The omens were not good ahead of our trip to Dartford. Seven days previously, we had produced what Ryan Dempsey had labelled as the worst performance of his tenure at Fulham, and we were coming up an opposition who had beaten us three times last season.

On top of this, we could name an entire starting line-up of unavailable players, namely Madi Parsonson, Asia Harbour-Brown, Chana Hinds, Sophie Manzi, Hannah Baptiste, Rebecca May, Mia Cruickshank, Abby Delves, Minnie Cruttwell, Lily Price and Rhea Gall.

But have no fear, as the quartet of players called up from the Reserves slotted in brilliantly, Zoe Cohen and Sharne Harris in defence, Alyssa Miranda on the flanks and Stephanie Addison in the centre of midfield.

This was combined with some stellar performances from some of our senior superstars, Lucy Monkman and Saskia Philp were tireless in attack, Rosie Stone added steel to the midfield, Brit Saylor captained from an unfamiliar defensive position alongside the unflappable Ceylon Hickman, Erin Corrigan ran through Dartford players repeatedly, whilst Saskia Reeves-Priestley kept one of the greatest clean sheets in our history.

However, the standout display amongst standouts was that of Ella Wales-Bonner, who flew into tackles galore, strode forward with the ball on countless occasions, scored a technically brilliant volley, and with one final lung-busting run, would earn the penalty which ultimately sealed the win.

The Darts, last season's runners-up, looked to put pressure on the makeshift Hamlet side early on, Emily Vaughan testing Reeves-Priestley from range in the opening ten minutes, before she got her positioning spot on to prevent Amy Green from chipping her inside the penalty area.

The hostesses continued to look dangerous, Green finding Shauni Griffiths in acres of space on the left wing, and her dangerous cross deserved a good finish, but Vaughan contrived to fire wildly over from close range after the ball deflected into her path.

Those missed openings would come back to haunt the home side, as Wales-Bonner made them pay in the 22nd minute. A corner from Stone was flicked up in the air by a defender, with the ball dropping onto Ella's right foot, and she connected so sweetly with her volley that it whistled into the far corner. Her first goal for 15 months since scoring against Dartford last September, a very timely one.

In the sub-zero, murky conditions Dartford continued to probe, Issy Michalski firing well wide from range, before one of the best saves of the season by Reeves-Priestley protected the lead. Ella, in possibly the only mistake of her afternoon, gave away possession 25 yards out, and Green let fly. The ball was seemingly destined for the top corner, but Saskia somehow got two hands on the ball at full-stretch to divert onto the frame of the goal, a top drawer save from a goalkeeper growing in confidence every week.

The mists eased for the second half as the temperatures continued to plummet, and Dartford continued to chip away at us, Alicia Gibbs floating their latest chance over the bar from distance. However, Monkman and Philp were looking more and more dangerous on the break, and the two linked up to fashion a half chance just before the hour mark, Philp shooting early from the right wing in the hope of catching Jade Charlton out, with the ball skimming wide.

Dartford were not able to create as much in the second half, with frustrations rising in their game, but they did still carve out a few chances of note, Griffiths going on a mazy run before prodding an effort wide of the far post, before Georgie Davis put in a last-ditch challenge on Monkman to snuff out chances of a second goal.

That opportunity would come though, as four minutes from time, further great work from Philp and Monkman allowed Wales-Bonner to break forward from midfield, reminiscent of the sort of run that has endeared her to the Pepper Army. She knocked the ball past Emily Read, before she was crudely chopped down in the area by Annie White. After a lengthy delay, Saylor finally had the chance of making it 2-0. Just as she did at Worthing in August, she put her spotkick to Charlton's left and the win was heading home with us.

There was still time for Monkman to come close to grabbing a deserved goal, flashing her effort wide of the near post, but the full time whistle soon came and the players came to take the acclaim of the small band of travelling fans. Even the Dartford players appreciated the turnout. So, An excellent way to round off what has been an inconsistent 2022, but there is plenty of buzz about what could be a very spicy 2023.

Dartford Line-Up: 1 Jade Charlton, 2 Issy Michalski, 3 Georgie Davis, 6 Emily Read, 8 Shauni Griffiths, 10 Emily Vaughan (23 Paris Smith 70'), 14 Alicia Gibbs, 15 Annie White, 16 Amy Green, 17 Charlie Torry (c), 23 Paris Smith (9 Nicha Dyett 40')

Unused Substitutions: 5 Rachel Ahern, 11 Aimee Ascott, 19 Amy Reader, 22 Emily Woodhouse

Dulwich Hamlet Line-Up: 1 Saskia Reeves-Priestley, 5 Rosie Stone, 7 Saskia Philp, 8 Brit Saylor (c), 12 Zoe Cohen (3 Sharne Harris 46'), 13 Ceylon Hickman (12 Zoe Cohen 53'), 14 Lucy Monkman, 15 Erin Corrigan, 16 Ella Wales-Bonner, 17 Alyssa Miranda, 18 Stephanie Addison

Unused Substitution: GK Amy Jenkins

Goalscorers: Ella Wales-Bonner 22', Brit Saylor 88' (pen)

A ruthless Fulham side exacted their revenge on the Hamlet in a dominant performance on a chilly afternoon at Motspur Park. Goals from Ellie Olds and Georgia Heasman, as well as an unfortunate own goal from Rhea Gall, saw the Whites take all three points and ensure it would be one win each for the sides this season following the Hamlet's victory at Champion Hill in October.

Ryan Dempsey was without the injured Chana Hinds and the travelling Erin Corrigan from the previous weekend, whilst Madi Parsonson bravely played despite a virus, and would only last a half before it got the better of her. Fulham were without top scorer Helen Ogle, with Ede Buchele the only change from the side which had won at Millwall a week previously.

Reminiscent of the reverse game, the first goal came early, but this time is was for the hosts. Buchele found space on the right hand side to drift, and curled a ball into the path of Olds who slotted in an easy effort at the back post and put the Whites 1-0 up in the third minute. This early goal set the tone for the rest of the match with the Hamlet very much chasing shadows for most of the game.

The Hamlet did find half chances during the half and the first came in the ninth minute, when Rebecca May linked up with Sophie Manzi to draw the Fulham defence out, which allowed Lucy Monkman to drift into the open area to penetrate the Fulham final third, but it was well recovered by Mary Southgate to end the attack. Minutes later Fulham were nearly gifted a goal after miscommunication at the back allowed Olds to steal the ball deep in the Hamlet box but her effort was easily claimed by Saskia Reeves-Priestley and the Hamlet were let off.

The best Hamlet chance came from a Parsonson lofted cross into the box which flicked off the back of Gall and went over the roof of the net, with more opportunities at a premium for the remainder of the afternoon.

As the game progressed, the Hamlet began to open up pockets of space in the Fulham defence and started to commit more players forward, which resulted in a battling end to the half. The Whites' defence gifted a chance for May to find Monkman inside the box, who in turn found Manzi on the edge with space to strike, but her effort was easily claimed by Cowan.

The end of the half ended with a good old fashioned goalmouth scramble in the Hamlet box, with Ceylon Hickman, Gall and Parsonson all committing massive blocks to deny Fulham a second goal and end the half only one goal down.

The second half began with both sides being very patient on the ball with neither committing very risky plays in an attempt to figure out the game plan of the other side.

The first real chance of the half came to Buchele, who found space from distance to unleash an effort, but her curled effort was just wide of the post but left Reeves-Priestley beaten all ends up. This half chance gave the hosts the confidence to increase their attacking output and put the Hamlet side under more pressure.

It took until the 62nd minute for Fulham to deservedly extend their lead but it was under unfortunate circumstances. Olds received the ball on the left hand channel, curled a cross towards the box, where the ball deflected off the top of Gall's head and over Reeves-Priestley. Incredibly unfortunate for Rhea, who had had a great game to that point and would continue to do so on a day of few positives.

Fulham continued to press high and dominate the ball and they all but confirmed the three points with a third goal with ten minutes to go, as Olds slipped a through ball into Georgia Heasman, who only had to direct a shot past the onrushing Saskia. Fulham so nearly extended their lead too four minutes later, but half-time substitute Mia Cruickshank denied the Whites.

The Hamlet did end the last few minutes of the game well but it was Fulham who took all three points in this game after a lacklustre Hamlet performance on the night, with complete domination from the Whites.

Fulham Line-Up: 13 Holly Cowan, 3 Tessa Allen, 4 Annie Thomas (17 Loïs Konan 34'), 5 Mary Southgate (c) (15 Sophie Modak 84'), 8 Becky Stormer, 9 Ellie Olds, 10 Lilly Lambird, 14 Tia Foreman (27 Megalie Mendes 79'), 18 Georgia Heasman, 19 Ede Buchele (6 Chloé Christison-McNee 71'), 23 Alex Hayman

Unused Substitute: 1 Edie Kelly

Goalscorers: Ellie Olds 3', Rhea Gall (OG) 62', Georgia Heasman 78'

Dulwich Hamlet Line-Up: 1 Saskia Reeves-Priestley, 2 Madi Parsonson (18 Mia Cruickshank 46'), 8 Brit Saylor (c), 9 Sophie Manzi, 11 Rebecca May, 13 Ceylon Hickman, 14 Lucy Monkman, 19 Abby Delves, 20 Minnie Cruttwell (16 Ella Wales-Bonner 59'), 21 Lily Price (10 Hannah Baptiste 65'), 22 Rhea Gall

Referee: Ian Skull

The Hamlet's FA Cup run came to an end on Sunday, but without doubt ended with a huge fight, with Tier-3 Gillingham earning a 2-1 victory.

Erin Corrigan had drawn us level with one of the truly great goals in our history, but the side, roared on by a women's side record of 631, weren't able to find a second equaliser once Breon Grant had restored the lead early in the second half.

Ryan Dempsey was able to welcome some big names back to the squad for this game having been absent at Aylesford two weeks prior, with Chana Hinds, Corrigan and Sophie Manzi all available again, whilst new signing Mia Cruickshank sat on the bench. The Gills were without captain Vicky Ashton-Jones, but arrived having beaten two of our league rivals in Millwall and Ebbsfleet in their previous two outings.

That recent form against Tier-5 opposition continued into the early minutes of our tie, although the Hamlet looked to come racing out the traps, especially in the wide areas, with Madi Parsonson beating her marker a couple of times in the opening exchanges. However, the Gills settled into the game quickly, and began to send in a flurry of probing corners, Minnie Cruttwell doing well to head one over her own crossbar, before another was volleyed over in the packed penalty area.

The home defence was kept busy constantly, with Hinds, Ceylon Hickman and Corrigan making tackle after tackle, the latter producing a stunning challenge on Grant as she looked to shoot from 18 yards out, but it felt like a goal would be a matter of time with the amount of possession enjoyed by our visitors.

Grant was denied at the near post by Saskia Reeves-Priestley, but the Hamlet custodian was powerless to deny Georgia Griffin in the 22nd minute. A challenge from Rebecca May bobbled to the Gills forward just under 25 yards from goal, and almost immediately, she struck a sweet, dipping shot over Reeves-Priestley and into the far corner, a tremendous shot and the favourites found themselves leading.

