By Nicko Barber at Champion Hill
DULWICH Hamlet ended a three-game losing streak in the Isthmian League Premier Division with a thrilling 3-2 win against Kingstonian at Champion Hill last weekend.
Following a pedestrian first half, the second period took a turn in tempo as a five-goal thriller concluded with Dulwich as narrow victors in a finish littered with chances as the hosts were almost pegged back after being 3-0 up.
Champion Hill was busy and buzzing at kick-off. The food stands were smoking and the 3,000-plus in attendance were hungry for more than just gyros and burgers. The order for most of the crowd was a Hamlet victory and hopefully a side dish of goals. What initially arrived was an empty plate.
Only two shots were registered on target in the first half, the first coming in the 29th minute. There were contrasting approaches from both teams without the ball. Dulwich were gifted easy possession with the Ks happy to leave their strike partnership of Eddie Dsane and Andy Somo surplus to requirements when defending, knowing the Hamlet were finding it difficult to break them down.
The hosts, on the other hand, went man-for-man out of possession from Kingstonian’s goal-kicks, inviting the opponent to launch the ball forward to an exposed Hamlet defence – who much of the time were matched up in a four versus four.
While one team sat off, the other pressed high up the pitch. However, one belief was shared – little concern that the opposition could score.
Cue half-time and some rumbling stomachs.
While the first half was spent waiting for something to spark the game into action, the second was completely different.
Right from the restart the Hamlet pressured the Kingstonian goal, after substitutes Ryley Scott and Anthony Jeffrey had replaced Sean Bonnett-Johnson and club captain Mark Ricketts at the break to provide fresh verve and energy. It was Jeffrey who crossed for Danny Mills to head home at the back post inside a minute of the second half.
Mills had another chance in the 51st minute but he couldn’t generate enough power on his header and the ball landed softly in goalkeeper Rob Tolfrey’s hands.
The Hamlet continued to produce a series of attempts on goal, with Luke Wanadio combining with Mills once again to force Tolfrey into a double-save.
The mounting pressure paid off in the 55th minute when Akwo Tarh Ayuk Taku found the top-right corner after Jerome Binnom-Williams’ incisive pass forward.
It was no longer rumbles, but roars that could be heard.
Wanadio, Dulwich Hamlet’s reliable winger, made it 3-0 in the 67th minute, smashing a glorious shot from the edge of the box into the left corner. A ravenous Champion Hill was bouncing.
Kingstonian tried to respond but Dsane spurned a one-on-one in the 59th minute before Rio Campbell missed a sitter when he skied over.
However, on 73 minutes, Kingstonian’s captain Mark Waters got a goal back after some fluid build-up play resulted in him arriving in the box and finishing low to Will Lakin’s bottom-left corner.
Waters’ goal appeared to unsettle Hakan Hayrettin’s side and the visitors almost scored again two minutes later only for Thomas Collins’ chip to hit the bar.
Kingstonian did make it a nervy finish when Niran Butler headed home in the last minute, but the Hamlet hung on to move out of the relegation zone and up to sixteenth.
The second-half feast left the majority of the 3,191 in attendance satisfied. “I’m just privileged to be leading this team,” Hayrettin said.
Dulwich travel to fourth-place Whitehawk this Saturday for a 3pm kick-off.
