By Wilf MacDonnell at Champion Hill
Dulwich Hamlet were stunned after conceding three times inside the final ten minutes at Champion Hill last weekend to lose 3-1 to Eastbourne Borough, their third defeat in a row.
George Porter’s first-half goal looked like it would be enough in front of a 3,334 attendance in East Dulwich before the visitors spectacularly hit back to boost their play-off hopes.
A young Eastbourne side came out the traps with energy and intensity, with eighteen-year-old Alfie Bendle prominent in the middle of the pitch. Dulwich were more than a match for their opponents in the early stages, however, with Kreshnec Krasniqi and Quade Taylor snapping into tackles in the midfield.
Despite the competitive nature, the first half was largely uneventful and made up of half-chances. Dulwich forward Dan Smith, who looks to be finding his feet since an injury setback, alone had four decent attempts. He had a header from a good cut-back from Porter that went straight at goalkeeper Lee Worgan and three efforts from in and around the edge of the box all narrowly wide.
Eastbourne were also creating at the other end. George Luer looked a threat before coming off injured and wingers Leone Gravata and Shiloh Remy both had snap-shots.
In first-half stoppage-time it was Dulwich who went ahead. Captain Jack Holland fizzed the ball into the feet of Johl Powell who controlled well and teed up Porter for the right-winger to thunder the ball from 25 yards across goal and in off the post. The experienced Worgan had no chance.
After the break, Dulwich looked the more likely to score next. Will Wood was a constant threat bombing on from left-back for the home side. First Wood clipped a great cross in for Taylor who side-footed his shot off the inside of the post. Fifteen minutes later, Wood again delivered on the money, this time for Smith whose header was hooked off the line.
Eastbourne continued to showcase their attacking fluency, but not in any particular dominant spell. Gravata and Remy linked up only for Gravata to fire high at Grainger from close range when the space was low across goal.
Just as the Hamlet faithful were gearing up to celebrate a home win, Eastbourne equalised with ten minutes left. The visitors’ captain Charlie Walker had a growing influence as the match went on. The skipper found space in the box with tidy control before nudging it wide to Gravata and the winger made no mistake this time, lasering into the bottom corner.
As the home side pushed for a winner they were caught on the break in gut-wrenching fashion. Remy led a one-man counter attack in the 87th minute, driving down the right before cutting onto his left and from all of 30 yards whipping a finish in at the near post. A great goal which left the Duwlich players on the turf in devastation.
There was to be one more spectacular goal before full-time. A minute into added-time, Remy hooked a cross high into the night sky, and Walker arrived in perfect time to thump the ball with a first-time volley passed a despairing Grainger.
Paul Barnes’s side are sixteenth in the National League South table, with 31 points from 26 games.
Dulwich travel to Weymouth on Saturday for a 3pm kick-off.
Image: @robavis