The aim was to be promoted and we haven't done that, admits Dulwich Hamlet keeper Phil Wilson

DULWICH HAMLET goalkeeper Phil Wilson says he feels hurt after failing to win promotion through the play-offs.

The Hamlet completed their 46 match Ryman Premier League campaign in third-place on 76 points, finishing nine points adrift of a Margate side that under-achieved in third-place.

But Terry Brown’s Margate will travel to Harrow tomorrow to play runners-up Hendon in the winner-takes-all play-off Final after Dulwich Hamlet were beaten 2-1 at Hartsdown Park on Thursday night.

Wilson admitted he was to blame for Margate’s 40^th minute opener when he failed to gather Charlie Allen’s dinked cross, which allowed Ryan Moss to nip in and loop home a header.

An honest Wilson admitted: “I’ve got to shoulder most of the blame for the first goal.  It’s absolutely killed us!

“We were on top of the game. If I came for a cross, I’ve got to get there!”



GOAL: Margate striker Ryan Moss loops a header past Dulwich Hamlet keeper PhIl Wilson to give Terry Brown's side the lead at Hartsdown Park.
Photo: Don Walker - Margate FC

But Dulwich Hamlet’s best player on the night, Nyren Clunis, curled home a stunning shot to equalise in the 67^th minute.

Wilson, 32, was credited with an own-goal as Margate clinched victory with thirteen minutes remaining, admitting to get the final touch after Lewis Taylor’s off-target header struck defender Matt Drage and Wilson before crossing the line.

Gavin Rose’s side won both league games against Margate during the season, but couldn’t make it a third.

“I’m gutted! I generally came into the game, aside of the two performances against them earlier in the season, I generally thought we were going to come here and win,” said Wilson.

“I think to be honest they’d say we were probably the better team on the day.”

Rose, his assistants Junior Kadi and Kevin James, must be congratulated for playing an impressive brand of football, but Wilson admitted defeat on the Kent coast was hard to take.

“It’s difficult! We’ve lost the game so I can’t say I enjoyed playing because it’s all down to the result,” said Wilson.

“This time of the season in the play-offs the result is the only thing that matters so I can’t say it was a great one to play to be honest.

“Right now I can’t say it’s been a great season – it’s been progress. Again, it’s been better than last year.

“The aim was to be promoted and we haven’t done that, which was what we set out to do.

“Again, it gives us something to progress to get onto next year and again the target will be promotion.

“There’s got to be a winner and loser. I think we did do enough to win but that’s the way the play-offs go sometimes. It’s a one-off game. It’s hard. We’ve worked for 46 games. It hurts.”

Dulwich Hamlet completed their campaign with a 2-2 draw at Tonbridge Angels on 25 April, but had to wait 19 days to play Margate due to the long-running saga involving Enfield Town, who lost an appeal to deduct them three points which ultimately cost them a play-off place after finishing their campaign in the bottom play-off berth.

Their place were taken by sixth-placed Metropolitan Police, who lost the other semi-final 2-1 to Hendon on Thursday.

Wilson said: “Our preparation was good. We haven’t stopped training!  We’ve been in three times a week. It’s been sharp.  I think that showed on the pitch, we have prepared well for it.

“It’s frustrating to have that little break but at the same time we have had that opportunity to re-group.

“It’s been the same for everyone. If anything it’s probably been hardest for Met Police because we knew who we were going to come up against so in terms of preparation it hasn’t really affected us that much. It just seemed to drag on. It’s been a long season already.”

Wilson praised the Dulwich fans for their excellent support throughout the season and says his future is at Champion Hill next season.

He said: “Our supporters’ have been fantastic all year and backed us the whole time even when we haven’t done very well.  They’ve been absolutely brilliant for us and their support again tonight was good.

“Hopefully I’d like to be part of it. I’ve been here six years’ now and been a part of what Gavin, Junior (Kadi) and Kevin (James) are trying to do. 

“I think it’s really special and I want to still be able to push on and get us up to that next level.”

Visit Dulwich Hamlet’s website: www.pitchero.com/clubs/dulwichhamlet