DHFCW's inaugural season comes to an end

Due to the ongoing situation with the outbreak of COVID-19, the decision has been made to conclude women's football below the third tier. This means that our Women's team's season has now come to an end.

In the final table, DHFCW were top of the league and we had also reached the Semi-Finals of the Capital Senior Cup, where we were due to play Crystal Palace.

As per the FA's announcement this week, "The FA and the leagues within tiers three to seven have reached a consensus to bring the season to an immediate end and all results will be expunged."

The Women's team issued the following message:

[i]"Yesterday we received confirmation that due to the impact of Covid19 our first season as Dulwich Hamlet will come to an early end. Tier 3 of womens football and below have been cancelled for the remainder of the season; and promotions or relegations. An unfortunate but necessary step in the current climate.

It was a challenging first season on and off the pitch and we would like to take this opportunity to send a massive thank you to every fan, member of staff & sponsor that has supported us on this."[/i]

Programme editor David Rogers has made all this season's home programmes available to read online. [url=https://se24media.co.uk/dhfcw?fbclid=IwAR0pCDxjfqsZhNAkLwwKWsNj8rbSdtm8XolaSmJYJyXTWg9VncUlT3U5lA4]You can find them here[/url].

We would like to thank everyone involved in the team for their magnificent effort on and off the pitch, in what has been a challenging season for the club. They have made a lot of people very proud and we look forward to their return next season.

Saltdean United 0-2 Dulwich Hamlet

Match report by Sue Plain

A fixture switch to a 3G pitch took us to Worthing’s Woodside Road stadium, where we were well catered for – thanks go to our hosts.

Perhaps the knowledge that top of the table was in grasp unsettled the players, or perhaps it was two and a half hours sat on a bus but Dulwich didn’t play their best football in the first half. That said we opened bright enough, Dulwich pressed with a succession of 3 corners, Ana de Pellagrin striking the bar.

It took Saltdean 10 minutes to show any threat. They took confidence from this and Dulwich were having to mind the shop – a great clearing header from Kiki Marino saving Marie Louis any sweat in goal. The threat continued and in the 21st minute the home side appealed with conviction for a penalty after a one sided “shoulder to shoulder” in the box. Thankfully the referee was feeling generous to Dulwich and “play on” was ordered. More Saltdean possession followed, this time it was Rhea Gall rising to clear with her head - a sign of aerial ability to come.

When Dulwich took possession we were disjointed struggling to find flow and connection. Saskia Philp broke free but buried the ball deep in the keeper’s midriff. We were vulnerable to Saltdean breaks. Saltdean’s Billie Phillpot found herself clean through twice but hesitated and was lost.

The second half started much the same as the first. End to end but without build up. Again Billie Phillpot was free to fire off a shot, this time aiming at the keeper. On 64 minutes Ryan Dempsey replaced Rosie Stone with Ella Bonner and with one more in attack Dulwich started to show more spice and variety.

We were still under threat with a Saltdean cross flying right across the goal. Saltdean rested Billie Phillpot on 68 mins replaced by Liv Walker. A Saltdean free kick from a useful position didn’t clear our wall. Dulwich kept at them and with the skies darkening and the clock ticking urgency started to show. Horizontal rain and hail stung Dulwich into life and we started to fizz. On the 84 min, Rhea Gall rising in a crowded box to meet a superb corner from Saskia Philp with power and direction. 0 – 1.

No chance to sit back and play out the game. Saltdean kept coming and Dulwich were defending. With 5 minutes to go Billie Phillpot returned in place of Maddy Zahra and supporters had an anxious few minutes. Then in the last minute of added time Rebecca Fickling, called up from the reserve team for her debut, calmly slotted a goal neatly along the deck. 0 - 2. Job done. Working hard for the result and not giving in when things weren't going to plan showed great character. We are Top of the League!

Next up: Sunday March 15th @ 14:00, vs Crystal Palace (H) - Champion Hill

Photo: Liam Asman

Leyton Orient 2-1 Dulwich Hamlet

Dulwich Hamlet were defeated 2-1 against a strong Leyton Orient side in the Second Round of the Combined Counties Football League Cup. Two early goals put Orient in the driving seat and despite a spirited Hamlet performance for the remainder of the game, a late goal from Jess Hand was not enough.

Ryan Dempsey named seven changes to the XI who had started against Leyton Orient four days previously in the Capital Cup tie at Champion Hill. Defender Ceylon Hickman was handed her first start for the club after impressing during the second half on Sunday, while Raquel Arran returned to the starting lineup after several months out with injury.

