Dulwich in déjà vu draw with Met

For the second season running this fixture ended in a goalless draw but it had enough excitement for any football fan. This was 4th versus 6th in the league and with the top six all facing each other, the importance of not losing clearly affected the approach of both sides. Jim Cooper faced a minor injury crisis ahead of this game with Tyron Smith, Matt Pattison, Ricardo Joseph and James Aldred all suffering from injuries. Reece Hall was unavailable for this game and Jay Lovett was required by his primary club Eastbourne Borough for their fixture. Jim signed Nikki Ahamed a central midfielder from Wealdstone and Nigel Neita re-signed for the Blues, having played for the majority of last season but started this season with Dulwich Hamlet.
The Met started brightly and should have opened the scoring within the first two minutes when Michael Charles held the ball up well in the corner of the Dulwich penalty area. He squared the ball back towards the edge of the edge of the box and a neat dummy by Nikki Ahamed allowed the ball to run to Bradley Hudson – Odoi. The impressive Met front man cut inside, onto his right foot and opened up the goal and he looked certain to score but his well struck shot just clipped the top of the bar and away.
Just a minute later Rob Bartley had a great header from a Charlie Collins corner come back off the bar but the whistle went for an apparent foul in the penalty area. Both sides effectively cancelled each other out for the remainder of the half with very few clear cut scoring chances but some excellent build up play. Will Salmon was playing at left back and sent a great cross into the box that Ryan James only just failed to get on the end of as the keeper was forced to punch clear. Charlie Collins sent another corner to the near post and Rob Bartley rose and flicked a header across goal and somehow it flew past the far post.
Dulwich had a couple of chances but with Steve Sutherland back at the heart of the Met defence and looking impressive alongside Rob Bartley the Met were rarely troubled. The blues did need Stuart Searle to be alert to danger when a through ball after 36 minutes sent the Dulwich forward through on goal. Stuart Searle was quickly out and saved well at the feet of the visiting forward.
Half Time Met Police 0 Dulwich Hamlet 0
The second half started the same as the first as the Met once again hit the bar with their first attack. Bradley Hudson-Odoi had switched flanks as former Blues favourite Jordan Hibbert had been keeping him well controlled playing at right back for Dulwich. In the first Blues attack Bradley skipped past the left back and his cross was deflected up and over the keeper but somehow skimmed along the bar & bounced along the line before being cleared.
Dulwich then had a great chance to score with a fast paced cross from their right somehow travelled right across the Met penalty area and just required the slightest touch to score but they failed to get on the end of it. Michael Charles was involved in a great move with Bradley Hudson – Odoi that sent the former clear on the right edge of the box but his strong shot was parried away at the post by the keeper. Dulwich nearly took the lead with a well struck shot from outside the box that Stuart Searle seemed to see late, but he managed to get down low to his left and push the goal bound shot round the post.
Some changes for both sides as they looked to take the lead and Jack Knight and Nigel Neita came on for the Met. Billy Crook was having his usual influential impact on the game as he sent pass after pass into his front players, driving the Met forwards and constantly available to receive the ball from his back four. Billy nearly took all three points for the Met with a great run and right foot shot in the closing minutes but his right foot shot just sailed over the bar.
Both sides appeared to be conscious of the importance of the game even at this stage of the season as they were both in play off positions and the objective seemed to be getting something out of the game. The lack of goals did not detract from the football played & the great atmosphere created by the visiting Dulwich fans, who sang & cheered throughout, helped make this a good game even without goals.
1. Stuart Searle 2. Elliot Taylor 3. Will Salmon © 4.Billy Crook 5. Steve Sutherland 6. Rob Bartley 7. Charlie Collins 8. Ryan James 9. Michael Charles 10. Nikki Ahamed 11. Bradley Hudson-Odoi
Subs: 12. Mekhail McLaughlin 14. Jack Knight (replaced 9 – 66 minutes) 15. Nigel Neita (replaced 10 – 66 mins) 16. James Aldred 17. Dave Smalley
Man of the Match : Billy Crook (Met Police)
Attendance 252
VIDEO highlights from the match are here courtesy of Bernard Kasparas :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKISi9DH4-s
Jim Cooper Post match interview is here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U081NavGJLk&feature=youtu.be