As the game reached the half-hour mark, we had yet to test Cara Davies in the Gillingham goal, but that swiftly changed, and Davies would be picking the ball out the back of her net. Lily Price received the ball on the halfway line, and with a rare bit of space to work with, was able to drive forward. Her attempted pass towards the forward line deflected into the path of Parsonson, who had cut in from the left wing looking to get a shot on goal. With Gillingham players in close proximity, she spotted the run of Corrigan to her left. The defender took the ball in her stride, chopped inside of one player, beat another on the outside, and proceeded to send a lob over Davies into the far top corner, before wheeling away in jubilation. Instantly mobbed by her teammates, it was a special goal, and a stunning way to open her Hamlet account. The noise inside the ground was deafening, a moment that will go down in legend.

The final fifteen minutes of the half saw Saskia cover herself in glory by making saves from distance to deny Grant and Kara Fordjour, whilst Davies had a hair-raising moment at the other end as she failed to collect a cross cleanly, fortunately for her there were no Hamlet strikers ready to pounce on the loose ball, and level it stayed at the break.

However, that changed for the worse in the 49th minute. Following a bright start to the half, led by the brilliant Ella Wales-Bonner, a foray into the Gillingham penalty area was cleared down the right wing by Chloe Copsey for Fordjour to latch on to. Dragging Hickman out of position, she nipped past her and sent in a low cross towards the far post. Hinds was only able to get a small touch, and Griffin was able to lay the ball off to Grant to strike an effort first time into the top corner from 15 yards out, which would ultimately prove to be the crucial moment in the game.

Both sides then went searching for an important fourth goal in the tie, Hamlet for the equaliser and the Gills for a game-sealing strike. Corrigan, joint-player of the match with Wales-Bonner, made another well-timed block in her own area, before assisting Price to strike from distance at the other end, with Lily unable to match her goals from the Winchester win. The game was now open and Grant missed a huge chance to seal the game following a break down the right wing, putting a shot wide of the far post from a similar range to where she had scored from minutes earlier.

Our best move of the half came down the right, led by Parsonson once again, with the full back playing a sideways pass into Wales-Bonner on the edge of the area. The midfielder produced a classy turn, and was able to set up Manzi for the shot, but like Price, it was comfortable for Davies. The Pepper Army, awesome in their support again, raised the noise once more following this chance.

As darkness drew in and the rain began to fall, Sas continued her brilliant afternoon in goal to prevent Maddie Ferrand and Griffin from scoring that important third, and despite a half-chance for May at the other end, it just wasn't to be for the Hamlet, and whilst there was disappointment from the squad at full time, there was certainly nothing but pride from the staff and fans for the effort put in. Our first ever meeting with a Tier 3 side and we certainly were not overawed, and certainly not outplayed in the second half. Attentions will now turn back to the league, and there is much optimism that this cup run will help drive our league hopes.

Dulwich Hamlet Women Line-Up: 1 Saskia Reeves-Priestley, 2 Madi Parsonson, 4 Chana Hinds (22 Rhea Gall 71'), 8 Brit Saylor (c), 9 Sophie Manzi, 11 Rebecca May, 13 Ceylon Hickman, 15 Erin Corrigan, 16 Ella Wales-Bonner, 20 Minnie Cruttwell (18 Mia Cruickshank 56'), 21 Lily Price

Unused Substitutions: 14 Lucy Monkman, 19 Abby Delves

Goalscorer: Erin Corrigan 30'

Yellow Card: Ella Wales-Bonner 44'

Gillingham Women Line-Up: 1 Cara Davies, 2 Kalani Peart, 3 Grace Coombs (4 Georgia Pearch 43'), 7 Georgia Griffin, 11 Kara Fordjour (10 Maddie Ferrand 76'), 14 Niamh Jestin, 16 Megan Maslak, 20 Breon Grant, 21 Chloe Copsey, 23 Phoebe Leitch (c), 26 Amy Haynes

Unused Substitutions: 12 Ylenia Carabott, 15 Grace Harrison, 18 Valentine Pursey, 22 Mel Espinosa, 25 Kara Richardson

Goalscorers: Georgia Griffin 22', Breon Grant 49'

Referee: Ralph Frostick
Attendance: 631 (+13 dogs)

The history makers have made even more. The Hamlet were not simply satisfied with reaching Round 1 of the FA Cup this weekend, as a determined performance ensured they would be continuing their adventure in the competition.

After trailing early on courtesy of a goal from the impressive Amanda Beeput, the side rallied, and a header from Brit Saylor on the stroke of half-time brought us level. All that was left was for Lucy Monkman to net twice in the second half, to send the huge travelling support wild in an afternoon full of excellent singing and noise from the Pepper Army.

Ryan Dempsey was not blessed with a full squad for the game against our league rivals, with Chana Hinds, Erin Corrigan, Rosie Stone, Sophie Manzi and Saskia Philp all unavailable from the previous weekend. This meant a second call up to the first team this season for Ana de Pellegrin, who would go on to produce a Player of the Match performance, whilst Rhea Gall made a timely return from injury for her first appearance since the Millwall loss in September.

Despite our 100% league record against our hostesses, including the 7-0 win from last month, it would be Aylesford who scored first and evoke memories of our FA Cup defeat at their hands in 2019. In the sixth minute, a long ball down the left channel by Alison Draper found Beeput on the edge of the box, and the forward managed to flick the ball over the head of Ceylon Hickman. With the ball bouncing around, it seemed like Ceylon had done enough to get back into position and block off the forward, but Beeput managed to squeeze a shot past the defender and inside the near post. Missing for the league game between the two sides, it was a timely strike from Aylesford's key player.

Undeterred, the visitors set about trying to draw level as quickly as possible, Saylor testing goalkeeper Sade Rider from range, before Rebecca May volleyed a shot against the outside of her post. Abby Delves and Lily Price also had half-chances as we began to dominate more of the ball, without really stretching the defence, well led by Alex Witham and Stacey Glover.

In fact it wouldn't be until two minutes before the break until we carved out another meaningful chance, with Rider producing a stunning point-blank save to deny Price, who latched on to a Madi Parsonson free-kick, Rider matching her volley to parry for a corner. From the resulting set-piece, it was the skipper who netted a timely leveller, as she thumped a header into the back of net and was instantly mobbed by her adoring teammates.

As the second half began in somewhat misty conditions, we continued to dominate possession as Aylesford struggled to get a foothold in the game, and Monkman had our first chance to go ahead when she ran onto a long ball, but couldn't convert her chance on a tight angle.

Her next chance would see her go one better, and give us the important second goal. The Hamlet cleared a long ball downfield, with Hannah Baptiste flicking a ball towards the edge of the penalty area. A defensive error allowed Lucy to pounce, and the striker coolly sent the ball beyond Rider, bringing roars from the travelling crowd.

Trailing for the first time, Aylesford tried to fashion some chances in order to equalise, a long free kick almost bobbling into Saskia Reeves-Priestley's far corner, before the ever-dangerous Beeput, well-marshalled by Parsonson, Hickman and Gall in the second half, put hearts in mouths when she burst into the box, and chipped the ball onto the crossbar, where it dropped to safety.

Any nerves were settled though by the second goal for Monkman in the 89th minute. Substitute Minnie Cruttwell got to the byline, and sent in a ball which deflected off both a defender and the goalkeeper, with Monkman on hand on practically the goal-line to convert and send us into Round Two.

There was still time for de Pellegrin and Gall to try and add a fourth goal to the proceedings, but three was ultimately enough and come full time, the celebrations were in full swing on the touchline. The support from the Pepper Army was unwavering all afternoon, stupendous noise and an incredible repertoire of songs, a particular favourite was the cover of Björk's It's Oh So Quiet. Gillingham await in Round Two, let's try and make some more noise and history!

Aylesford Line-Up: 1 Sade Rider, 2 Becky Burnham, 5 Alison Draper, 8 Atlanta McLean, 10 Chloe Fowler, 11 Wiktoria Bukowska, 12 Charlotte Cresswell, 17 Hannah Corlett (6 Emma Brown 69'), 18 Amanda Beeput, 19 Stacey Glover (14 Imogen Saunders 84'), 20 Alex Witham (c) (7 Brittany Harper 56')

Unused Substitution: 16 Ella Abbott

Goalscorer: Amanda Beeput 6'

Yellow Card: Becky Burnham 79'

Dulwich Hamlet Line-Up: 1 Saskia Reeves-Priestley, 2 Madi Parsonson, 8 Brit Saylor (c), 10 Hannah Baptiste (6 Ella Wales-Bonner 76'), 11 Rebecca May, 13 Ceylon Hickman, 14 Lucy Monkman, 18 Ana de Pellegrin, 19 Abby Delves (20 Minnie Cruttwell 80'), 21 Lily Price, 22 Rhea Gall

Goalscorers: Brit Saylor 44', Lucy Monkman (2) 62', 89'

Dulwich produced a clinical second half performance to reach the Third Round of the London & South East Regional Women's League Cup against Bexhill United.

Holding just a 1-0 lead on the hour mark, Ryan Dempsey made four substitutions, and three of them would find the back of the net as we eventually ended as 6-1 victors in some of the wettest and windiest conditions we are likely to encounter.

Chief destructor was Sophie Manzi, scoring a 28 minute hat-trick, her sixth for the club, to go alongside further strikes from Saskia Philp, Lily Price and Brit Saylor in what, for the most part, was a dominant performance.

The pack was shuffled from the Fulham win a week earlier, with Manzi, Rebecca May, Price and Saylor dropping to the bench in favour of Philp, Lucy Monkman, Hannah Baptiste and Ella Wales-Bonner, whilst Abby Delves replaced the departed Ellie Milbourn. They came up against a side who had won their previous three outings, but had also lost 17-0 during October.

The Hamlet dominated from the outset, with Monkman and Philp making consistently probing runs, the latter testing Keila Tucker at her near post in the opening 90 seconds, before Wales-Bonner went on one of her trademark runs, placing her chance wide. On seven minutes, Madi Parsonson was well picked out on the far side of the box by Wales-Bonner, but had her shot punched over by Tucker. From the resulting corner, Erin Corrigan was denied a first Hamlet goal by a clearance off the line as the Hamlet provided one-way traffic.

Philp thought she had given us the lead in the 14th minute when she was played in by Delves, but after lobbing Tucker, she could only watch on as Molly Kemp came back to once again clear from the goalline. After seeing another couple of chances go begging through Monkman, Philp made show she would not be denied again, when she sent a thumping header into the bottom corner from a Parsonson set-piece in the 22nd minute to give us a deserved lead.

The rest of the half would follow the same pattern in the less-than-pleasant conditions, with Monkman again testing Tucker, Philp shooting high from the edge of the box and Baptiste making a clever run to arrive in the penalty area only to flick wide the best of our chances. The only opportunity of note for the hostesses in the first half came from a free kick in the 30th minute, which saw Michelle Compton shift the ball to Lucy Knight, who powered her shot over the bar.

