claim the ball.

As the board went up to indicate five minutes of added time, the narrative was being written for one of those games that both sides felt they should’ve won, but ultimately where a point a piece would be a fair result.

But, football never fails to surprise you and with less than a minute on the clock Jack Strange played a slide rule pass down the right-hand side, Binnom-Williams just couldn’t stretch enough to cut it out, Shamir Fenelon was away, after a touch or two to compose himself, he crossed for Ajakaiye who finished first time from close range.

It was a sickening and underserved blow for Hamlet and the players, who had put in a great second-half performance, sunk to their knees. It’s now back-to-back defeats for Dulwich, who slip to 15th in the table. If there’s one silver lining it’s that we don’t have long to dwell on the manner of the defeat, as we welcome high flying Chatham Town, who have a 100% record, to Champion Hill on Bank Holiday Monday.

Dulwich Hamlet Line-Up: 1 Jack Ruddy, 2 Sanchez Ming, 4 Mark Ricketts (c) (15 Kreshnic Krasniqi 89'), 5 Michael Chambers, 7 Luke Wanadio, 8 Richard Pingling (17 Miquel Scarlett 75'), 9 Danny Mills (14 Adrian Clifton 85'), 11 Alfie Allen, 16 Ade Shokunbi, 18 Jerome Binnom-Williams (c), 20 Manny Parry

Unused Substitutes:, 6 Jerry Gyebi, 10 Kaya Hansson

Goalscorers: Sanchez Ming 63' (pen), Ade Shokunbi 67’

Yellow Cards: Jerome Binnom-Williams 55’, Luke Wanadio 72'

Horsham Line-Up: 1 Lewis Carey, 2 Lee Harding, 3 Harvey Sparks, 4 Douglas Tuck (15 Charlie Hester-Cook 70’), 5 Jack Strange, 6 Sami El-Abd, 7 James Hammond, 8 John Brivio (c), 9 Jack Mazzone (17 Shamir Fenelon 84’), 10 Kadell Daniel (16 Daniel Ajakaiye 64’), 11 Tom Richards

Unused Substitutes: 12 Alexander Malins, 14 Thomas Kavanagh

Goalscorers: Jack Mazzone 6’ (pen), Tom Richards 82’, Daniel Ajakaiye 90+5’

Yellow Cards: Jack Brivio 78’

Referee: Stephen Hawkes
Attendance: 1,018

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