Match Report by Allan Mitchell
It proved to be a frustrating afternoon for the Tudors as the ten men of Dulwich came away with a hard earned point in a feisty affair at Vauxhall Road.
Hamlet have keeper Charlie Granger to thank after an inspired second half display that kept the home side at bay, saving several goal bound efforts, some at point blank range but he also had the woodwork come to his rescue on two occasions when he did find himself beaten.
Ex Tudor Deon Moore had the first real chance on 15 minutes when he broke away down the right and fired in from a tight angle but the ball skidded wide of the far post.Hemel looked the more likely to score after this and hit the bar when Stephen Duke McKenzie curled a lovely free kick over the wall. Gus Scott-Morriss picked up a poor clearance after a corner wasn’t dealt with but he put his effort over from the edge of the box and Jonathan Lacey drove just inches past the post shortly after.
Dulwich broke the deadlock, just when the sides looked to be heading for a goalless first half and it was somewhat against the run of play. Reggie Young clearly had his shirt pulled as he tried to clear the ball, neither official saw the incident and gave a throw in to Dulwich which they took quickly, the ball was driven down the right and the cross that came in eluded everyone but Danny Mills who had time to pick his spot from ten yards out. It was harsh on Hemel and it looked as though they would go in at the break a goal down.
As the referee checked his watch, Hamlet’s Charles Clayden committed a foul on the right and then rather stupidly kicked the ball away, leaving the referee no option to give him a yellow, his second of the game and he was sent off. From the resulting free kick Nathan Cooper rose to head home and level the scores, to give the score line a much fairer and healthier look at half time.
Although Hemel never really dominated the second half as the ten men of Dulwich re-grouped and kept things tight, they will feel they did enough to get the win. Hamlet looked quite dangerous on the counter too, so Hemel had to be wary as they pressed forward. There was a period when the Tudors really looked like getting a winner, first Duke McKenzie saw his goal bound shot saved then a Jake Evans drive was deflected over and from the resulting corner, Luke Pennell hit the foot of the post with Granger beaten, Hamlet couldn’t clear their lines and Evans found the ball at his feet again, as he directed it towards an unguarded net Granger somehow picked himself up off the floor to make a superb save.
There were other chances as the game drew to its conclusion but Dulwich defended well and had a couple of opportunities themselves but in the end both sides had to settle for a point, Hemel’s first on their new 3G and the improvement continues.
Hemel: Dean Snedker, Gus Scott-Morriss, Luke Pennell, Jake Howells © Liam McDevitt, Nathan Cooper, Stephen Duke-McKenna, Chris Paul, Jonathan Lacey (Jake Evans ) Bernard Christie, Reggie Young (Omar Rowe ) Subs not used: Kyle Ajaye, Jacques Kpohomouh, Danny Boness (gk)
Tudors Man of the Match : Nathan Cooper. A rock at the back and his second goal in two games.