Dulwich Hamlet 2 Tonbridge 0

Match 48/14/1157 - Tuesday, 9th December 2014 - Ryman Premier

Dulwich Hamlet (2) 2 Carew 18 (pen), Koroma 45
Tonbridge (0) 0
Att. 421

Entrance: £4 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 86/3,512

Match Report

An only to be expected but, nonetheless, awkward journey into south London was the precursor to a Tonbridge performance that had an encouraging opening ten minutes and a final ten in which they threw what they had left in an effort to retrieve a game that had been lost in the intervening time. An early two junction delay on the M20, followed by the tiresome stop-start nature of the south circular at rush hour (or any other hour, for that matter) eventually arriving at Champion Hill in good time for the kick-off but still half-an-hour later than the satnav had originally predicted.

This was my first visit to Champion Hill in the lifetime of this blog and also a first with Dulwich Hamlet as the hosts. My only other visit was a memorable occasion back in 2005, when Tonbridge visited for an FA Cup tie against the then high-flying, big spending Fisher Athletic. Nobody expected Tonbridge to win on that day, but a couple of goals from Jay May and a solid backs-to-the-wall display in the last 20 minutes saw the visitors to a now almost legendary 3-2 victory.

Positioned at the rear of Sainsbury’s (which is very handy for parking) Champion Hill boasts a fine grandstand that incorporates the bar, changing rooms and offices and a covered terraced enclosure on the opposite side.

Dulwich Hamlet are, undoubtedly, a good side that chased the Ryman Premier League title last season alongside Maidstone United, before both were overhauled by Wealdstone and eventually failing to gain a play-off position. This season they have retained that impetus and currently sit in third place behind M&M (Margate and Maidstone) and a win for Tonbridge might have been considered as momentous as that 2005 victory.

The visitors started brightly with the wingers Dee Okojie and Flavio Tavares to the fore. The latter intercepted a poor pass back to the goalkeeper but pulled his shot wide after four minutes and then a fine move ended with Okojie shooting into the side netting. Tom Parkinson put a header over the bar before the hosts took the lead from the penalty spot against the run of play.

Jordan Hibbert took a pass into the box from where a challenge by Nathan Campbell brought the player down. It looked a clear penalty from my vantage point, but there were Tonbridge protests both at the time and after the match. Ashley Carew, a former Gillingham youngster, stepped up to convert the spot kick.

Dulwich Hamlet took control of the game for the remainder of the half with Tonbridge now reduced to sporadic attacks. As half-time approached, Dulwich added to their lead to give the Angels a second half mountain to climb. Hibbert caused further problems, but his cross into the box offered the Tonbridge defence a couple of opportunities to Row Z the ball, however these were not taken and the ball fell at the feet of Omar Koroma who stabbed it home.

Dulwich should have put the game to bed in the second half before Tonbridge rallied in the final quarter-hour. Harry Ottaway spurned a couple chances before Steve McKimm reinforced the front line with the introduction of Alex Teniola and Royce Greenidge. If nothing more a consolation goal was deserved from this final assault as Teniola saw his shot rebound off the goalkeeper’s legs and Parkinson put a header narrowly over. With five minutes remaining an Okojie cross was met with a Jack Parter header that was cleared from the line before the Angels’ despair at refereeing decisions doubled when Marvin Williams was brought down on the edge of the box, the official deeming that the foul had taken place outside, whilst the players claimed it was inside.

The journey home still found the south circular slow at 10 p.m. and another hold-up on the M20, it was just that sort of night.