Kingstonian 2-1 Dulwich Hamlet - I want to be top at the end of the season, says Gavin Rose

KINGSTONIAN  2-1  DULWICH HAMLET
Ryman Premier League
Sunday 12^th January 2014
Stephen McCartney reports from Kingsmeadow Stadium

DULWICH HAMLET boss Gavin Rose says his side must claim 90 points if they are to win back-to-back league titles.

The Hamlet missed the chance to leapfrog over Wealdstone to reach the Ryman Premier League summit after 25 games after losing to ten-man Kingstonian.

Dulwich Hamlet – who suffered a 2-1 defeat away to Leiston last Tuesday – dominated the first half and took the lead courtesy of a nineteenth minute own-goal from Kingstonian central defender Sam Page.

But two errors from French goalkeeper Yannik Nlate, 22, who is on-loan from Conference South side Maidenhead United, sent the home fans in Kingstonian’s largest crowd of the season home happy.

Andre McCollin scored his 20^th goal of the season to equalise from the penalty spot ten minutes before half-time after Nlate pulled off a fine save before giving away a needless penalty seconds later.

Kingstonian left-back Bruce Hogg collected his second yellow card with seven minutes of a thrilling south London derby remaining, but Alan Dowson’s side grabbed the victory after substitute Daniel Sweeney curled home the winner three minutes later.

Wealdstone (51 points from 24 games), still lead the league table tonight, followed by Kingstonian (51 from 25), Dulwich Hamlet (50 from 25), Maidstone United (49 from 24) and AFC Hornchurch (47 from 25).

Meanwhile, Bognor Regis Town (45 from 25); Lowestoft Town (43 from 25) and Bury Town (40 from 24) are a trio of clubs that have caught up with the leading five in recent weeks and are ready to pounce.

Kingstonian handed a debut to right-winger Iffeanyi Allen, 19, who is on loan from Conference Premier side Barnet and midfielder Jack Clark becomes one of a high number of players to leave the revolving door at basement side Cray Wanderers.

Rose, meanwhile, handed a debut to left-winger Jordan Clarke, who was an eleventh minute substitute after replacing Ellis Green.

“Looking at the team sheet everyone could see we had a few absentees,” said Rose.

“Mathieu Boyer pulled his hamstring at the warm-up, Lewis Gonsalves was serving his suspension and Ahmed Deen, who had a family bereavement so he couldn’t make it today because he was at a funeral and Ellis (Green) went off with a reoccurring hamstring so we had a debutant today, Jordan Clarke, came on.

“He doesn’t really know any of the boys and acquitted himself well.  Eathan Pinnock acquitted himself well, Kershaney Samuels and Billy Crook had to play at right-back.

“To be honest, I was very proud of the boys in terms of their work-rate, commitment and they’re adjustability for the group. 

“Arguably it wasn’t our strongest team that we’ve played today, but I thought we were probably the most controlled team out of the two so I can’t really fault the boys.”

Dulwich Hamlet raced out of the traps and created their first chance inside the opening five minutes.

Hogg picked up his first yellow card when he sent Dean Lodge sprawling to the deck after the former K’s winger progressed down the right channel.

Erhun Oztumer curled the resulting free-kick from the right corner of the box and K’s keeper Rob Tolfrey dived high to his right to push the ball away to safety.

Rose said: “I thought Dean was very good. He worked tirelessly. He was always a threat to the full-back. We’re happy with Dean.”

The man-of-the-match award went to Kingstonian midfielder Josh Casey, who did a great job to man-mark Oztumer to keep the diminutive midfield wizard in his pocket.

Lodge drew a second foul from a Kingstonian player, this time from Allen, and Kevin James whipped in the resulting free-kick from the left-channel and striker Nyren Clunis planted his header wide from eight-yards.

Dulwich Hamlet deservedly took the lead in the nineteenth minute, but they were given some help.

It was a typical Dulwich Hamlet goal as they sprayed the ball around the K’s half of the field with Xavier Vidal, Jordan Clarke, Vidal and James linking up before Kershaney Samuels picked the ball up, turned Jack Clark before cutting inside and curling a right-footed cross towards the far post which Page diverted into the bottom right-hand corner with his outstretched right-leg from three-yards.

Rose was pleased with the dominating start to the game.

He said: “We’ve just spoken about that. We tend to dominate games for long periods and don’t really score the goals or make that dominance count and it’s something that we really need to change as a culture in our dressing room, because some of the football that the boys have been playing is superb football. It’s exciting. If we get the goals to write it off, it would be well deserved.

Reflecting on the own-goal, Rose added: “We’re happy with Kershaney. He caught the play up well, he got himself on the edge of the box to have a shot on  goal. At the end of the day the balls gone in the net.  We’re happy. We’ll give it (the goal) to Kershaney, even if you guys don’t.

