Another preventable defeat for Hamlet

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A team that was carefully put together to take the club towards the top end of the Vanarama National League South, a new training regime that allows players to concentrate on football and the biggest crowds in the league, on the face of it this looks like a recipe for success. However, that couldn't be further from the truth as the team shows no sign of finding a way to win a league game and a return to the Isthmian League is inevitable if the slump cannot be addressed.

This was another totally preventable defeat as two penalties were given away, the second of which was certainly unnecessary. Allied to that, the home team hit the bar and had a goal ruled out without ever really putting The Hamlet under pressure and Dulwich again resorted to aimlessly trying to hit Danny Mills head when there were no runners to pick up all the challenges he wins.

Dulwich opened the match brightly and a second minute free kick from the lively Lionel Ainsworth found Danny Mills but he couldn't get the ball to settle for a strike on goal. Ainsworth led another quick break but his cross was overhit, his low cross fizzed across the goal without anybody able to get to it and finally he linked with Dominic Vose for a cross shot that clipped the bar; all this in the first ten minutes.

However, having seen very little of the home side as an attacking force, Dulwich decided to present them with a goal. The ball was needlessly given away and Lofthouse was slipped in behind the Dulwich defence. He seemed to be forced wide but was then tripped and the referee pointed to the penalty spot. Owusu showed patience before putting the spot kick straight down the middle of the goal.

The goal saw confidence drain from the visitors and they now came under pressure for the first time as the home side saw their chance to extend their advantage, but the defence held firm and Dulwich worked their way back into the game with a couple of half chances created for Danny Mills and went on to equalise in the 36th minute. Dominic Vose received the ball from a half clearance, checked inside his marker and hit a well placed shot inside the far post across the goalkeeper.

However, having worked hard to get level The Hamlet almost fell behind a minute later as an effort from McEachran beat Preston Edwards but crashed out off the underside of the bar. Dulwich went straight back on the attack and King in the Oxford goal kept out Clunis and Ainsworth, whilst MIlls and Ainsworth both had efforts that didn't trouble the keeper.

Half Time 1-1

Dulwich continued to have the better of the game early in the second half, but the home side had used the break to counter the threat of Mills and he couldn't dominate in the air as he had done in the first half. David IJaha had an early effort after Ainsworth had pulled the ball back on the right and Clunis latched on to a MIlls flick, but both efforts were blocked.

However, Dulwich then presented the home team with another goal in the 55th minute as Richard Orlu was adjudged to have shoved over Benyon just inside the penalty area and Owusu reprised his earlier penalty routine.

Dulwich fought back again and King made a fine save from a MIlls header and Mills overhit his pass that looked to release Ainsworth on goal, but in truth there was little craft being used to move the home side around the pitch and they looked content to absorb the predictable attacking efforts of The Hamlet. In fact, from one quick break exposed the Dulwich defence again, but fortunately Fofthouse had strayed offside at the far post as he put the ball in the net.

Dempsey and Ijaha both had efforts blocked as Dulwich went in search of an equaliser. whilst in a goalmouth scramble Christian Smith fired wide when any effort on target would surely have resulted in the scores being leveled. However, Oxford had now massed in defence and without the withdrawn Vose and Ainsworth, Dulwich never looked like equalising as their substitutes were unable to have any influence on the result.

Final score 2-1