Tonbridge Angels (0) 1 Turner 67 (pen)
Dulwich Hamlet (1) 2 Ijaha 22 Monakana 61 (pen)
Attendance: 954
Admission: Season Ticket
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 38/453
When Dulwich Hamlet’s Quade Taylor saw red after just 13 minutes it seemed that opportunity knocked but, with one season’s experience, Hamlet have mastered the dark arts and their breaking up of the play by falling to the ground after the lightest of touches; the eternity of time that every free kick took to return the ball into play and the constant chatter to the official negated any advantage Tonbridge might have had from the extra man.
This is lesson one on day one, National South points are not necessarily gained by virtue of the beautiful game, in fact I can’t remember an uglier performance last season in the Isthmian.
There were talking points from the outset. Steve McKimm opted to go with a lone striker, did this smack of too much respect, especially on home soil? In central defence, to replace the suspended Sonny Miles, he chose the less than imposing Alex Bentley, and he got this one spot on as the ex-Hornchurch man put in a man-of-the-match display.
After Joe Turner had gone close, a quick free kick saw Tommie Hession-Harris clear before being unceremoniously brought down with what referee Daniel Lamport saw as a goal denying foul by Taylor who saw the red card and with that Dulwich game plan changed to spoiling and, boy did they know how to play it! Chief protagonist was ex-Angel David Ijaha, the Dulwich skipper, a big unit that munched the grass with the merest puff of wind.
After 22 minutes, Ijaha added to his villain status when he outmuscled his markers to easily nod home a corner from the right. Now a goal to the good, the Dulwich tactics were only to worsen, but in fairness, apart from a Jack Parter effort that brought a low save from Ashley Maynard-Brewer, it was the visitors that created the best of the chances in the period up to the break.
But, in the longer term of the game, it was a headed back pass from James Folkes that had Jonny Henly sprawling to save a corner and in so doing needing treatment for a shoulder injury that was to have a significant effect.
An early effort across the face of goal from Hamlet’s Danny Mills was a scare but, on the hour, a floated cross appeared to be an easy catch for Henly, but hampered by the injury, the ball was dropped and in his effort to retrieve it, Mills was a brought down for a penalty with the Angels’ goalkeeper also seeing red.
Folkes volunteered his services between the sticks but had no chance as Jeffrey Monakana blasted the ball down the middle to give his side a 2-0 lead.
Dulwich’s game plan went from dark to plainly mystifying as rather than pepper a stand-in goalkeeper they retreated behind the ball, never once threatening the goal.
This did give Tonbridge the opportunity to press forward with the introduction of Jared Small adding a threat.
After 67 minutes Tonbridge were back in the contest after Turner was brought down in the box for him to drive home the spot kick.
With renewed hope the home support in an impressive attendance marginally short of four figures raised the noise levels to rally their troops.
Ultimately, the width of a post denied the Angels a deserved point when, two minutes into six minutes of added time, Chinedu McKenzie struck the woodwork, a chance he should have taken.
So the new era of National League football got off to a losing start, but signs of progress were in evidence off the field. A new stadium sponsor has seen Longmead rebranded; there is card payment available for admission; a new home shirt sponsor and, as always, the Longmead pitch was resplendent.
No team wins the league, or gets relegated, on day one but lessons to be learnt.
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