Recent results and performances have seen Dulwich Hamlet’s title aspirations evaporate but the playoffs are still within the grasp of the Pink and Blues, still within the capabilities of players whose form of late must baffle even themselves. With seven games remaining, four of them against teams harbouring hopes of securing promotion themselves, three against clubs with the spectre of relegation hovering over them, it will not be easy but this is the time for players and fans to stand alongside one another. A time for players to rise to the levels that all now they are capable of achieving.

Third place Tonbridge Angels await on Easter Monday but first, on Saturday, Dulwich Hamlet must make the trip to the Queen Elizabeth Stadium, home of an Enfield Town side staking a late claim for an invite to the postseason playoff party. In midweek the Towners broke a three game winless spell with a tonking victory after another of the promotion aspirants as Corey Whitely bagged a hat trick in a 4-0 demolition of a Kingstonian side just two points adrift of the Hamlet in 6th spot. A curious game indeed with the E’s indebted to ‘keeper Nathan McDonald for some crucial early saves as the K’s looked to run their hosts ragged in the early stages. The tide turned when Whitely fired in the first of his treble for the evening on 17 minutes and though Enfield Town survived the odd scare, their lead went from a narrow one to an unassailable one in the space of eight minutes of madness around the interval. Whitely added his second, Bobby Devyne scored a somewhat fortuitous goal just before the halftime whistle. Almost immediately after the restart Whitely fired home for his 15th league goal of the season and his 23rd of all this term.

When Enfield Town came to Champion Hill back in early January it was as one of the Ryman League Premier Division’s form teams. The early season backlash of last season’s playoff farrago, which had seen the Towners haunted by the threat of relegation rather than challenging to right the injustice the club felt it had suffered, was forgotten. From bottom spot in the early days of the campaign the Towners had fought their way back into contention, climbing to 6th spot on the very brink of the playoff places. Then Dulwich Hamlet sat loftily at the peak of the Premier Division and it was no surprise that Champion Hill swelled to a season’s record crowd of 2,249, including several hundred who had crossed the Thames for the journey south. The massed ranks were treated to a taut affair, tight but never boring, played at top tempo with end-to-end football and chances for both sides. Enfield Town perhaps shaded the openings but it was Dulwich Hamlet who profited most from theirs. Defences were on top form and it as not until the 34th minute that the breakthrough came as a floated corner from Ashley Carew as met by a thumping header from Mitchell Nelson to put the Hamlet ahead. Some good chances for the Towners to level went begging after the break, Tyler Campbell denied first by a fine Phil Wilson save then seeing Ashley Carew clear off the line. Dulwich looked more dangerous after the introduction of Rhys Murrell-Williamson, the winger bagging Dulwich second of the afternoon with 10 minutes left. His driving run on the right flourished with a neat pass in to Dean McDonald, turning in the box and beat his namesake in the visitors’ goal. A defender cleared off the line only for Murrell-Williamson to follow up and stab the ball home.

Though Enfield Town recovered to beat the Met Police the following Saturday, the result seemed to stymie the North Londoners’ revival for a bit. A surprise defeat away to VCD Athletic as erstwhile Hamlet winger Nigel Neita snatched an 88th minute winner in a five goal thriller was followed by a single goal defeat at Burgess Hill, the Towners unable to find a way through after Scott Kirkwood’s opener for the hosts. That pair of defeats provided the bread to a meaty sandwich though, the Towners having upset the formbook at the Beveree in the Middlesex Senior quarterfinal as they recovered from a 2-1 halftime deficit against Premier Division leaders Hampton & Richmond Borough. Once more the prolific Whitely was on target bagging a second half brace that turned the tie on its head.

it was soon back to winning ways in the Ryman League as Devyne’s double helped his team to a 3-0 at Leatherhead. A manic finish at home to Lewes saw victory snatched at the death. An 89th minute penalty from the Rook’s Jonté Smith had cancelled oy Whitely’s 3rd minute opener only for Ryan Doyle to find the net from a stoppage time header securing a vital three points. A busy midweek saw Enfield Town dispatched from the Ryman League Cup at the quarter final stage by local rivals Wingate & Finchley before advancing in the Middlesex Charity Cup with a 3-2 home win over Harrow Borough two days later. No respite from the action, two days off then back to league action as that man Whitely popped up with the winner at sorry Staines Town.

More midweek Middlesex cup mania followed as the Towners emerged victorious from a gung-ho Senior Cup semi-final with Ashford Town (Middx) that saw TEN goals scored in 120 minutes of maniacal football. 3-1 ahead at halftime Enfield Town looked to be cruising but a penalty within second of the restart hauled their opponents back into the game and they levelled six minutes later. E’s went back in front through Devyne only for Samir Bihmoutine to be dismissed in controversial circumstances and the visitors to make it 4-4 from the resultant free kick. Though disadvantaged in numbers and under the cosh early on, Enfield Town survived, progressing to a final against Northwood as Whitely proved the man of the moment with two goals in extra time. If that titanic encounter had exhausted the players it was not evident when they returned to league action on the Saturday, VCD Athletic convincingly dispatched to close out a successful February which had seen playoff credentials re-established.

March opened with a 2-2 draw away to Met Police as the four game winning run in the league came to an end before Towners were hit by Tonbridge Angels’ famed second half blitz, Whitely cancelling out Sonny Miles opener but Enfield Town succumbing to a Luke Blewden double after the break. With their home game against Bognor Regis Town postponed due to the Rocks’ FA Trophy endeavours continuing it would be 11 days before Bradley Quinton’s side would take the field again. For a third straight game they found themselves on the road and once more it was frustration as they were held to a scoreless draw away to much-revamped Farnborough. That draw left the Towners sitting in 9th spot a position they maintained following Tuesday night’s four goal ravaging of Kingstonian with four points adrift of the playoff spots in an increasingly congestion scuffle for the last few places.

This afternoon’s game kicks off at 3.00 pm at the Queen Elizabeth II Stadium, 3 Donkey Lane, Enfield, Middlesex EN1 3PL

Admission Prices:

Adults: £10.00
Concessions*: £6.00
Under-21's**: £6.00
Under-16's**: £1.00

* Concessions includes students and over 65's
** ID with proof of age may be required.

There is also a £1 transfer charge to the seating area in the main stadium building.

Photo lifted from Brixton Buzz