RYMAN PREMIER DIVISION
Att : 861
Sutton United – 2 [Skelly 59] [Harlow 64]
Dulwich Hamlet – 0
The U’s kept up their recent good form with a 2-0 win over our old friends from Champion Hill, but were made to work hard for the 3 points. With Dulwich struggling to stay away from the relegation scrap at the bottom and now missing their top scorer Thompson, who’s recently departed to Crawley, it was always going to be a battle for the boys in Amber.
Before the game we hear the news that our sponsors Securicor have decided to throw cash at us for another 3 years (which is nice!!) and that Gwynne Berry gets the player of the month award. We’re a little disappointed however to discover that former Bobbin and our old ‘keeper Les Cleevely got ‘a knock’ Tuesday night & won’t be playing today. Although later on, the exact nature of his injury is revealed. A broken jaw apparently. Some fucking knock!
I’ll be honest, the first half was bloody dire. With the visitors understandably scrapping & fighting for everything this made it very difficult for our lads to get the ball down & play. Neither side could manage a serious shot on goal, although most of the attacking was done by the home side with Dulwich restricted to the odd lump forward for their strikers to chase. And I think we’ll leave it there as far as the first 45 is concerned!
The second half started in much the same vein, but it felt as though our boys were beginning to get a handle on things and get more on top. A few half chances fell our way, but hen on the hour, Jimmy Dack wriggles through on the flank. His low ball is struck goalwards by Naz, only to see it blocked on the line. The ball moves out to the opposite flank where Steve Watson whips over a cross and Skelly meets it to loop a header over the Dulwich ‘keeper and in for the lead. Dulwich try to drag themselves into the game, but their raids are still restricted to long balls over the back four for the forwards to chase after. This brings them little joy as most of the balls lack quality for the forwards to feed off and are cut out or simply overhit for Gareth Howells to gather up.
The second goal that kills the tie arrives shortly after. Another attack almost brings reward but the visitors manage to scramble it away. Unfortunately for them, it only goes as far as Dave Howells and he dispatches the ball low into the near bottom corner to make it 2-0 to the good guys and effectively secure the points. Further chances before the end fall to Mark Watson, who meets a low cross at the near post and is unlucky to see his shot just clear the crossbar and Naz has a spectacular bicycle kick type effort deflected wide by a defender.
All in all it’s a good win after a rather shite first half. When we finally got hold of the game and found that little bit of time and space to play the ball around there was only really going to be one winner. That’s now 3 league wins in a row for the boys, without a goal conceded to boot. If this form continues, it looks like we might have timed our run in just right! Fingers crossed.
Right, time for a pint methinks.
Man of the Match : Dave Harlow. Solid performance & a quality finish.
Entertainment : 2 – For the 1st half. Crap 7 – For the 2nd. Got it down & played some good stuff.