By Wilf MacDonnell at Champion Hill
Dulwich Hamlet rose to the Easter occasion as they bagged four crucial points from two games to move out of the relegation zone with four games left.
Hakan Hayrettin’s side followed up their victory in a must-win game against relegation rivals Cheshunt at Champion Hill on Good Friday with a 1-1 Bank Holiday Monday draw at Hemel Hempstead.
Dulwich were moments away from taking six points from the two fixtures but Charlee Hughes equalised for Hemel in the fifth minute of added-time after Sanchez Ming’s 85th-minute goal.
Hayrettin was delighted with the win against Cheshunt, saying “to a man, every single one of them was fantastic”.
That result moved Dulwich out of the bottom four as they changed places with their opponents.
With the two sides in such perilous positions ahead of the weekend, it was understandably nervy in the first half. Both teams were set up in compact 3-5-2 systems, seeking solid defensive displays to build from.
The Hamlet were marginally the better of the two teams in the first 45 minutes. Striker George Porter had a huge chance to open the scoring sixteen minutes in. Joe Felix did well to chest the ball into the path of Conor Lawless who controlled and squeezed a pass in behind for Porter, but one-on-one with goalkeeper Adam Desbois the forward could only stab his effort wide.
Otherwise chances were few and far between. Felix had a low drive which was well held by Desbois and Lawless, who is on loan from Luton Town, demonstrated a few fantastic touches in tight midfield areas.
The second half was slightly more open. Dulwich, as in their last home game, switched to a 4-3-3 formation and looked much more threatening. Danny Mills looped a header back across goal for captain Jack Holland but he couldn’t keep his header down.
At the other end, defender Isaac Pitblado smashed a free-kick from a decent position over the bar and Dulwich goalkeeper Charlie Grainger was booked for handling the ball outside of his area.
The crucial goal arrived in the 57th minute. Ming did well down the right before he found substitute Johl Powell in space on the edge of the Cheshunt box. The former Charlton youngster took a touch to set himself before lashing the ball low inside the near post with real power. Desbois got a hand on it and will feel he should have kept it out.
The Ambers had to respond but would not break away from their direct style of play. Striker Alfie Cue, who was largely feeding off scraps, nearly silenced Champion Hill when he brilliantly chested and volleyed in one motion from 25 yards – the ball dipping just over Grainger’s crossbar.
The final chance of the game predictably came from a set-piece. In the 94th minute, a melee of bodies attacked a high Cheshunt corner with the ball spinning towards the Dulwich goal. Thankfully for the home supporters, Quade Taylor was well-placed on the line to head clear. The final whistle sounded moments later.
It was Dulwich’s first win in five games and came after Hayrettin apologised to supporters after their 4-0 defeat at Dartford in their previous game.
“I’m happy with the result and I’m happy with the performance too, it was a nervy game but we did the job and that’s all that matters right now,” Hayrettin said.
The Hamlet had the rare opportunity to train twice in a week before a game. Hayrettin added: “It makes a massive difference. The boys were in really, really good form this week, exceptional form, and that does help.”
The Hamlet are 20th, three points above Cheshunt who are in the last relegation place. Cheshunt however have a game in hand and a goal-difference advantage of nine.
Dulwich are back at Champion Hill this Saturday when they play fifteenth-place Taunton at 3pm.
Image: @robavis