Dulwich Hamlet ended their pre-season campaign with a 2-2 draw against Maidstone United at the Gallagher Stadium last weekend.
Hamlet boss Gavin Rose named a strong side with Jack Holland and George Porter replacing two trialists, while Andre Blackman started in place of Kreshnic Krasniqi against last season’s National League South champions.
Dulwich created the first chance when Sam Deadfield found Nana Owusu but he missed the target with his effort.
The Stones, who had netted eighteen goals in pre-season, opened the scoring in the sixth minute. Frankie Raymond fouled Hady Ghandour to give Roarie Deacon the chance to curl the set-piece in from the left and the ball missed everyone as it bounced past goalkeeper Charlie Grainger.
It took the visitors just three minutes to level and Raymond was involved again, finding Danny Mills who headed down for Porter to beat Yusuf Merson for his third goal in three games.
Maidstone lost Jerome Binnom-Williams to injury before the away side missed three chances, Deadfield firing wide, Dominic Odusanya heading off target and then a trialist midfielder went through one-on-one but failed to finish.
Down the other end, Grainger kept the scores level when he saved low from James Alabi late in the half.
Odusanya had the first chance of the second half but shot wide before Dulwich responded and Deadfield forced Tom Hadler into a save with a header. Porter and Mills then combined with Hadler saving the former’s headed attempt.
Hadler was called into action once more to keep out Porter’s low shot from Holland’s pass and from the corner Holland was denied by Deacon who cleared off the line.
Rose made what turned out to be an inspired change an hour in when Krasniqi replaced Blackman and scored within 90 seconds. It was the combination of strike partners Mills and Porter who set it up, the latter heading on to Krasniqi who went around Hadler to put his side 2-1 up.
There were some less than friendly moments late on when the referee ordered Porter to be replaced after the forward had reacted badly to being booked for dissent.
The Stones then had their chance to equalise when Deacon was fouled, which led to both sides coming together before the referee ordered the Maidstone player to be substituted.
Alabi eventually stepped up from twelve yards, but Grainger dived to his left to make the save.
But the home side were not to be denied for much longer and two minutes later Regan Booty found space on the edge of the area to fire past Grainger into the bottom corner.
The Hamlet had one more chance but Ronnie Vint headed over.
Rose’s side open their 2022-23 National League South season against Braintree Town at Champion Hill this Saturday. Kick-off is at 3pm.
Maidstone United: 13 Yusuf Mersin (Tom Hadler, 46); 2 Gavin Hoyte, 4 James Alabi (Trialist, 79), 5 George Fowler, 14 Dominic Odusanya, 15 Regan Booty, 18 Jerome Binnom-Williams (Christie Pattisson, 12), 19 Hady Ghandour, 21 Roarie Deacon (Bryan Kamate, 77), 23 Henry Woods, 34 Jack Cawley.
Goals: Deacon 6′, Regan Booty 79′
Dulwich Hamlet: 1 Charlie Grainger; 3 Will Wood (Quade Taylor, 87), 6 Jack Holland, 8 Frankie Raymond, 9 Danny Mills (Dan Smith, 68), 10 Sam Deadfield, 11 Nana Owusu, 12 Trialist, 16 Andre Blackman (Kreshnic Krasniqi, 62), 18 George Porter (Trialist, 73), 22 Ronnie Vint.
Unused substitutes: 2 Sanchez Ming, 13 Joe Osaghae, 20 Jamie Splatt
Goals: Porter 9′, Krasniqi 64′
Image: @robavis