Dulwich Hamlet U18 (1) 2 Salvatierra 10 Adeniran 72
Tonbridge Angels (0) 1 Snowden-Lewis 71
Headcount: 50
Admission: £1 Senior
Programme: None
Mileage: 110/2,731
If ever proof was needed that goalkeeping is the loneliest place on a football pitch then a perfect illustration came in the shape of Tonbridge’s young custodian, Joe Roberts.
In this FA Youth Cup tie, Roberts had been truly superb with breathtaking saves that had single-handedly kept the Angels in the game especially in a first half that had been relentlessly dominated by the hosts, Dulwich Hamlet.
But, less than a minute after Tonbridge had found their way back into the game with a 71st minute equaliser from Ned Snowdon-Lewis, Roberts made a mistake that he will make just the once in his entire career.
From the restart, Dulwich worked the ball through to Henry Adeniran who was through one-on-one with Roberts. From point-blank range the Dulwich striker’s shot was smothered at his feet and Roberts had saved the day once more. Adeniran hurdled the prostrate goalkeeper, who rose to his feet and looked to set the visitors forward. He dropped the ball to the ground to kick it forward completely unaware of Adeniran’s presence behind him and to everyone’s horror he nipped in from behind to collect the ball and roll it into the unguarded goal. I can remember a famous incident involving Rob Green, but I’ve never seen it happen before in a live game. It was a harsh lesson for a young goalkeeper to learn but looking over their shoulders has become commonplace since the Green incident and I’m not guessing that it is something that the young man will be doing game in, game out for the rest of his career.
Tonbridge spent the first period pressed back and struggling to get any forward momentum although they did have the ball in the net after 10 minutes only for it to be chalked off for a very marginal offside.
Immediately after, Roberts was called into action, brilliantly tipping over an effort from Tyrell Tayo. But, from the resultant corner, the ball was only half-cleared to Breno Carmago Salvatierra who struck clinically from 12 yards.
Tonbridge’s rearguard was being asked bravely stick bodies on the line which they did, but when Dulwich broke through the lines they found Roberts, or the woodwork, in their path. The goalkeeper saved well low to his left to deny Jargal Enkh quickly followed by a shot that struck a post.
Roberts excelled from Salvatierra and Enkh, who were both very impressive for Dulwich as the Angels were mightily relieved to get to the break just the goal adrift.
Tom Parkinson’s words after the match suggested that his side had paid their hosts too much respect in the first period and they with those words his young charges came out to make a serious game of it with the addition of the returning Josh Stirman.
Snowdon-Lewis saw a shot deflected safely into the Dulwich keeper’s hands and also had another goal disallowed for offside but this was not before Salvatierra once more rattled the woodwork from 25 yards.
Tonbridge’s moment arrived after 71 minutes when, following a Stirman cross, the ball was looped up for Snowden-Lewis to send a header over the goalkeeper and into the net.
Much credit should go to both the Angels team as a whole and Roberts in particular for putting that moment behind him, going on to make further saves whilst caution was thrown to the wind in search of an equaliser. Saul Musengey fired over, a header from Harry Hudson suffered the same outcome and with the final kick, Snowdon-Lewis’ effort sailed in the same direction.
Ultimately, you need the bluest of tinted glasses to claim anything other than a deserved Dulwich win but it would have been more appropriate for it to have been settled by a worldie.
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