With no protection from the elements, the second half kicked off less than ten minutes after the first half had ended, and the early exchanges saw us continue to remain dominant in possession, without the end product, Saskia Reeves-Priestley a virtual bystander trying to stay warm at the other end. That would change in the 61st minute with the arrival of Manzi, May, Price and Saylor into the game, with Manzi earning a corner with her first four touches of the ball. Touch number five saw her head home that Parsonson delivery, a brilliant run in front of her marker to glance into the far corner to put us truly in control. Just 62 seconds had passed between her arrival into the game and scoring.

Players were suddenly treated to a few misleading minutes of sunshine, Parsonson trying to add a goal to her two assists but firing over from wide. The third goal would arrive in the 72nd minute though, as Price picked up a goal kick to volley a pass forward to Manzi. Swivelling in the 'D', the striker unleashed a ferocious shot which flashed over the head of Tucker into the roof of the net. Less than 90 seconds after the restart, Manzi would turn provider, knocking a pass into the path of Price, who produced an exquisite chip into the far corner for her third Hamlet goal, all of them of the highest quality.

The home side would get their moment in front of goal though, when with thirteen minutes remaining, Compton was able to volley a cross towards the far post that Delves hesitated over clearing, with that uncertainty allowing Knight to pounce and score past the hapless Reeves-Priestley. The Hamlet responded in the only way they've known how to in recent times, with yet another goal, and it was another Parsonson set piece that did the damage, as her inswinger bobbled off a defender for Saylor to instinctively volley home, becoming the fourth player after Manzi, Philp and Monkman to reach double figures for the side, half of which have come this season.

As the heavens opened once again, and with a real vengeance, there was enough time remaining for Manzi to secure her second treble of the season. Manzi played a pass to May on her left, and after taking a few steps toward the box, she in turn released Baptiste with a great through-ball. With her first touch, the Guyanese international slide the ball across the six-yard box, and there was Manzi to tap home from a couple of yards. All that was left to be done was to get back into the warmth of the dressing room and coach!

Bexhill United Line-Up: 1 Keila Tucker, 2 Molly Kemp, 3 Josephine Honnor, 4 Michelle Compton (c), 9 Magdalena Trybula (8 Jessica Anderson 80'), 10 Ann-Marie Pier, 11 Christy Haragan, 12 Lucy Knight (14 Sophie Curtis 87'), 14 Sophie Curtis (7 Jessica Mitchell 69'), 15 Laura Swarbrooke, 17 Katie Lax (6 Hollie Kemp 35' (5 Michaela Bryant 78'))

Unused Substitute: 16 Georgia Payne

Goalscorer: Lucy Knight 77'

Dulwich Hamlet Line-Up: 1 Saskia Reeves-Priestley, 2 Madi Parsonson, 4 Chana Hinds (c), 5 Rosie Stone (8 Brit Saylor 61'), 7 Saskia Philp (9 Sophie Manzi 61'), 10 Hannah Baptiste (21 Lily Price 61'), 13 Ceylon Hickman, 14 Lucy Monkman (11 Rebecca May 61'), 15 Erin Corrigan (10 Hannah Baptiste 80'), 16 Ella Wales-Bonner, 19 Abby Delves

Goalscorers: Saskia Philp 22', Sophie Manzi 62', 72'. 88', Lily Price 74', Brit Saylor 79'

Referee: Stephen Weller

Five games played. Four wins. One draw. 21 goals scored. Three conceded. Three clean sheets. First Round of the FA Cup reached. First team to take points off Worthing this season.

All these are statistics for what has been a stunning month for the women's first team, and on Sunday, they could add the following to that impressive list: score four against the league's meanest defence.

For the 450 in attendance at Champion Hill, they were treated to an afternoon of high drama and excitement, the threat of a Fulham comeback, but ultimately the joy that a hard-fought win brings.

They were boosted before the game by the return of Ceylon Hickman from holiday, as well as Rosie Stone being available to play from the start, and Ellie Milbourn was also given a start on her final Hamlet appearance before moving to Bristol. The team also had a new fan in attendance; men's manager Paul Barnes watching for the first time with his dog Pepper, fresh from three points on the road the previous day.

Managers will always say they want a fast start to a game, but no one could scarcely believe the start the Hamlet would make here. Indeed fans were still finding their seats when in the opening seconds of the game, a long ball infield from Madi Parsonson was poked on first time by Sophie Manzi to her strike partner Rebecca May, with the forward able to prod the ball past the onrushing Edie Kelly and into the far corner. 28 seconds on the clock and the home side found themselves ahead.

Therein followed five minutes or so where the Hamlet had their tails up and looked to press home the early advantage, Madi Parsonson in particular finding joy down the Hamlet left. The Cottagers came into the game off the back of five successive wins, sat third in the league and had beaten a side at the level above in Maidenhead United the previous week, and so would always be a threat. This was proven in the 13th minute when Brit Saylor uncharacteristically lost possession in her own half, with the ball eventually played through to Ede Buchele, who simply had to place the ball past Saskia Reeves-Priestley to equalise. Fortunately for the Hamlet, she managed to strike the outside of the post and everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief.

From here, the visitors dominated possession, with Lily Price having to make an outstanding block on the edge of her penalty area to deny Lilly Lambird, before Saskia was called into action to make a very smart save diving to her right to thwart Fulham top scorer Helen Ogle after she latched onto a long pass from Georgia Heasman. In the 24th minute, Buchele was able to run off her marker and find space for a shot from outside the area, but it was comfortable for Reeves-Priestley this time.

The hosts began to get a foothold in the game once again, with Stone, Saylor and Price exerting more dominance in midfield, without the Hamlet creating chances. At least not until we added our second goal in clinical manner on the half-hour mark. A wayward pass from Lambird gifted the ball to Manzi, who after playing a one-two with Saylor, produced a perfectly-weighted through ball to May, who beat the offside trap, and once again drew the keeper before rolling the ball into the bottom corner. May once again proving how ice cold she is in front of goal.

Fulham responded by making a change, but again the Hamlet midfield and defence continuously shut out any sniff of an attack with relative ease, with Chana Hinds exemplifying this with a brilliant piece of recovery work on a Fulham counter-attack that saw her win the ball on the edge of the box off the dangerous Ogle. We could have extended our lead five minutes before the break when Erin Corrigan carried the ball from defence, played it wide for Parsonson, who fed Manzi infield. A deflected pass took the ball perfectly into the path of May, and she spotted the run of Milbourn to her right, and played her in. It would have been a perfect way to cap her time at the club with a goal, but Kelly spoiled the party by making a save with her legs to deny Milbourn's low drive.

Kelly would soon be in the thick of the action again, but for the wrong reasons from a Fulham point of view. Corrigan sent a free kick from just inside her half into the Fulham box, and with keeper and defenders hesitating, May got to the ball first, and was felled by Kelly. Penalty duly awarded and no complaints from the Fulham players. Despite May being on a brace, Manzi is the club's designated penalty taker, and had been reminded of that following the one she allowed Hannah Baptiste to take, and miss, in the FA Cup earlier in the month. This time she stepped up, and put it to Kelly's right to make it 3-0. There was still time in injury time for Ogle to spurn a huge chance to reduce arrears, seeing a shot saved by the boot of Saskia. Unbeknownst until afterwards, it would be a huge save in the context of the game.

Fulham needed a fast start to the second half to hold hopes of a comeback, but it was the Hamlet who passed up a big chance to score again in the 49th minute, as Saylor won an aerial duel, with Manzi collecting the loose ball. Once again she was instinctively aware of the run May was making ahead of her, but with the chance to complete her hat trick there, May saw Kelly palm away her effort, with Price then heading over the second phase of the attack.

Ogle and Buchele were kept at bay by Saskia and Ceylon respectively, with the Hamlet seemingly comfortable against the continuous waves of Fulham attacks, with Parsonson also going close at the other end in a rare Hamlet attack. However, on the hour mark, the comeback door was suddenly ajar as a Lambird corner was headed in by Annie Thomas, the flicker of hope burning a little brighter. The flame grew just four minutes later too, when Tia Foreman put a free kick into the top corner to reduce arrears further, and leave more than a few people around the ground feeling nervous.

The perfect remedy for that would, of course, be to score another goal, and that's precisely what the Hamlet did in the 67th minute, with two of the club's stalwarts combining. Stone clipped a free kick into the box, and there was Captain Fantastic Saylor on the end of it to nod in her fourth goal of the campaign, and swing the momentum back in our favour.

Over the next 15 minutes or so, we quashed, snuffed out, doused, repelled and absorbed every attack Fulham had to offer in a quite brilliant piece of defensive play, the closest the visitors coming was through Buchele hitting the post for the second time in the afternoon, whilst Corrigan produced one of the great tackles of the season for good measure as well.

Milbourn was replaced and received huge embraces from staff and players alike on the bench, acknowledging the end of her Hamlet career, and her side continued to do their business on the pitch, not allowing their visitors any proper chances of late drama in this game, closing the door for good on them being an attacking threat, although there was still time for Hinds to show off that impressive recovery pace once again to make a last-ditch tackle in the penalty area. Another win then, arguably the best of the season, and although we remain in eighth place in the table, we are now just three points off Fulham in third.

Dulwich Hamlet Line-Up: 1 Saskia Reeves-Priestley, 2 Madi Parsonson, 4 Chana Hinds, 5 Rosie Stone, 8 Brit Saylor (c), 9 Sophie Manzi, 11 Rebecca May (14 Lucy Monkman 82'), 13 Ceylon Hickman, 15 Erin Corrigan, 17 Ellie Milbourn (19 Abby Delves 75'), 21 Lily Price (16 Ella Wales-Bonner)

Unused Substitutes: 7 Saskia Philp, 10 Hannah Baptiste

Goalscorers: Rebecca May 1', 30', Sophie Manzi (pen) 45', Brit Saylor 67'

Yellow Cards: Madi Parsonson 45+4', Brit Saylor 51'

Fulham Line-Up: 1 Edie Kelly, 5 Mary Southgate (c), 7 Helen Ogle, 8 Becky Stormer, 10 Lilly Lambird (18 Georgia Heasman 70'), 14 Tia Foreman, 15 Sophie Modak (4 Annie Thomas 33'), 17 Loïs Konan (2 Emily Bird 89'), 18 Georgia Heasman (21 Ilana Harris-Walters 66'), 19 Ede Buchele, 27 Megalie Mendes (3 Tessa Allen 46')

Unused Substitute: 13 Holly Cowan

Goalscorers: Annie Thomas 60', Tia Foreman 64'

Yellow Card: Loïs Konan 45+3'

Referee: Lanray Alapafujah
Attendance: 450 (+11 dogs)

A slice of history was created in SE22 on Sunday as the Hamlet women's side reached the First Round of the Women's FA Cup for the first time in our short history.

Rebecca May got the ball rolling early on with a typical poacher's finish in the penalty area, but Player of the Match Lily Price took centre stage for the rest of the afternoon, scoring two stunning goals to see off Winchester City Flyers.

Both the Hamlet and Winchester came into this game with big motivation, as both sides aimed to reach the First Round proper for the first time in their respective histories. The early moments of the game showed the nerves of the sides as passes were mishit and the football was very pragmatic during the early stages.