“Kershaney’s progressing well,” added Rose.  “He’s nineteen, he can play in numerous amount of positions and he’s very adaptable and he’s got a good future ahead of him.”

Jordan Clarke flicked the ball into Lodge’s path, who cut into the penalty area and drilled a rasping right-footed drive from sixteen-yards, which flew just over the crossbar.

James then played a sublime through ball to put Clunis through on goal but the lone striker brought the ball under his spell before stroking his right-footed shot over from 12-yards when he only had Tolfrey to beat.

Rose said: “If we’re being harsh we should have really scored those goals and they probably could have been out of sight, if we’re being really ruthless about it, the boys know that.

“They know they’ve dominated a really good team first half in particular and probably should have gone at least two goals in front at half-time.”

But Kingstonian were given a lifeline when an assistant referee flagged for a penalty kick with ten minutes of the first half remaining.

Jack Clark was given time and space on the edge of the Dulwich Hamlet penalty area to drill a right-footed shot towards goal from 20-yards, which forced Nlate to make a smart save to his right to push away.

Full credit must go to Allen who seconds later touched the ball past the Nlate, who dived to his left to try to smother the ball from the striker, who went down under the challenge.

McCollin stepped up and sent the keeper the wrong way with the resulting left-footed penalty, stroking the ball into the back of the net, just left of centre.

Rose insisted his goalkeeper got a touch to the ball.

He said: “He said it was arguable. He said he got the ball. Just depends on what the officials’ saw but he said he got the ball. He said he couldn’t put the brakes on at the time. He went and he called for it and he got a good touch of the ball before he contacted the man. At the end of the day decisions happen. I can’t really fault the boy.”

A high-quality first half, played on an excellent playing surface, ended with Dulwich Hamlet going close when left-back Samuels played the ball up into James, who strode forward before sending his right-footed drive narrowly over the crossbar from 35-yards.

Rose said he was pleased with his side’s performance during the first half, but Kingstonian improved during the second half.

“I was really happy with them,” said Rose.  “I thought they (my team) played well and I told them that. I thought they were energetic, bright and bubbly so I said just continue what they were doing.”

Dulwich Hamlet were to be thwarted inside the opening four minutes of the second half when Tolfrey – who was making his 202^nd appearance for the club – kept his side in the game.

Oztumer floated over a corner from the right and Dulwich Hamlet’s central defender Ethan Pinnock planted a powerful header towards goal from eight-yards which forced the keeper to tip the ball over the bar, high to his left.

Kingstonian then missed a decent chance when Allen whipped in a cross from the right but striker Ryan Moss got his header all wrong and steered the ball wide.

The only time that Oztumer broke free from Casey’s shackles was when he took set-pieces and in the 53^rd minute he saw his left-footed free-kick from 30-yards dip just over the crossbar.

However, there was controversy two minutes later when Hogg committed his second offence when he clipped Lodge on the edge of the penalty area after Lodge’s cut inside the left-back.

Referee Matt Foley decided a word in the defender’s ear was to be sufficient when in truth he should have been sent-off.

Oztumer whipped in the resulting free-kick from 20-yards, which was plucked out of the air by Tolfrey.

But the tide began to turn in Kingstonian’s favour after the hour mark.

Rose said: “They played better. They didn’t have much territorial advantage. I just thought they snucked up the pitch a little bit. They made it a lot harder for us to receive space, they denied us a bit more space on the ball. I think it was good tactical play from them but I wasn’t overly scared of them.”

Jack Clark swung in a corner from the right and Page rose too early and headed the ball wide of the left-hand post from six-yards out.

Allen then cut in towards the edge of the Dulwich Hamlet penalty area but decided to toe-poke his shot towards goal from 20-yards, which was blocked by the legs of the advancing Nlate.

Both sides then could have scored all within a whirlwind eleven seconds.

Dulwich Hamlet central defender Peter Adeniyi danced his way into the Kingstonian penalty area and suffered from a rush of blood as he scuffed his shot into the keeper’s gloves when he had a great chance to score.

Tolfrey then launched the ball upfield and with Adeniyi out of position Moss stole the ball off last defender Pinnock before lashing his right-footed shot wide of the near post when he too should have scored.

Kavanagh then teed up a shooting opportunity for McCollin, who drove his angled left-footed drive towards goal from 22-yards, which Nlate did well to hold on to the ball, diving low to his right with eighteen minutes remaining.

The game almost produced the second own-goal when K’s substitute Charlie Knight sped down the left wing before flashing a brilliant low centre across goal where Pinnock slid in front of his marker to see the ball roll past the foot of the far post.

Kavanagh whipped in the resulting corner from the left and right-back Aaron Goode came up from the back and headed down and against the near post from close range, albeit from a tight angle.

