By Wilf MacDonnell at Champion Hill
Dulwich Hamlet boss Gavin Rose said his side were “resilient” and played some “really promising football” as they kicked off their 2022-23 National League South campaign with a dramatic 2-1 win against a youthful Braintree Town last weekend.
A sunny afternoon at Champion Hill was the backdrop as Dulwich looked to start the season positively. They welcomed a Braintree side that had made mass changes to the squad that finished seventeenth in the last campaign.
Things got off to a shaky start for the home side, as Braintree right-back Baris Altintop stooped to head a low corner against the crossbar. A succession of corners followed, but all were dealt with well by the Hamlet.
After a cagey opening, the game really picked up around the 20-minute mark. First, two Hamlet defenders linked up as Joe Felix, playing on the right, curled in a cross which was met by Will Wood, who was playing left centre-back, but he could only hook his effort over.
A minute later, Dulwich talisman Danny Mills beat Kyan Clements to a bouncing ball and rounded goalkeeper Jack Sims, but he ran out of space and his deflected shot was cleared.
The pressure was building as the home crowd began to lift their team. Not long after skipper Jack Holland had his header from a corner cleared off the line, Dulwich did take the lead. Andre Blackman, who constantly exploited Braintree’s right-hand side, clipped a cross to the back post, Mills knocked his header back across the box and George Porter was on hand to grab a debut goal with a tap-in. It was a pattern of play that has already become familiar to the home faithful after the pair’s link-up play and understanding in pre-season.
Braintree, though, were back level by half-time, somewhat against the run of play. Malta international Joe Muscatt made a great break through midfield before being bought down by Ronnie Vint 21 yards from goal. Dulwich paid the price as Alfie Matthews curled a spectacular free-kick in off the bar.
After such a strong first half, Dulwich appeared to struggle to take the game to their opponents in the second. The heat was adding to a temperamental affair that was being battled out in the middle of the park. After 65 minutes, Rose decided to freshen things up and introduced Jayden Clarke and Nana Owusu for Porter and Kreshnic Krasniqi.
Thirteen minutes from time, Sam Deadfield poked over a half-volley after a dangerous Frankie Raymond set-piece. Raymond looks to have bought Hamlet real quality from dead-ball situations.
But it was one of the substitutes who made the all-important impact. In the 83rd minute, after yet more good play from Blackman down the left linking up with Wood, he cut the ball back to Clarke on the edge of the box, and he whipped a finish across goal into the bottom corner.
It was the ideal start to the season for Dulwich in front of 1,808 fans.
“It was resilient, we weren’t always fluid but signs of some good play times,” Rose said. “But we pulled together and started to show some really promising football.”
Rose had brought in Clarke and Joe Felix the previous week. He said: “Credit to the club, they gave me the opportunity to sign these boys once we went over budget with Calvin Kalala’s injury.”
Dulwich travel to Farnborough this Saturday for their first away game of the National League South season. “Farnborough will probably be a bit more experienced than our opponents [on Saturday],” Rose added. “They might have a little less energy but a little more know-how, craft and skill.”
Dulwich Hamlet: 1 Charlie Grainger; 3 Will Wood, 6 Jack Holland (c), 8 Frankie Raymond, 9 Danny Mills (19 Dan Smith, 77′), 10 Sam Deadfield, 16 Andre Blackman, 18 George Porter (21 Jayden Clarke, 64′), 23 Joe Felix, 25 Ronnie Vint, 26 Kreshnic Krasniqi (11 Nana Owusu, 64′)
Unused substitutes: 2 Sanchez Ming, 15 Quade Taylor
Goals: George Porter 34′, Jayden Clarke 82′
Yellow Cards: Ronnie Vint 38′, Jayden Clarke 88′
Braintree Town: 1 Jack Sims; 2 Baris Altintop, 3 Leon Davies (12 Albie Armin, 74′), 4 Joe Muscatt, 5 John White (c), 6 Kyran Clements, 7 Alfie Matthews (17 Aaron Blair, 86′), 8 Alfie Payne, 9 Levi Amantchi, 10 Chris Regis, 11 Ben Fowkes (16 Willie Clemons, 74′)
Goal: Alfie Matthews 39′
Image: @robavis