However, it did not take the Hamlet long to turn up the heat as, in the 7th minute, a Lily Price corner was met by Hannah Baptise with a looping header, which was cleared on the line, only for May to slot the effort home giving the Hamlet an early advantage in the cup tie. The early goal did wonders for the Hamlet side as they continued to attack high up the pitch in numbers, leaving the Flyers with early defensive work to do. Faye Wooley for Winchester remained firm in the heart of the defence with several defensive clearances to ward off the Hamlet onslaught.

The next big chance for the Hamlet came in typical fashion for the side this season, as a long ball from Chana Hinds put Abby Delves in great space down the left. She delivered a lofted ball into the box which was met by Sophie Manzi with great precision, but her header was equalled by a great save by Emily Paines.

Despite the resistance from Winchester, it was not long until the Hamlet doubled their advantage. Intricate play between Delves and Price in the 42nd minute gave the Hamlet plenty of space on the edge of the box to have a shot on goal, and Price did just that which her effort sailing above the keepers' head and into the back of the net. A great way to score her first goal for the club since arriving from Crystal Palace in the summer. Paines had a great game during the half and was very unfortunate not to keep that effort out.

After the half time interval Winchester came out the stronger side with efforts from Shayne Prasad and Kelly Rutledge finding the target but nothing to really test the Hamlet defence. Manzi had a great game without scoring as she dropped into pockets of space to bring the Hamlet attackers into play.

With twenty minutes remaining, this work by Manzi worked wonders as she played a beautiful through ball into the path of May who had the onrushing Paines to battle with. The keeper made a great save, but a clearance from a defender deflected off May and, unfortunately for the visitors, landed to Price again on the edge of the box. She calmly lobbed the ball over the keeper and defender to make it 3-0 to the Hamlet, her effort kissing the crossbar on its way in.

The third Hamlet goal left the Winchester players in despair as their cup run was all but certain to end ,which meant the remaining minutes of the game petered out until the final whistle, which signalled history being made for the Hamlet. They will travel to league rivals Aylesford in Round One.

Dulwich Hamlet Line-Up: 1 Saskia Reeves-Priestley, 2 Madi Parsonson, 4 Chana Hinds, 8 Brit Saylor (c), 9 Sophie Manzi (14 Lucy Monkman 72'), 10 Hannah Baptiste (5 Rosie Stone 63'), 11 Rebecca May, 15 Erin Corrigan, 19 Abby Delves, 20 Minnie Cruttwell (7 Saskia Philp 69'), 21 Lily Price

Unused Substitute: 17 Ellie Milbourn

Goalscorers: Rebecca May 7', Lily Price 42', 70'

Winchester City Flyers Line-Up: 1 Emily Paines, 2 Noella Rodricks, 5 Hannah Chalk (c), 6 Faye Wooley, 7 Lydia Moulding, 8 Kelly Rutledge (10 Gracie Hodan 65'), 9 Shayne Prasad, 11 Libby Wilkinson (15 Alice Firth 73'), 16 Lia Francis, 17 Sharna Capel Watson, 22 Becky Harris (19 Claudia Watson 65')

Referee: Josh Reid
Attendance: 204

We reach the second of four straight home fixtures for the pink and blue. After racking up 14 goals in their last two games, Dulwich came to today’s fixture expecting a trickier time. Second place Worthing are an excellent side, without a single loss this season. When they get to define the flavour of the game, they are incredibly hard to defend against, as Dulwich found out to their detriment in a 4-2 away loss in August. Worthing sauntered into Champion Hill planning to extend their six-game winning streak; instead, a defiant Dulwich handed them their first dropped points of the season.

Worthing started aggressively, forcing Chana Hinds to defend a sneaky attack in the opening minutes. Centre-forward Sophie Manzi had ideas of her own, trying out the left flank, but was taken down, earning a free kick; the talented Izzy Franklin tried a direct attack but her service went straight into Worthing keeper’s Lauren Dolbear’s arms. Dulwich wanted an early lead to give them some security against an unrelenting Worthing attack. Manzi, Erin Corrigan and Rebecca May all tried their luck as the game started to unfold; Corrigan’s attempt was stopped at the post, and May was offside. For twenty minutes the two sides tested each other’s weaknesses; Worthing parked a free kick behind the Dulwich goal, and Ellie Milbourn hit the roof of the net with a doozy of a cross.

As Hinds dismantled an attacker in the Dulwich box and Ceylon Hickman tidied up the loose ends, Dulwich sought to establish some stability in midfield and limit Worthing’s options. A soaring cross from Madi Parsonson set up a link with Ella Wales-Bonner, but Worthing intercepted it. The creative and ambitious Parsonson still wanted a goal though. A finely placed cross into the box could simply have used a well placed head to finish it; later in the half, Worthing’s Katie Young and Hayley Bridge had to team up on the right to contain her and swerve her off course. Worthing tried tipping the scales with a scything corner that Saskia Reeves-Priestley had to punch clear. As the half progressed, Dulwich and Worthing were closely matched. Hard work on Worthing’s right-back side thwarted roving attacks from the host side, but Dulwich also had it locked down well at the back, with Ceylon Hickman and the dependable Hinds patrolling the box with cool precision, and keen-sighted Reeves-Priestley seeing off any real danger.

Dulwich had a choice to make at half time - divert more firepower up front to get some chances finished, or double down on defence? Perhaps a spine-tingling Worthing chance made their minds up for them: Rebecca Bell fired a shot across the bows at 53 minutes, and with Reeves-Priestley momentarily out of position, Dulwich could have conceded a frustrating goal; luckily Bell’s aim was imprecise, and her shot rolled past the post.

An emboldened Worthing brought all their focus to the Dulwich half, and the Hamlet midfield had to rally to back up Hinds, who was firefighting hard at the back. As subs on both sides freshened the game, it started to get chippy, with the visitors claiming a couple of hotly contested free kicks. There was pressure in midfield as Wales-Bonner tried to push the action up the field, while a heroic tackle from Erin Corrigan kept Worthing out of the box in another dangerous moment. With the minutes ticking down, the heat ramped up; while

Rosie Stone was walked off for observation after an injury to her foot, Worthing’s Ella Newman gave Parsonson an unnecessary shove. Bafflingly the call went to Worthing, but the free kick fizzled out at the 18 yard line.

With Dulwich defending hard to avoid a late concession, Izzy Franklin, subbed off earlier, returned to the field to bolster the back. Worthing fought to the last to create space in Dulwich’s half, but the pink ’n’ blue had their number, closing in on them and blocking off their options. After 90 minutes of the two sides locking horns, Chana Hinds had the last touch of the game, knocking the ball off the field along with Worthing’s hopes of an easy 3 points or, indeed, any goals at all. The 0-0 finish was a matter of satisfaction for the visibly elated Hamlet, while some irritation was reported from the visiting camp…

[b]What worked:[/b]

[b]Playing it safe at the back[/b]

Dulwich had an ugly time at Worthing’s hands last time, and had no intention of getting flattened at home. Worthing are a strong and dominant team, and the Hamlet steered their energy toward denying their attack and tiring them out. Hickman and Hinds put in a serious and composed shift at the back; their diligent defending, aided by an organised midfield performance, kept Fortress Tuscany closed despite the frustrated visitors’ most determined efforts. In the end, the two teams were incredibly evenly matched, with not a hair between them. With neither side willing to give an inch, the 0-0 draw was far below Worthing’s expectations, and breaking the visitors’ winning streak was no small achievement for Dulwich.

[b]Thwarting Worthing’s attackers[/b]

Worthing have a determined and devious frontline, and Dulwich came prepared. Worthing paid particular attention to the left flank and kept trying to battle their way around and through, but couldn’t find a gap to get through.

[b]Madi Parsonson[/b]

Simply, she’s a thrilling player. Although her efforts didn’t notch the scoreboard today, her unpredictability in attack, her ability to draw jagged, dangerous lines through midfield and her box-to-box attention to detail make her one of the Hamlet’s sharpest weapons. She kept Worthing firmly on their toes and her creativity drew Worthing numbers up the field and off the attack on the Dulwich half.

[b]What didn’t work:[/b]

[b]….Playing it safe at the back[/b]

Dulwich’s defence was excellent, but with most of their energy focused on stopping Worthing infiltrating the box, there was little left for an attack. Dulwich’s forwards had plenty of ideas in the first half, but the resources weren’t there to help them get it done. Parsonson’s creativity could have yielded some success but she really needed someone to clear a path for her to work in. Particularly in the second half, Dulwich eschewed any high pressing, and with nobody around them to set up surprises and distractions, their attackers were limited in what they could create, with the handful of really solid chances anticipated easily by Dolbear.

Manager Ryan Dempsey recalled, “We sat too deep and weren't brave enough in possession; we gave possession away too easily which allowed Worthing to keep the pressure up. But they only created one opportunity in the second half. We're always disappointed when we don't win a game, we created good opportunities in the first half and could have made more clear-cut opportunities with better decision-making.”

[b]The view from the bench:[/b]

Talking after the game, Dempsey maintained a loss was never an option - “I was confident we could frustrate them and cause problems for them. We denied them space to get in behind, which is one of their strengths. We worked incredibly hard to close spaces and not allow their creative players too much space. Worthing has some very good players that love to run behind. Players who want to make forward runs can cause problems all the time. They rotate quite well to try to create space for their forward players to run into; we held our structure well which didn't allow them that. It was a hard-earned point.”

He also has high hopes for the next game, a momentous FA Cup fixture against Winchester City Flyers, and one of the team’s most high-stakes games in their history. “The FA Cup is the biggest cup competition in the world so to play in it is an honour and privilege. We didn't have the best showing last season so we want to get as far as we can this season. It's great to get a home draw and hopefully draw a big crowd. It's a big game for the Club, and a great opportunity to get into the first round proper.”

Dulwich Hamlet Line-Up: 1 Saskia Reeves-Priestley, 2 Madi Parsonson, 4 Chana Hinds, 5 Rosie Stone (6 Izzy Franklin 87'), 6 Izzy Franklin (21 Lily Price 63'), 9 Sophie Manzi (c), 11 Rebecca May (7 Saskia Philp 69'), 13 Ceylon Hickman, 15 Erin Corrigan, 16 Ella Wales-Bonner, 17 Ellie Milbourn (20 Minnie Cruttwell 64')

Yellow Cards: Rosie Stone 26', Sophie Manzi 75', Madi Parsonson 82'

Worthing Line-Up: 13 Lauren Dollar, 2 Ellie Russell, 3 Katie Young, 7 Chloe Lelliott (8 Charlie Carter 78'), 9 Sophie Humphrey, 10 Gemma Worsfold (c) (18 Emily Linscer 61'), 11 Hayley Bridge, 12 Georgia Tibble (4 Niamh Andersson 69'), 15 Ella Newman, 17 Rachel Palmer, 19 Chloe Winchester (14 Rebecca Bell 32')

Unused Substitution: 16 Kelly Newton

Yellow Cards: Ella Newman 82', Charlie Carter 85', Sophie Humphrey 90+5'

Referee: Mark Sullivan
Attendance: 293 (+7 dogs)

The Hamlet’s last home game was a painful one, and we will never speak of it again (almost), but the pink ’n’ blue were back in fighting form this weekend, following a stonking away win last week in the FA Cup. Prayers up for bottom of the table Aylesford LFC, who have only one win this season and will have to make serious strides to avoid relegation. There was no relief for them at Champion Hill, and they spent the afternoon buckling under the onslaught of a dominant Dulwich Hamlet, who claimed 7 goals between five players.

