Chatham Town 0-3 Dulwich Hamlet

CHATHAM TOWN 0-3 DULWICH HAMLET
Tuesday 21^st November 2006
Ryman League Division One South
Stephen McCartney reports from Maidstone Road

Impressive Dulwich Hamlet returned to the summit of the Ryman League Division One South table with a comfortable victory at Maidstone Road tonight.

Since losing to the South Londoners 1-0 on Halloween night, Chatham picked up seven points from their next three games, but had no answer to Dulwich Hamlet’s slick football.

The south Londoners deservedly opened the scoring with a beautiful goal after 11 minutes.

Sol Pinnock stepped up to stroke home a left-footed 20-yard free kick into the top right hand corner, leaving goalkeeper John Whitehouse rooted to the spot.

Before the deadlock was broken, Dulwich defender Justyn Roberts popped up to glance Kenny Beaney’s left-footed free-kick, which dropped agonisingly past the foot of the far post after just four minutes.

Chris Dickson, formerly of Erith & Belvedere, caused the Medway side plenty of problems and the striker went close when his 18-yard shot deflected just past the foot of the post.

Then Eniola Oluwa drove a shot from 20-yards into Whitehouse’s grateful arms and there were no complaints when Dulwich took the lead through Pinnock.

Chatham’s only first half chance fell on 16 minutes.

Defender Adrian Boyle played the ball over the top of Hamlet’s defence for Luke Harvey and his far post cross was met by Ross Finn’s header, which flew just over the bar.

But the Medway side were made to pay as former Sittingbourne defender Jamie Colyle - Hamlet’s skipper - headed home the second after 29 minutes.

Beaney, who took their set-pieces, ran over the ball to allow Nicolas Plumain to send over a far-post free-kick, and Chatham left Coyle unmarked and from a tight, acute angle, looped a header across Whitehouse and into the top far corner.

Pinnock unleashed another left-footed free kick from 30-yards but the ball deflected off the wall and into Whitehouse’s arms.

Whitehouse made a fine block from Dickson after the striker captalised on some poor defending from former Herne Bay defender Rob Goodger.

And on the stroke of half-time Pinnock drilled a cross across the face of goal but Coyle, who was ghosting in at the far-post, skied his shot over the bar.

Dulwich almost increased their lead further after just 37 seconds into the second half when Dickson cut inside Boyle on the right and his shot deflected off Danny Larkin but Whitehouse was on hand to make the save.

Beaney was denied a goal when his angled drive from the left hand side of the penalty area was saved by the former Tunbridge Wells goalkeeper.

But Chatham almost scored from their second chance of the game with 52 minutes on the clock.

Larkin’s cross from the left was met by a diving header from five-goal striker Rob Denness, but Chris Lewington tipped the 12-yard effort over the bar.

This chance sparked Chatham into life and Boyle had a great chance to pull a goal back but he side-footed Danny Smith’s near post free-kick agonisingly past the foot of the near post.

Denness was denied by Lewington, who made a fine save, after 65 minutes before Dickson lifted the ball over Whitehouse’s bar following another Beaney free-kick.

Larkin and Denness both fired over the roof of the clubhouse from long-range shots and Luke Harvey went close when his drove a 25-yard volley into the side netting.

But Dulwich scored their third goal - against the run of play - in the 89^th minute when Pinnock cut in from the right and his shot found the net under Whitehouse, who was awarded the man-of-the-match award from sponsors.

Meanwhile, Ian Pulman has been released by Chatham Town.