Dulwich Hamlet manager Hakan Hayrettin apologised to supporters after their 4-0 defeat at Dartford left them with six games to save themselves from relegation to the Isthmian League.
A hat-trick from Alex Wall and a fourth from Harvey Bradbury consigned the Hamlet to a tenth successive away National League South game without a win, a run that includes nine defeats.
Wall gave the Darts the lead in the seventh minute when he profited after goalkeeper Charlie Grainger looked favourite to claim a long ball as Sanchez Ming shepherded it back to him. But Grainger didn’t take it and Bradbury set up Wall for a simple finish.
Wall quickly completed his hat-trick after the break, with goals in the 50th and 53rd minutes. Former Millwall forward Bradbury added a fourth five minutes from time as Dartford maintained their place in second.
The Hamlet have now conceded 86 goals in 40 games, the worst in the division after Slough Town who have let in 72.
Hayrettin didn’t mince his words afterwards at Princes Park.
“I can only but apologise to the supporters,” Hayrettin told Dulwich’s media. “I don’t know what was wrong but I can tell you this, that won’t be happening again.
“That was not good enough. That was a team that sort of had no structure which is not true because we’re all about structure.
“I think, me personally, I owe the supporters an apology, and I apologise on behalf of the team. That won’t be happening again. That kind of performance is the straw that broke the camel’s back and that won’t be happening again. I just told them.
“You don’t mind if you have a go and you do the right things – we didn’t even have a go today. That’s what really upset me. Once they cross that white line we can’t get the information across quick enough for them to understand.
“Listen, it’s a one-off, I apologise wholeheartedly. That won’t be happening again, for sure. They brought me in to make sure we have a go and stick together and there is some unity. But today there was none of that. And because I’m honest and I say it how it is, that’s the only way to do it, in my opinion, because you can only hide behind cracks for so long.
“And there haven’t been cracks, there have been some really good signs of improvement. Last week against Oxford [City] we were 2-1 up with two minutes to go. This week we crumbled in the first five minutes.
“If I stand here and say something they’re going to be saying, ‘Hak’s criticising the players’. The goalkeeper’s got to do better for the first one, if it’s in his hands that’s where he earns his money and he has done ever so well for us. That area is where he earns his corn, where he earns his money, he’s got to do better there. There’s a mix-up between him and Sanchez.
“The second one is a header from Alex Wall, again Sanchez has got to do better, [Wall] has got inside him. He’s got beaten at the near post for one of the goals.
“They’re all individual mistakes but I wasn’t interested in that. What I’m more focussing on is the desire and the determination. We can’t go and play like we did against Oxford and then turn up like we did [Saturday]. It was lacklustre, there was no tempo. Yet last week we were on it.
“We need to have a look at that and I’ve told them. I apologise wholeheartedly because the fish always stinks from the head down. Well that’s me and I’m apologising on their behalf as well.”
The stakes get even higher this Easter weekend when Dulwich host Cheshunt on Good Friday. The sides have both played 40 games. Cheshunt are a point ahead and are also eleven better off on goal difference. Kick-off is at 3pm at Champion Hill.
Hayrettin’s side then travel to Hemel Hempstead Town on Easter Monday, also for a 3pm kick-off.
Hayrettin added: “They’re big now, they’re all big. I did say it was going to be tight…that [performance] I won’t accept. And it wasn’t one, it’s collective.
“If I had a magic wand and I knew what it was I could say it. But I could see they just weren’t at the races.”
Image: Rob Avis