A quiet initial twenty minutes allowed Dulwich to scope out their guests, holding possession and testing Aylesford keeper Sade Rider here and there. The peace couldn’t last, with Dulwich determined to win decisively, pressing high up the field from the start, and once they got going, it was goals, goals, goals. Skipper Brit Saylor set the tone, picking up Saskia Philp’s service with a 22nd minute zinger, and followed up cleanly in the 37th - she was perfectly placed to pick up the ball in the box and put it neatly away. Aylesford tried to turn the tide with Alex Witham’s free kick just before half time, but it was over the wall and into the safe hands of Saskia Reeves-Priestley.

Player of the match Philp was determined to score too, trying her luck from the jump, and patiently found her finish in the start of the second half. A rocket from the right-hand side put her on the board at 50 minutes, and she nabbed Dulwich’s second brace ten minutes later, with an assist from Ellie Milbourn. Rebecca May needed only five minutes on the green to take the Hamlet to 5-0, picking up the distraction caused by Madi Parsonson’s shot off the bar, and slamming it past the disoriented Rider at 68 minutes. Circling back with a follow-up shot, she looked hungry for her own brace but the next moment of glory belonged to Hannah Baptiste, with a doozy of a header in the 70th minute to convert a beautiful ball from Minnie Cruttwell. The versatile Chana Hinds rounded up the glorious chaos in the 74th. Parked outside the box, she capitalised on a corner and slid a low ball in through the middle of the demoralised Aylesford defence.

With the visitors looking fatigued and shellshocked by the 7-0 scoreline, Dulwich could exhale for the final 15 minutes, tying up loose ends and keeping their guests easily at bay. Aylesford pounced on a rare moment of hope in the dying minutes of the game, but the ball they spanked home was beaten by the linesman’s flag, and Dulwich returned fire with another chance for Hinds to score in the 88th minute. This time, an Aylesford defender was able to thwart her, but with Dulwich finishing the game with a clean sheet and 7 notches on the post, Hinds likely wasn’t too sore about it.

[b]What worked:[/b]

[i]Defence[/i]
Ceylon Hickman and Chana Hinds were in perfect partnership today, managing the backline smoothly and giving Reeves-Priestley little to do. Madi Parsonson put in a shift as always, ably containing her mark and zipping through midfield to create sparks and set fires. A dynamic and maverick player, she balances attentive defensive ability and focus with box-to-box stamina and a driving sense of ambition in her style of play, and today was no exception. Visiting teams: underestimate her and lament ever after.

[i]A healthy sense of competition[/i]
Once the first goal crossed the line Dulwich were away, and after netting two braces, it was open season, with everyone trying their luck. Saylor and Philp’s twin braces got their teammates fired up and wanting a piece of the action, and the result was a joyful second-half ensemble performance full of flair.

[i]The bench[/i]
This squad’s depth is one of their greatest and most obvious strengths. They made a key change at halftime with Hannah Baptiste jumping in, and when you’re able to bring four strikers and midfielders on late in the second half to lay waste to your decimated opponents, it’d be shocking if it didn’t result in a flurry of goals. From Ella Wales-Bonner sowing discord in the midfield to Rebecca May and Baptiste’s goals ramping up the score, it paid off. Spare a thought for Aylesford, who were only able to summon one player for their bench, who they brought on in the first half - they didn’t stand a chance against Dulwich’s embarrassment of riches.

[b]What didn’t work:[/b]

[i]A slow start[/i]
There was little to pick apart in this joyful performance; however, it took Dulwich a little time to warm up into the ferocity that characterised their second half. Philp could have used some support to help her pin her early chances to the wall. Manager Ryan Dempsey offered more insight after the game:

[i]“We didn’t move the ball quick enough; we weren’t aggressive enough, and sat off a little, which gave Aylesford more time on the ball, and also left spaces in between our units to press and squeeze up the pitch.”[/i]

Aylesford are a less challenging opponent than next week’s visitors, Worthing, and Dempsey will still have that recent Millwall game on his mind, but he’s not worried:

[i]“We believe in the squad that we have, we’re confident in all the games that we play in. Worthing are a good team, but we have players that can cause them problems. What we didn’t do in the previous game was take our chances that we created in the first half. We need to become more aggressive in both boxes and ensure that if we concede, we manage the next 5/10 minutes and not concede goals with close proximity.”[/i]

[b]Dulwich Hamlet play Worthing on Sunday 16 October, 2pm at Champion Hill.[/b]

Dulwich Hamlet Line-Up: 1 Saskia Reeves-Priestley, 2 Madi Parsonson, 4 Chana Hinds, 6 Izzy Franklin, 7 Saskia Philp (9 Sophie Manzi 62'), 8 Brit Saylor (c) (5 Rosie Stone 62'), 13 Ceylon Hickman, 17 Ellie Milbourn (11 Rebecca May 62'), 19 Abby Delves (10 Hannah Baptiste 46'), 20 Minnie Cruttwell, 21 Lily Price (16 Ella Wales-Bonner 62')

Goalscorers: Brit Saylor 22', 37', Saskia Philp 50', 60', Rebecca May 68', Hannah Baptiste 70', Chana Hinds 74'

Yellow Card: Saskia Philp 50', Izzy Franklin 57'

Aylesford Ladies Line-Up: 1 Sade Rider, 2 Becky Burnham, 4 Hollie Musmeci, 5 Alison Draper, 8 Atlanta McLean, 9 Emma Brown (6 Stacy Glover 36'), 10 Hannah Corlett, 12 Charlotte Cresswell, 14 Brittany Harper, 15 Alex Witham (c), 16 Wiktoria Bukowska

Referee: Mark Sullivan
Attendance: 213 (+5 dogs)

The Hamlet were able to avoid a 'cupset' against Tunbridge Wells Foresters Ladies in the Second Qualifying Round of the Women's FA Cup, as four goals before half-time and a further three in the second half eased them to a 7-1 win over their opponents.

Sophie Manzi established herself as top scorer for the season by leaving with the match ball, whilst there were also goals for Lucy Monkman, Abby Delves and Izzy Franklin, as well as an own goal against a side who ply their trade two leagues below, and we will now take on Winchester City Flyers in the next round, with a place in the First Round Proper at stake.

It was a heavily depleted squad which arrived in Kent, as Ryan Dempsey had just thirteen players to choose from. Ceylon Hickman served her one game suspension by swapping boots for a microphone on co-commentary duties, whilst Becca May continued to miss out due to Covid. Other absentees included Rhea Gall, Chana Hinds, Rosie Stone, Ella Wales-Bonner, and long-term injured Asia Harbour-Brown. Anna Stones and Anna Jowle have now departed to go travelling. On the flip side, we welcomed Saskia Reeves-Priestley back from injury, Saskia Philp made her first start of the season, and there was a return to the first team for Ana de Pellegrin, promoted from the Reserves.

After a delayed start, which saw the referee fail to turn up, one of the assistants promoting themselves to take charge, and a hunt for a new official amongst the small crowd, the game kicked off with the hostesses understandably trying to assert themselves on the game, pushing high up the field early on to try and grab the game's first goal. Speaking afterwards, Dempsey believed that we started a little slower than anticipated. Our first chance of any note came ten minutes in, with Manzi lifting a shot over the bar, however she wouldn't miss much else during the afternoon.

Rona Wignall tried her luck from the edge of the box as Foresters came close, but the Hamlet would take a 15th minute lead, and control of the match. All three forwards were involved, as Philp headed a restart onto Monkman, who in turn touched it onto Manzi. Sophie's first touch was exquisite, taking the ball in her stride, and she coolly slotted under Sophie Elks to put us ahead.

This opened the floodgates for a period of dominance, with Manzi only denied a second by an outstanding block from a defender, before an unfortunate moment for Adi Stapleton-Berry saw her put a corner from Franklin into the back of her own net to make it 2-0 in the 20th minute.

Barely 60 seconds had passed before we found a third, Abby Delves producing a stunning through ball for Monkman to latch on to, and with her first touch she was netting her first goal of the campaign, prodding the ball past Elks. The fourth goal would then be scored by Delves herself in the 28th minute, and again it came from a long ball forward. Franklin sent a free kick from inside her own half over the heads of the Foresters defence, with Delves making a clever run to nip in, before sending Elks the wrong way with her shot.

At this stage it threatened to get incredibly messy before half time for the hostesses, with thoughts of double figures in the minds of the Hamlet bench. However, no further goals were added to the tally, with Manzi coming closest to her second goal, following a move where Madi Parsonson had carried the ball some 60 yards down the right wing, the striker put her cross wide of the near post. There was also time for Reeves-Priestley to deny Lauryn Underhill at the other end, after being a bystander for much of the half.

After another 45 minutes under her belt following her broken leg, Lily Price was replaced by Hannah Baptiste at the interval, and we continued to dominate the play. Manzi came close again, but saw a header tipped brilliantly away by Elks, before she denied Brit Saylor a rare goal in the next passage of play. However, the fifth would come in the 52nd minute, with Foresters failing to clear a corner, and Monkman teed up Manzi to fire high into the roof of the net from distance.

The hostesses would then be reduced to ten players, with the makeshift referee taking offence at some verbal abuse fired at him by Zara McAiney. Manzi had punched the ball out of play, only for a corner to be awarded in her favour, with McAiney reacting furiously. Even Manzi and the Hamlet bench tried to reason with the ref, to no avail. A player down, Tunbridge Wells managed to grab a consolation in the 55th minute, as Underhill burst onto a long ball, held off Parsonson, and fired inside the near post. It certainly brought the loudest cheer of the afternoon.

Substitute de Pellegrin saw a rising shot palmed over by Elks, before Manzi passed up a huge chance to net her third, kicking the ground as she went to shoot. Philp was then denied her goal by a questionable offside flag, but the sixth would soon come, with Manzi recording her treble in the move of the game.

Parsonson produced a spectacular cross field pass to Delves, with the on-loan Wimbledon winger crossing to Monkman on the penalty spot. She laid the ball off to Manzi to strike first time, finding the far corner. Three for Sophie, and three assists for Lucy! From the restart, Baptiste won a penalty when she was caught late, but blazed her effort high over the crossbar.

Saylor, Franklin, Monkman, de Pellegrin and Philp all came close to adding a seventh, the latter seeing a header cleared off the line, but it would eventually arrive, and it was a deserved first Hamlet goal for Franklin. Her set pieces had already contributed to two of the goals, and now she was able to score directly from one, her inswinging corner bouncing all the way through to the far side of the net.