Dulwich Hamlet substitute Ian Daly – who came on for substitute Jordan Clarke – forced Tolfrey into making a smart low save to his right after the former Bromley striker unleashed a right-footed angled drive towards goal from 25-yards.

Hogg made the walk down the players’ tunnel in the 83^rd minute when he finally picked up his second yellow card, this time bringing down Walker a yard outside the penalty area.

Rose added: “In those seven minutes, they go and score the winner so it’s horses for courses but in all fairness he should have gone earlier on.” 

Oztumer’s resulting free-kick deflected wide of the far post and Oztumer cut the resulting corner back to Xavier Vidal, who was given time and space to drill a right-footed shot, which screamed through a crowded penalty area and the ball smacked Goode in the face as he covered the back post.

But Kingstonian snatched victory in the final four minutes, courtesy of substitute Sweeney’s third goal of the season.

The impressive Knight whipped in a cross from the left, which Nlate opted to punch the ball away instead of catching the ball.  The ball came out to Sweeney, who cut inside stand-in right-back Billy Crook before cracking a stunning right-footed curler, which sailed around the diving Nlate to find the far corner.

When asked whether his keeper could have caught the ball and that Adeniyi could have made a block, Rose replied: “Possibly. He possibly could have caught it but I still think there was a lot to be done afterwards. Billy’s gone one-v-one with the boy. The boy has rolled inside Billy and no-one has come out to stop the shot. It’s a big space he’s run into in the danger area and we didn’t react so I think there was a lot at fault for the goal to be honest, not just the goalkeeper.”

Dulwich Hamlet created one final chance to salvage a point but Clunis planted his header over at the near post from six-yards after Oztumer swung in the visitors’ eighth and final corner for Hamlet’s second defeat on the bounce.

Rose said: “We’ve not lost to bad teams, we’ve lost to two very good teams by the odd goal. On another day we probably wouldn’t have lost.”

Rose was in the dressing room for around ten minutes before his nine and a half minute press conference - with travelling fans still in the ground chanting “Gavin Rose’s Pink and Blue Army.”

The Dulwich Hamlet manager paid tribute to the club’s fans, who not only support the team vocally but raise funds for the playing budget.

“We’ve got the best supporters in the league in my opinion,” said Rose.

“We’re a very small club but it’s a community feel. The numbers have grown over the years. 

“If we’re losing they still support us.   They still cheer us and they still encourage us and I think that’s testimony to supporters and fans and just amazing people really because when things are going wrong you see what people are like and they turn their back on you, but these guys, we could be losing and they’ll still be singing and cheering and supporting the boys and I think that means a lot to myself and the coaching staff and also to the players.”

The Hamlet would have gone two points clear at the summit had they won here today but Rose insists his eye-catching side can go and win the title.

“I want to be top at the end of the season,” said Rose.

“Being top now is nice but it’s not the be all and end all. It will be nice but it’s the end of the season what everyone’s worried about.

“The top five, six, seven or eight teams are concentrating on that.

“Are we going for it? Why not? We’ve done alright this season. We’ve been up in the top part of the league all year. I think it will be quite negative of me to not want to try to do well. The players want to try to win the league – why not?

“If we end up in the play-off positions because we want to win the league then it’s still a good success so we think why not aim high and if you fall down one or two places then you take the next challenge from there.

“I think everyone in the top five or six will be thinking they’ve got a chance to win the league and we’re no different to them.”

And asked how many points will seal the crown, Rose replied: “This year to win the league, over 90. I think that means you win the league. If you get 90 you win the league but as you see a lot of teams can beat each other.”

Kingstonian: Rob Tolfrey, Aaron Goode, Bruce Hogg, Matt Drage, Sam Page, Josh Casey, Iffeanyi Allen (Charlie Knight 72), Tommy Kavanagh, Ryan Moss (Sean Ray 88), Andre McCollin, Jack Clark (Daniel Sweeney 68).
Subs: Dee Okojie, Adam Faith

Goals: Andre McCollin 35 (penalty), Daniel Sweeney 86

Booked: Bruce Hogg 4, Jack Clark 52

Sent Off: Bruce Hogg 83

Dulwich Hamlet: Yannik Nlate, Xavier Vidal, Kershaney Samuels, Billy Crook, Peter Adeniyi, Ethan Pinnock, Nyren Clunis, Kevin James, Dean Lodge (Jerome Walker 81), Erhun Oztumer, Ellis Green (Jordan Clarke 11).
Subs: Gerry Gonnella, Marc-Anthony Okoye

Goal: Sam Page 19 (own goal)

Attendance: 590
Referee: Mr Matt Foley (Palmers Green, London N13)
Assistants: Matt Foden (Bromsgrove, Worcestershire) & Mr Andrew Hickman (Northolt, Middlesex)