Chatham Town 0-2 Dulwich Hamlet - The players aren't giving their best, says Watts

Saturday 06th February 2010

CHATHAM TOWN 0-2 DULWICH HAMLET
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 6th February 2010
Paul Parkinson reports from Maidstone Road

ON A frustrating day for Chatham Town, two Junior Kadi penalties sealed a deserved win for Dulwich Hamlet, that sees the visitors leapfrog their hosts into 8th place in the Ryman League Division One South table tonight.

As assistant manager, Lew Watts ruefully admitted after the game to www.kentishfootball.co.uk, “The first one was a stonewall penalty, the second was a bit harsh, but at the moment I cannot see where we‘re going to score a goal from. It was disappointing because we‘re all about working hard.”

He added: “Dulwich always have players that want to play football and I think we helped them today. We weren‘t sharp enough to shut them down and, at times, made them look better than they really were.

“On the other side, when we got the ball wide, things just seemed to peter out. When they got the ball, they did a lot more with it.”

In a frantic opening to the game, Chats goalkeeper Dean Ruddy had to be alert to smother first a point-blank shot from Kevin James after Paul Scott‘s flick header, then gather another header from Scott.

In the meantime, Ray Powell went close with a volley from inside the area after Dulwich keeper, Phil Wilson, had fumbled a Michael Scott cross.

On the half-hour, Matt Solly‘s quickly taken corner allowed James Lyons to drive into the area, but Wilson saved Lyon‘s shot and quickly triggered a counter attack. Wilson‘s quick release found player-manager Rose in space and he fed in Ashley Robinson, whose 25 yard drive cannoned of the outside of Ruddy‘s right hand post.

After long-range efforts from both Sanchez Ming and Robinson, the deadlock was broken on 41 minutes, when former Welling winger Ming broke into the box and was felled by Ben Payne‘s rash challenge.

Kadi stepped up to send Ruddy the wrong way from the spot.

The introduction of Justin Ascheri and Jack Pullen at half-time, the latter for his debut, provided Chatham with a new momentum as the game restarted and Ascheri almost had an immediate impact, setting up Rob Denness (who has turned down a move to rivals Sittingbourne), but his shot was comfortably saved by Wilson.

Ascheri also delivered two corners from which Brad Potter headed over, before Potter returned the favour, only to see Ascheri fire a volley on the turn wide.

Chatham almost pulled level just after the hour, when Payne‘s header was fumbled by Wilson, but Denness couldn‘t make a clean contact with the dropping ball and his effort was blocked on the line by Cedric Kabongo before being cleared to safety.

This proved to be the turning point as, on 64 minutes, Robinson broke past Scott and unleashed a shot from the edge of the area that Ruddy could only parry. The ball broke to Alim Sesay who tried to set up Kevin James, but the forward went to ground and Mr West pointed to the spot.

Despite the best efforts of Ruddy, who guessed right and got a strong hand to the spot kick, Kadi found the corner of the net to double Dulwich‘s advantage.

For the rest of the match, Chatham were constantly frustrated with their attempts to get into the visitors box and were restricted to long range efforts from Lyons and Matt Solly, before Wilson had to save bravely at Potter‘s feet just before the final whistle.

So the last word goes to Lew Watts. He said: “We know what we get with Justin (Ascheri), he works his socks off whenever he plays, but he is raw.

“Today, I didn‘t think we got much off Ray (Powell) or Brendon (Cass), but they didn‘t have much to feed off. So it was a good time for Justin; he‘s been patient and waited for his chance. It was a good chance for him to come on with young Jack (Pullen), who has been playing for Dartford‘s academy & they‘ve been kind enough to lend him to us for a few games. I think he‘s got something, he‘s also a bit raw, but it was good for him and Justin to get 45 minutes under their belt.”

“I thought Michael Scott deserved the Man-of-the-Match award he got today for his hard work and patience; the guy he was playing against today was a tricky customer and I thought he did well.”

“We haven‘t got a game midweek, so we‘ll get everyone in for training on Tuesday, try to pick them up a bit because it‘s not doom and gloom.

“We‘ve lost two on the spin now. Me & Alex (O‘Brien) want the best for them, but we don‘t think they‘re giving their best to each other.

“If we put a 3 or 4 game run together and see where that takes us, then never say never, the play-offs could still be there.””

Chatham Town: Dean Ruddy, Michael Scott, Ashley Proberts, Matthew Solly, Richard Avery, Ben Payne, James Lyons, Brad Potter, Brendon Cass (Jack Pullen 46), Rob Denness, Ray Powell (Justin Ascheri 46).

Subs: Luke May, Richard Stroud.

Booked: Ben Payne 48

Dulwich Hamlet: Phil Wilson, Sanchez Ming, Cedric Kabongo, Junior Kadi, Nicolas Pulmain, Osa Obamwonyi, Alim Sesay, Gavin Rose (Frankie Sawyer 85), Paul Scott (Sol Pinnock 81), Kevin James (Corriston Campbell 88), Ashley Robinson.

Subs: Haron Soloman, Kalvin Morath-Gibbs.

Goals: Junior Kadi 41(pen), 64(pen)

Booked: Gavin Rose 79, Cedric Kabongo 90

Attendance: 204

Referee: Mr Neil West (Leigh-on-Sea, Essex)

Assistants: Mr Steve Tate and Mr Adam Miller