So, an enjoyable afternoon for the Hamlet, they must now beat other opposition from Tier 5 if they are to make it to the proper stages of the competition for the first time.

Tunbridge Wells Foresters Ladies Line-Up: 20 Sophie Elks, 2 Courtney Smith, 5 Hollie Rabbitt, 7 Olivia Carter (14 Karli Vincent 73'), 10 Rona Wignall, 12 Lauryn Underhill (4 Sharna Cockram 73'), 13 Kelly Moran (c), 18 Adi Stapleton-Berry, 19 Zara McAiney, 20 Annabel Stokes, 21 Nancy Syrett (11 Alice Carey 62')

Goalscorer: Lauryn Underhill 55'

Red Card: Zara McAiney 54'

Dulwich Hamlet Line-Up: 1 Saskia Reeves-Priestley, 2 Madi Parsonson, 6 Isabelle Franklin, 7 Saskia Philp, 8 Brit Saylor (c), 9 Sophie Manzi, 14 Lucy Monkman, 15 Erin Corrigan, 19 Abby Delves, 20 Minnie Cruttwell (22 Ana de Pellegrin 56'), 21 Lily Price (10 Hannah Baptiste 46')

Goalscorers: Sophie Manzi 15'. 52' 68', Adi Stapleton-Berry (OG) 20', Lucy Monkman 21', Abby Delves 28', Isabelle Franklin 84'

Football can be a cruel game. In a match where chances had been traded at either end, it seemed as the game ticked towards the final twenty minutes against Millwall Lionesses that there would be plenty of tension and perhaps a narrow win for one of the sides.

However, our visitors thought otherwise, as goals from Angel Reid, Jasmine Auguste, Maisie Joyce and Sophie Chapman saw them run away as comfortable 6-2 winners. By the time Lucy Clark had blown the full-time whistle, she had also reduced the side to nine players, with Ceylon Hickman shown a straight red card, and Chana Hinds spending the final seconds in the sin bin.

Millwall had yet to find the back of the net at half-time, with Sophie Manzi's first goal of the season the difference between the teams. The Lionesses had regrouped though, and flipped the game on its head through strikes from Otesha Charles and Gemma Bryan, only for Hamlet substitute Ellie Milbourn to immediately reply, before that balmy last twenty minutes.

Ryan Dempsey had made four changes from the draw at New London Lionesses last time out. Becca May, Hannah Baptiste and Ella Wales-Bonner were absent, whilst Minnie Cruttwell dropped to the bench. Madi Parsonson replaced the latter, whilst Lily Price made her first start for the club, Lucy Monkman her first since the opening day of the season, and Isabelle Franklin made her debut after signing on dual-registration from Crawley Wasps.

It was almost a nightmare start against a side who had won three on the spin, as not even ten seconds into the game, Erin Corrigan was robbed of possession by Charles, but she fired a shot wide of the near post and a sigh of relief was breathed. This set the tone for the whole 90 minutes, with the Hamlet twice going close before five minutes had even passed, Rhea Gall hitting the bar from a header, and Franklin trying a speculative effort from some 35 yards which almost dipped into the top corner.

It was no surprise then when a goal followed soon after in the ninth minute. The Hamlet marauded down the right, but seemingly missed a great opportunity to play in Parsonson when unmarked on the far side of the area. However, a poor clearance saw Chana Hinds receive the ball, and despite Parsonson still free, she opted to chip a ball into the path of Manzi, who headed over Serena Hand and give us the lead.

Charles responded with a chance of her own, turning inside of Corrigan, but finding Emily Mackler's legs in the way of her shot towards the near post, before Kaydence Kabadaki failed to hit the target when well placed in the penalty area. At the other end, Monkman was enjoying her first appearance as a striker this season, her and Manzi often stretching the Millwall defence, and she curled wide when breaking in behind. Manzi, buoyed by her goal, seemed to be running through the opposition, and after bouncing off three challenges, tested Hand from range. The half's glorious chance came and went for Monkman, when she found herself on the end of a Hinds cross, but couldn't flick past the keeper, instead back heeling a shot against Hand's leg.

Millwall's Angel Reid gave a glimpse of her second half showing when she left the Hamlet midfield for dead, before teeing up Kabadaki in the middle. Her deflected shot fell into the path of Chanel Richards, but Mackler made a massive save, using her body to push the ball behind. However, she was powerless to prevent the equaliser nine minutes after the restart, when Charles ran from deep, and fired a shot over her for the leveller. The game continued to serve up thrilling moments, as moments later we won a corner, and after Millwall failed to clear, Corrigan found herself on the end of a Hinds cross, volleying sweetly, but straight at Hand.

However, the American was then part of a disastrous move which saw us go behind. A short goal kick by Mackler was played to Corrigan, who in turn made a suicidal pass towards Franklin. The young midfielder did not look over her shoulder, unaware of an advancing forward, with the ball deflecting into the path of a grateful Bryan to smash home. Despite that setback, we levelled immediately from the restart, as Milbourn was released one on one, before sending a shot off the post and into the far corner. A brilliant response, especially for the substitute who had missed a big chance moments into the second half to put us ahead.

However, this was as good as it would ultimately get as the Hamlet defensive dam burst. First, Reid used her pace to advance into the area and finish high, before the Hamlet were once again caught out by a set piece this season, Auguste curling an effort from the far side all the way into the opposite corner. That goal seemed to seal the game, but the last ten minutes would see more craziness.

Firstly, Hickman was dismissed after being bringing down Lucy Jellett on the edge of the area, and was judged to be the last player by Lucy Clark, despite the presence of Hinds. To rub salt in the wound, Millwall reintroduced Joyce into the game to take the free kick, which she duly dispatched. By now Millwall were marching to the top of the table, and still had time for one more goal in the eighth minute of injury time, Chapman heading a corner into the back of the net. This had come with the Hamlet down to nine, as Hinds had been sin binned a minute before for sarcastically clapping the referee. It was a frustrating and hugely disappointing way to end the game for the majority of the fans inside the ground. We must now regroup for a game against Tunbridge Wells Foresters Ladies in the FA Cup net Sunday, looking to avoid an upset against a side two leagues below us.

Dulwich Hamlet Women Line-Up: 1 Emily Mackler, 2 Madi Parsonson, 4 Chana Hinds, 6 Isabelle Franklin, 8 Brit Saylor (c), 9 Sophie Manzi (7 Saskia Philp 82'), 13 Ceylon Hickman, 14 Lucy Monkman (20 Minnie Cruttwell 74'), 15 Erin Corrigan, 21 Lily Price (17 Ellie Milbourn 46'), 22 Rhea Gall (19 Abby Delves 74' (22 Rhea Gall 86'))

Goalscorers: Sophie Manzi 9', Ellie Melbourne 63'

Yellow Card: Chana Hinds 90+7'

Sin Bin: Chana Hinds 90+7'

Red Card: Ceylon Hickman 84'

Millwall Lionesses: 13 Serena Hand, 2 Millie Connell, 4 Sophie Chapman (c), 6 Poppy Payne, 8 Milly Penfold (10 Gemma Bryan 52' (17 Lucy Jellett 80')), 11 Jade Keogh, 18 Maisie Joyce (3 Jasmine Auguste 35'), 19 Kaydence Kabadaki (22 Otesha Charles 52' (19 Kaydence Kabadaki 90+2')), 20 Ella Bailey (8 Milly Penfold 90'), 21 Angel Reid (23 Chanel Richards 82'), 22 Otesha Charles (23 Chanel Richards 35' (15 Hope Welsh 52' (18 Maisie Joyce 85')))

Goalscorers: Otesha Charles 54', Gemma Bryan 62', Angel Reid 69', Jasmine Auguste 73', Maisie Joyce 86', Sophie Chapman 90+8'

Referee: Lucy Clark
Attendance: 462 (+ 12 dogs!)

When Abby Delves equalised in the 77th minute of Sunday's game at New London Lionesses, a huge cheer of relief erupted from the Hamlet players, staff and fans, as up to that point, it had seemed like it was going to be one of those days for the side.

Before the stunning long range equaliser, nestling in the back of the net via the woodwork, we had managed to strike the bar twice, the post twice, and seen countless further shots either saved by Lionesses keeper Avril Clark, blocked by defenders, or agonisingly end up the wrong side of the post.

The game would begin with a minute's silence for the passing of the Queen, with the Hamlet players also choosing to take the knee in memory of Chris Kaba, who was killed by police whilst unarmed in South London just days before, a powerful message sent by the team.

The hostesses had lost their previous two outings, including a 4-0 reverse at home to Ebbsfleet, whilst we came into the game having recorded our first win last time out against Sutton, and we looked to get on the front foot immediately, with an early cross from Chana Hinds, so impressive against Sutton, just evading Sophie Manzi in the area. Our first of what would be many chances came in the ninth minute, as Ceylon Hickman stepped out of defence, played the ball forward to Rebecca May, and our joint-top scorer was able to turn and shoot from range, only for her dipping shot to be tipped over by Clark. From the resulting corner, Rhea Gall couldn't steer her volley goalwards.

The Lionesses could barely get out of their own half, but in the thirteenth minute kept the Hamlet on their toes with a big chance. Kalina Georgieva sent a long ball through the middle which found Jade Slater, who was able to squeeze between Hickman and Erin Corrigan to go through one-on-one with goalkeeper Emily Mackler. Mackler, on loan from London Seaward whilst Saskia Reeves-Priestley recovers from a shoulder problem, was off her line quickly to smother any chance of a shot on the edge of the area.

Back came the Hamlet with Corrigan, later voted Player of the Match by her teammates, winning the ball high up the field, before playing out to Minnie Cruttwell. Her low cross was flicked into the air by Manzi, before striking a volley wide of the far post. Despite being the likelier side to scoring, it would be the visitors who trailed in the 20th minute. Similar to their previous chance, it was a long ball which proved the undoing of the Hamlet. This time, Polina Avramova lobbed a ball downfield, with Georgieva racing onto the pass, and chipping Mackler to give her side the lead, cueing wild celebrations.

Manzi then continued her quest for a first goal of the season, sending one wide from range, before Clark showed great bravery to dive at the feet of May before she could convert a Cruttwell cross, Corrigan firing the rebound over. Cruttwell and Hinds were supporting every attack, and the latter was the next to find herself in the area, volleying a deep cross over the top. Just past the half hour mark, our hatred for the woodwork would begin, as Ella Wales-Bonner brought down a ball, shifted it onto her left foot and struck a sweet drive against the far post with Clark well beaten.

The one-way traffic continued, as Manzi had shot pushed wide, Wales-Bonner again leaving Clark rooted the spot but being slightly askew with her radar, and May shooting high when well-placed. Despite dominating possession and chances, we could not level before the break.

The pattern of play continued in the second half, as the Lionesses would sit deeper and deeper as the game wore on, using the rolling substitute system to good effect to keep players fresh, making fourteen in total. The first chance of the half came the way of Hannah Baptiste, making her first start of the season, but her shot trickled through to Clark. This was soon followed by a Corrigan header flashing wide from a corner. Six minutes in, and the crossbar was rattled by a rising May shot, a chance which left the bench with hands on heads.

