Dulwich Hamlet’s ten-game unbeaten run in the Isthmian League Premier Division came to a dramatic end last weekend as they blew a two-goal lead before conceding in the last minute in a 3-2 defeat to Enfield Town.
Luke Wanadio put the visitors ahead with a 37th-minute penalty after Danny Mills had been fouled by Josh Okotcha.
Mills then doubled the lead on 57 minutes at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium.
Sam Youngs’s penalty reduced the deficit 21 minutes from time and it was level when Jonathan Hippolyte struck in the 81st minute.
The hosts won it when James Richmond made it 3-2 to the play-off chasers.
Hakan Hayrettin’s Dulwich had moved into play-off contention after a difficult start to the season and appeared to be carrying that momentum into this contest when Mills was fouled and Wanadio scored from twelve yards.
Dulwich defender Michael Chambers was involved at both ends just before the half-time break when he almost made it 2-0 with a header before he cleared off his own line.
Hamlet goalkeeper R’avan Constable saved Marcus Wyllie’s effort before there was a blow for the visitors when defender Joshua Okpolokpo was sent off after a second yellow card in the 55th minute.
Two minutes later, Mills curled past goalkeeper Rhys Forster to put the ten men in a commanding position.
Constable brilliantly denied Youngs and then Wyllie got through one-on-one but his effort was straight at the Dulwich stopper.
Constable was finally beaten when the referee gave handball for something no one appeared to see, and Youngs scored.
Constable denied Youngs another when he tipped his 25-yard shot over. But Constable was beaten again moments later as substitute Hippolyte finished after Wyllie’s attempt was deflected to him.
Another substitute, Lewis Taaffe, provided the winner with Richmond firing in from the edge of the box.
The result leaves Dulwich tenth, seven points off the play-off places.
Meanwhile, Hayrettin’s side were knocked out of the London Senior Cup by Sporting Bengal United on Tuesday night.
Alfie Allen and Adrian Clifton had the hosts 2-1 up at Champion Hill but the visitors struck back and Dulwich needed a late Jerome Binnom-Williams equaliser to send the contest straight to penalties after 90 minutes.
The away side scored all their spot-kicks after the Hamlet missed their first to reach the quarter-finals.
Dulwich have two league games to complete the year, both at home. They play Carshalton Athletic on Boxing Day and Horsham the following Saturday. Both are 3pm kick-offs.