On a bitterly cold night under the floodlights at the Mile End Stadium, Orient started strongly, keen to make amends for Sunday's 1-0 defeat. Egle Trezzi opened the scoring inside seven minutes with a good strike from the edge of the box. Maintaining the pressure, Ellie Stenning doubled their lead by following up from Marie Louis' save.

Dulwich responded well and the front three of Arran, Saskia Philp and Liz Wicks combined to create several chances. Wicks was magical to watch at times, ducking in-between Orient defenders, nutmegging them as she went. Hamlet's best chance came when Jo Gibson crafted out some space down the right and found Arran with her ball into the box, whose shot struck the post.

Philp was Dulwich's liveliest outlet in the second half and was on the end of several opportunities to get us back into the game. Wicks also had a lofting long-range strike saved with ten minutes to go.

Dempsey made three changes, with Ella Wales Bonner, Ana De Pellegrin and Jess Hand entering the mix. It was Hand who got on the scoresheet, prodding home from close range as the clock struck down. Unfortunately for Dulwich, the scoreline remained at 2-1.

Speaking after the game, Dempsey said, "It was a little frustrating as I feel we deserved something out of the game - especially after the second half performance. Overall I'm really pleased. Over the two games against Orient, the whole squad got 60 mins, so I'm happy about that. We just need to be more clinical in future."

Next up: Saltdean United (A) - Sunday 1st March, 14:00

Dulwich Hamlet: Marie Louis; Alison Rowe, Ceylon Hickman, Harriet Crofts, Michaella Williams, Rosie Stone (c), Rhea Gall (for Jess Hand), Jo Gibson (for Ella Wales Bonner), Raquel Arran (for Ana De Pelligrin), Liz Wicks, Saskia Philp.
Subs not used – Lucy Monkman, Sarah Milner.

Photo: Liam Asman

Dulwich Hamlet 1-0 Leyton Orient

Match report by John Lawrence

Dulwich progressed to the semi-finals of the Capital Senior Cup with this narrow victory over Leyton Orient in front of a healthy crowd of 222 at Champion Hill. A close-fought cup-tie was decided by a lone goal from Jo Gibson in the 20th minute.

After a quiet opening spell, Orient seized the initiative and a low cross-shot from the right flashed across the face of the Hamlet goal. A minute later, the visitors went even closer to taking the lead when an inswinging corner from Danielle Griffith struck the face of the Hamlet crossbar and rebounded into play.

But it was Dulwich who broke the deadlock with what proved the winning goal on 20 minutes, and what a fine goal it was. Skipper Brittany Saylor played a delightful pass inside the full-back to Havana McElvaine overlapping on the left and her pinpoint cross from near the corner flag was powerfully headed home by Jo Gibson from eight yards out. However, their higher-ranked opponents retaliated and seven minutes later it took a smart save from Marie Louis at her near post to protect the lead when Orient’s Ellie Stenning broke free down the left.

At the other end, Ana De Pelligrin went close with a shot that was deflected behind for a corner. But Orient finished the half strongly and only timely interceptions by Kiki Marino and Alison Rowe in the Hamlet penalty-area ensured Dulwich led at the break.

Although defensive lynchpin Kiki Marino was replaced for the second-half, the Hamlet rearguard, with Havana McElvaine outstanding, remained fairly solid. A dangerous cross from the Orient right was blocked and another opening was volleyed well wide of the target, but that was the extent of the visiting threat until the closing stages. Instead Hamlet upped their game and Lucy Monkman became an increasing problem for Orient with her runs down the right.

Substitute Raquel Arran missed a great chance on 70 minutes after robbing a defender but with only the ‘keeper to beat she shot wide. Later, successive shots from Raquel Arran were blocked before Rhea Gall blazed over the bar from the edge of the box. Back came the Os and Jasmine Auguste went close with a rising shot.

In a final flourish in stoppage time, a low shot from a visiting forward was well saved by Marie Louis before Sophie Le Marchand sent a near post header narrowly wide. But Hamlet survived and now wait to hear who their opponents will be in the semi-final.

Next up: Wednesday February 26th @ 19:45, vs Leyton Orient (A) - Mile End Stadium

Dulwich Hamlet: Marie Louis; Alison Rowe, Kiki Marino (sub: Ceylon Hickman 46 mins), Havana McElvaine, Jess Hand, Brittany Saylor (capt.), Rhea Gall, Ana De Pelligrin, Lucy Monkman, Jo Gibson (sub: Michaella Williams 75 mins), Sarah Milner (sub: Raquel Arran 61 mins). Subs not used – none.

Photo: Ollie Jarman