We looked dangerous both from open play and from set pieces, with Gall left unmarked from a corner, sending her shot across the face of the six yard box and wide of the far top corner on the hour mark. In what felt like a shot per minute, Brit Saylor was next to chance her arm from range, narrowly missing the postage stamp. Substitute Madi Parsonson was the latest casualty of the crossbar, with her venomous drive rebounding to safety in the 70th minute. The moment in which the world seemed truly against us came two minutes later though, as, following a short corner, the ball fell kindly for Manzi, who saw her shot blocked off the line by Rebecca Neil, before May hit the post with a header 20 seconds later.

However, Delves would eventually get that breakthrough, when a ball bobbled her way some 25 yards out for her to strike first time, true and sweet into the top corner with Clark well beaten, and now the task was to go on and win it. However after Lucy Monkman had spurned an opportunity, Lionesses almost won it with their only chance of the half. With the Hamlet camped in the opposition half, a clearance found its way forward to Tineka Pink, unmarked and just inside her own half. The forward sprinted forward towards the Hamlet area, leaving defenders far behind, but as she steadied herself and took aim, Mackler was on hand to make a brilliant diving save and keep us level. With less than two minutes to go, it was a timely save indeed.

Even in injury time, there was still one last major chance for Monkman, who headed another chance over, but come full time, it was honours even, and the Hamlet players certainly felt like they had lost the game, when on another day they would have won comfortably. Next up is a game against some different Lionesses, when Millwall arrive at Champion Hill on Sunday.

New London Lionesses Line-Up: 1 Avril Clark, 2 Lauren Worthy, 3 Dani Dunkley, 7 Natalia Davila (4 Jade Slater 11' (18 Kenny Oguns 30' (10 Nafisa Ahmed 46' (5 Emma Benjamin-Jalloh 60' (11 Imogen Dawe 73'))))), 8 Liberty Kay (9 Tineka Pink 40' (8 Liberty Kay 52')), 9 Tineka Pink (22 Rebecca Neil 11' (4 Jade Slater 78' (22 Rebecca Neil 86'))), 11 Imogen Dawe (7 Natalia Davila 67' (9 Tineka Pink 83' (18 Kenny Oguns 90+1' (4 Jade Slater 90+6')))), 12 Kalina Georgieva, 14 Ivanka Koleva, 17 Polina Avramova, 23 Ania Koscielska

Goalscorer: Kalina Georgieva 20'

Dulwich Hamlet Line-Up: 1 Emily Mackler, 4 Chana Hinds, 8 Brit Saylor (c), 9 Sophie Manzi, 10 Hannah Baptiste (14 Lucy Monkman 60'), 11 Rebecca May (7 Saskia Philp 83'), 13 Ceylon Hickman (2 Madi Parsonson 54'), 15 Erin Corrigan, 16 Ella Wales-Bonner (21 Lily Price 83'), 20 Minnie Cruttwell (19 Abby Delves 54'), 22 Rhea Gall

Goalscorer: Abby Delves 77'

Referee: Mourad Bougouizi
Assistant Referees: Mohammed Shahib Shohel & Errol Barnett

Sundays haven’t been the same without the Hamlet, and the league saw fit to continue the deprivation, granting us just three precious home games before Christmas. With the long hot summer drawing to a close, your faves threw down a gauntlet for the first home adventure of the season, with a dominant win over newly promoted Sutton United. No timid explorers, the visitors steamrolled Clapham United last season 11-0 to claim the Division One North title, and faced their new peers on Sunday with some fire and tenacity, but an organised Dulwich had no plans to lose on home soil, and sent them packing. The Hamlet get extra credit for nailing it despite missing a few key faces - manager Ryan Dempsey commented after the game, [i]“With 5 players unavailable it shows the strength of our squad which adds competition for every position.”[/i] Ultimately Dulwich were the more organised team, anchoring some headline individual performances with a cohesion throughout that kept them on track even as their focus wandered. It was a deserved win and a beautiful welcome home to the Hill, and absolutely characteristic of this team at their determined best.

[i][b]What worked:[/b] [/i]

[b]A tight and determined midfield[/b]

Dulwich kept the game high up the field for much of the first half, denying Sutton any way into the game. Regular viewers will have missed Ella Wales-Bonner’s dart-like speed and precision last season, and it’s a joy to see her back and firmly in form. The partnership between her and Rosie Stone turned the midfield into an impenetrable block for the visitors – Stone serving arcing crosses that kept Sutton sidelined, and Wales-Bonner spotting holes in the defence, zooming down the centre and cutting the box open to set her teammates up with golden chances. Her ability to get through any space has been missed, and was a crucial part of building the Hamlet's confidence early on. The team’s high pressing kept Sutton under siege in their own half for a comfortable portion of the first half.

[b]Rebecca May in beast mode[/b]

May claimed the first goal in the 6th minute, setting the tone for the game. Wales-Bonner served one of her trademark incisions down the middle, and a Sutton defender thought she had it handled, but May rounded on her with a volley that spanked the ball into the back of the net. Her hunger would persist through the game - she was back with her next belter in the 17th, and kept the pressure on for three quarters of the game. Sutton goalkeeper Amy Jenkins had her number before long, and saw off every subsequent effort; as well for Sutton that she did, because it looked likely May would claim her brace, and felt almost unjust that in the end she didn’t.

[b]A turbo-boosted Chana Hinds on the wing and playing box to box[/b]

Regulars know her as the cool, calm and cerebral mind at the rear of the team, defending with a mobile and far-sighted approach. Today, it was like watching Sofia Huerta or Kelley O’Hara. She was everywhere, zinging dangerous-looking strikes on goal while being sure to spoil Sutton's fun. She tested the water from the first minute with an early chance, and was back in the 18th with a neat header off Rosie Stone’s corner that might have doubled Dulwich’s lead if not intercepted by Sutton. Her moment would come in the 31st minute; she tore up the righthand side and finished with a cross like a surface-to-air missile. No connection needed – it ripped through the box and seared the back of the net to put Dulwich at 2-0.

[b]A brick wall at the back[/b]

On the rare occasions Sutton managed to break through in the first half, their oxygen was quickly cut off by Dulwich’s organised backline and Saskia Reeves-Priestley, comfortable and confident in goal. Chances in the 8th and 13th showed a determination to score, but they were easy for Reeves-Priestley to deal with. Midfielder Cassie Brown thought she had a chance in the 37th; Reeves-Priestley said “nope.” Darcy Wells tried to right the balance just before halftime; devious footwork and a cheeky nutmeg set her up for an attack in the box, but Hinds was all over her. Even with Sutton’s flurry of chaotic energy in the second half, and with the odd poor choice leaving Dulwich more vulnerable than they had to be, the pink’n’blue kept the gates closed and were careful not to squander their early lead. The Hamlet defence didn’t always stand up to scrutiny last season, so it’s rousing to see they’ve put the work in to batten things down at the back this year.

[i][b]What didn’t work:[/b][/i]

[b]Concentration in the second half[/b]

Dulwich lost their momentum somewhat after half-time, dashing hopes of a brace for the hungry Rebecca May. Sutton went full Monet, sending mixed messages with a performance that looked formidable from a distance, but was reportedly a tangle of arguments with each other on the pitch. Dulwich should have been able to capitalise on the chaos, but seemed to lose their focus, particularly in the final third; there was no shortage of plucky crosses or canny ideas, but the finish wasn’t there, no final player in place to convert it. Nevertheless, they held it down. Sutton pummelled them and succeeded in turning the half into a box to box game of tennis, but Dulwich’s defence were in hive-mindset and saw off all comers. Fresh legs from Lucy Monkman and Sas Philp in the last fifteen minutes kept the pressure on; Monkman’s audacious forays out on her own down the right wing kept Sutton threatened to the last, though more support to clear the enemies around her might have seen something home. Philp bore down on goal in the dying light of the game, out in open space with no competition in sight, but hung onto it a second too long, and couldn’t get the angle into the box.

[i][b]Thoughts from the field:[/b][/i]

Ryan Dempsey was delighted with what Dulwich were putting down, calling the team’s performance [i]“tremendous, front-footed positive football”[/i], and expressing confidence in what it promised for the season ahead.

[i]“Having a clean sheet was massive for us and it's an area we really want to improve on. Credit has to go to Sutton for putting us under a bit of pressure but I'm proud of how we reacted to the pressure. The first win of the season is always pleasing and to do it in front of 400 spectators was very pleasing.”[/i]

Dulwich Hamlet Line-Up: 1 Saskia Reeves-Priestley, 4 Chana Hinds (14 Lucy Monkman 72'), 5 Rosie Stone (10 Hannah Baptiste 66'), 6 Anna Jowle, 8 Brit Saylor (c), 9 Sophie Manzi, 11 Rebecca May (7 Saskia Philp 77'), 13 Ceylon Hickman, 16 Ella Wales-Bonner (12 Anna Stones 77'), 20 Minnie Cruttwell (19 Abby Delves 66'), 22 Rhea Gall

Goalscorers: Rebecca May 6', Chana Hinds 31'

Yellow Card: Rosie Stone 49'

Sutton United Line-Up: 12 Amy Jenkins, 3 Megan Button (26 Olivia Watson 77'), 4 Fern Colepio (15 Laila Malcolm 34' (14 Aya Mirjan 84')), 7 Gemma Staple (5 Sacha Brinkley 34'), 8 Gabby Howell, 9 Kelly Poynton, 10 Darcy Wells, 14 Aya Mirjan (4 Fern Colepio 64'), 20 Eloise Williams (2 Anna Harbison 61'), 26 Olivia Watson (7 Gemma Staple 64'), 28 Cassie Brown

Unused Substitutes: 1 Zoe McNulty, 16 Annie Gillett

Yellow Card: 15 Laila Malcolm 48'

Referee: Lanray Alapafujah
Assistant referees: Keith Slaughter & SK Idris

Attendance: 406 ...and 7 dogs

Dulwich are still searching for their first three points of the new season as they suffered a 4-2 defeat to Worthing at Woodside Road on Sunday.

Seemingly heading in to half time with a lead intact, a minute of madness in first half injury time saw them concede twice, with two further goals from the hosts after the break easing them to a second win of the campaign.

The Hamlet arrived in Sussex off the back of a brilliant comeback at Ebbsfleet the previous Sunday in their season opener, but were limited with the players available to manager Ryan Dempsey, with injury continuing to rule out Asia Harbour-Brown, and five others absent. They were dealt a further blow when Ellie Milbourn picked up a knock in the warm-up, meaning only two substitutes available. Chana Hinds, who celebrated her birthday during the week, replaced Rhea Gall in the only change to the side which started against Ebbsfleet.

The sides traded half chances in the first five minutes, before the game settled into one of wonderful passing moves from both teams. In the 18th minute came the first major opportunities, with Katie Young firing an effort wide of the near post for the hosts, before Hamlet's Sophie Manzi almost benefitting from a drop from goalkeeper Lauren Dolbear, but could not adjust her feet in time. However, a minute later, the visitors found themselves leading, and just like at Ebbsfleet last week, the goal would come from an unlikely source.

Madi Parsonson had a free-kick on the left wing, and she sent in a low ball which Manzi couldn't connect with, but arriving at the far post was Hinds, who poked in from a yard out for her first ever Hamlet goal. This goal added extra confidence to the Hamlet performance, with captain Brit Saylor and Eleanor Hutchings dictating the game from the centre of midfield. At the midpoint of the first half, striker Rebecca May drove down the left-wing, played a one-two with Manzi, but her shot was easy for Dolbear.

Worthing's attackers were being kept at arm's length, but there were warning signs for the visitors, with Georgia Tibble volleying over an Ellie Russell knockdown in the penalty area. However, the Hamlet still seemed the more likely to score a second, and just before the break they came very close to doing so. Mya Lewis-Powell picked up possession on the left wing, escaped the attentions of both Young and Russell, and sent in a shot towards the near post which Dolbear did well to keep out. This would be as good as the rest of the afternoon got for the Hamlet.

As the game ticked into stoppage time, a ball down the right wing from Russell caught out Lewis-Powell, with Young charging in behind, and the Worthing number 3 was able to put the ball across the six-yard box for Tibble to arrive and place inside the near post. With this setback fresh in the mind, the Hamlet then shot themselves in the foot in the worst possible manner. From the restart, Parsonson got caught in possession by Hayley Bridge and the ball rolled free for Rebecca Bell 35 yards from goal. Without looking up, the striker went for goal first time, lobbing the ball over Saskia Reeves-Priestley and into the back of the net, to all of a sudden leave the Hamlet trailing at the break.

Things got worse for Ryan Dempsey with Manzi unable to continue in the second half due to a combination of an arm injury and a clash of heads she picked up in the first half, so was replaced on the field by Saskia Philp. Worthing too made a change with Niamh Andersson replacing Chloe Lelliot, and this rejig, combined with a change tactics, would be crucial for the second half.

Reeves-Priestley had already denied Bell a second goal moments into the second half by tipping a rising shot over the bar, but she would be powerless to stop her from adding to her tally in the 51st minute. Hutchings was robbed of possession by the impressive Ella Newman midway in the Worthing half, with the attacker driving forward from deep, and then beating Ceylon Hickman too until she was just outside the area. She spotted Bell to her right, and played a perfectly-weighted pass into the striker, who found the far corner with her shot to extend the lead in excellent fashion.

The visitors had lost home and away to Worthing last season, and the hosts seemed intent on going for the kill in this one, with Bridge volleying wide from close range and then asking Reeves-Priestley to make a diving save after 58 minutes, and four minutes later, they would find a fourth in spectacular manner. Bell turned provider, playing a pass from the left wing into the feet of Andersson, who was able to move towards the edge of the penalty area and unleash a drive which flew beyond Reeves-Priestley and kill off the tie. By this stage, the Hamlet had also lost Hinds from the match, being forced off with blurred vision, with Minnie Cruttwell having to replace her.

From here the number of goals could, and perhaps should, have been even greater for the Mackerels, with the offside flag denying Bell a hat trick, Tibble seeing a shot kept out by a tremendous diving save, and Young heading against the crossbar, with the Hamlet unable to create anything going forward. Newman could also have scored the goal her performance deserved, but after cutting inside of Parsonson in the area, could only shoot straight at Saskia.

Into the final ten minutes, and Bell again came agonisingly close to completing her treble, but saw a chance trickle the wrong side of the far post, before the visitors ended the game with a bit of a flourish. May had just seen a header go over, when the Hamlet earned a penalty in the final minute of the 90, Hutchings being bundled over from behind. This gave Saylor the chance to reduce the deficit, and she did, slotting the ball under Dolbear to make it 4-2. Too little, too late though for the Hamlet, whose attentions will now turn to their first competitive game in six months, when they take on Sutton United at Champion Hill next Sunday, 4th September, with a 2PM kick off time.

Worthing Women Line-Up: 1 Lauren Dollar, 2 Ellie Russell (c), 3 Katie Young, 7 Chloe Lelliot (4 Niamh Andersson 46'), 8 Charlotte Carter, 10 Gemma Worsfold (18 Emily Linscer 69'), 11 Hayley Bridge (20 Molly Thorns 79'), 12 Georgia Tibble (7 Chloe Lelliot 79'), 14 Rebecca Bell, 15 Ella Newman, 17 Rachel Palmer

Unused Substitute: 22 Kelly Newton

Goalscorers: Georgia Tibble 45+1', Rebecca Bell 45+2', 51', Niamh Andersson 62'

Dulwich Hamlet Women Line-Up: 1 Saskia Reeves-Priestley, 2 Madi Parsonson, 4 Chana Hinds (22 Minnie Cruttwell 58'), 6 Eleanor Hutchings, 8 Brit Saylor (c), 9 Sophie Manzi (7 Saskia Philp 46'), 11 Rebecca May, 13 Ceylon Hickman, 14 Lucy Monkman, 15 Erin Corrigan, 18 Mya Lewis-Powell

Unused Substitute: 17 Ellie Milbourn

Goalscorers: Chana Hinds 19', Brit Saylor (pen) 90'

Yellow Card: Lucy Monkman 75'

Referee: Paddy O'Reilly
Assistant Referees: Len Lodge & Paul Barrett

The Hamlet began their competitive season on Sunday down in sunny Kent at newly-formed Ebbsfleet United, and left the Kuflink Stadium with a share of the points, as they came back from 2-0 down to ensure they would not leave defeated.

The home side had been rebranded in the summer as Ebbsfleet United Women, having previously played under the guise of Kent Football United, and had been relegated from Division One South East of the FA Women's National League at the end of last season.

The visitors lined up with several debutants in the starting eleven, including centre-back Erin Corrigan, wing-back Mya Lewis-Powell, and striker Rebecca May, who had previously played for the club in the AFC Phoenix days.

Manager Ryan Dempsey opted for three centre-backs against the Fleet, starting with Rhea Gall, Ceylon Andi Hickman and Corrigan in the back three, and had Lewis-Powell and Madi Parsonson providing the width at wing-back. The three in midfield was full of experience, comprising of captain Brit Saylor, Rosie Stone and Lucy Monkman, and in front of them, a new strike partnership of last season's top scorer Sophie Manzi and the returning May, who had looked prolific during pre-season. Saskia Reeves-Priestley was between the posts in goal for the Hamlet.

The hosts began on the front foot and looked the more likely to score early on, with the visitors rarely getting out of their own half, often stringing some nice passes together in the defensive third but unable to get up the pitch. The first close call came through Fleet forward Amy Russ, who picked up a loose ball at the edge of the area, and flashed a rasping drive just wide of Reeves-Priestley's far post. Soon after, Fleet winger Olivia Jestin received a wayward pass from Reeves-Priestley, and after playing a one-two with Lydia Wills, burst into the area and fired a shot goalwards. Although Saskia took the sting out of it, the ball continued to bounce towards goal, with our number one showing tremendous agility to fling herself onto the goal line and claw the ball away from harm.

It felt that the goal was coming for the home side and it duly arrived in the 17th minute. An inswinging corner from Russ caught Reeves-Priestley out, flying over the keepers' head and into the far corner. On the run of play it was a deserved goal. The Fleet then looked to extend their advantage when Lati Adaja made a great run between Gall and Hickman, but her shot was tame and straight at Reeves-Priestley.

After eventually weathering the storm, Dulwich were soon millimetres away from levelling through Monkman. Building an attack down the right wing, the impressive Lewis-Powell sent in an inviting cross towards the head of May. The striker couldn't find the flick towards goal required but behind her arrived Monkman, who sent a first time shot crashing off the crossbar and bouncing to safety. This sparked a period of Hamlet pressure on the Fleet goal, with Saylor attempting a lob which just cleared the bar, and then May creating a similar chance which had Shanly scrambling and bounced wide of her far post.

However it was the home side who could have moved further ahead on the stroke of half time, with substitute Hannah Cleary just missing the far corner with a rising shot, and then Russ forcing Reeves-Priestley into a low save, but her goal remained the difference at the interval.

The second goal arrived for the Fleet in sloppy circumstances in the 63rd minute, as a free kick from the right wing by captain Dan Carlton was palmed away by the goalkeeper, only for Gall to put the ball back into the six-yard box, where defender Ellie Perkins was on hand to head the ball into the back of the net via the crossbar.

Heads could have dropped at this stage but what followed was a display of true grit and determination from the Hamlet, and they quickly found a way back into the game through an unlikely source. Just four minutes after that second goal, half-time sub Ella Wales-Bonner released Lewis-Powell down the right, with the youngster showing her pace once again to drive down the wing. She then produced a beautiful cross towards the six-yard box, which was met on the bounce by the opposite wing-back Parsonson to finish high into the roof of the net and cap a wonderful attacking move. Just one goal in the whole of last season for Madi, but this could be a regular sight at Hamlet games this year.

From this moment the game opened up and Russ should have re-established the two goal cushion from her side but when played in, couldn't direct a shot into the far corner, and it would prove a costly miss. As the game ticked into the final 10 minutes, Corrigan brought the ball out of the left side of defence and picked out the run of Wales-Bonner in a pocket of space between midfield and defence. She in turn then slipped in Manzi on the left side of the penalty area, and the striker placed the ball across the box for May to prod home from a few yards out to open her account for the season. Fans will be hopeful this is the first of many for the Manzi-May partnership.

It could have been even better for the visitors as a couple of minutes later, Manzi led a break out of her own half and played in the instrumental Wales-Bonner, but despite being well-placed, she could not beat Shanly and the danger was cleared. However, a draw was an outstanding result from where the game was after 63 minutes, and optimism is definitely there for a successful season ahead.

Ebbsfleet United Line-Up: 1 Rebecca Shanly, 2 Ami Burnham, 5 Ellie Perkins, 6 Olivia Jestin, 7 Maddie Reynolds, 8 Chloe Francis, 9 Amy Russ, 10 Megan Wood, 11 Lydia Wills, 12 Latifat Adaja (14 Hannah Cleary 33' (12 Latifat Adaja 89')) 27 Dan Carlton (c)

Unused Substitutions: 3 Millie Waud, 13 Ash Naismith, 15 Georgia Young, 16 Charley MacNeil, 17 Jasmine Young

Goalscorers: Amy Russ 33', Ellie Perkins 63'

Dulwich Hamlet Line-Up: 1 Saskia Reeves-Priestley, 2 Madi Parsonson, 5 Rosie Stone (6 Anna Jowle 67'), 8 Brit Saylor (c), 9 Sophie Manzi, 11 Rebecca May, 13 Ceylon Andi Hickman, 14 Lucy Monkman (16 Ella Wales-Bonner 46'), 15 Erin Corrigan, 18 Mya Lewis-Powell (7 Saskia Philp 75'), 22 Rhea Gall

Unused Substitutes: 10 Hannah Baptiste, 12 Anna Stones

Goalscorers: Madi Parsonson 66', Rebecca May 81'

Referee: Martin Cook
Assistant Referees: Vince Kennedy & Hamish Louie
Attendance: 185