RYMAN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION

Dulwich Hamlet 3

Harrow borough 2

OLIVER Hawkins’ first goals for Harrow were not enough to save them from defeat at new league leaders Dulwich Hamlet on Saturday writes Simon Grigor.

Hawkins, in the fifth appearance of his spell on dual registration from Southern Premier League leaders Hemel Hempstead bagged a double for Dave Anderson’s men whose performance was streets ahead of that which gained them three points at home to Carshalton on Tuesday.

Yet such are the ironies of football on this occasion they ended up with nothing but a real sense of pride to show for their 90-plus minutes of effort.

Tuesday’s victory over had taken its toll with Michael Barima and Adam Louth both ruled out altogether by injury, while Victor Osobu and Jordan Berry were only able to take a place on the bench.

Club captain Rob Wolleaston returned from injury to take a place in the centre of midfield alongside the recalled Saheed Sankoh, while Daniel Dyer came into the side, in a position that he had probably never filled in his previous term at Earlsmead, namely an emergency left-back slot, and Brandon Horner also returned to the starting XI at right-back.

How affected Borough was by this major reshuffle is a matter of debate, but they fell behind to Dulwich’s first serious attack on 10 minutes.

Anthony Page lost possession allowing Hamlet to attack down the right and though James Shea kept out an initial shot, Jordan Clarke seized on the rebound, cutting in from the left and beating the former Arsenal keeper with a searing cross shot.

Shea denied Kevin James a second, while Wolleaston and Steve Butterworth both fired over before the visitors levelled on 29 minutes.

Horner pushed forward down the right before playing in Shaun Lucien whose pinpoint cross found the head of Hawkins who nodded home from eight yards out.

Chances continued to come at both ends prior to half time, Shea saving from Hamlets’ Turkish starlet Erhun Otzumer, Xavier Vidal and Clarke, while Yannick Nlatekept out a fierce drive from Michael Peacock.

Borough had to play into the teeth of the strong wind second half, but after Shea kept out James’ free-kick, they came close to snatching the lead.

Horner’s tackle won possession sending Sankoh surging forward before playing in Butterworth whose shot beat Nlate but hit the post and rolled along the goal-line giving the home keeper a chance to gratefully fall on the ball.

Borough continued to make chances with Butterworth warming the hands of Nlate and Hawkins seeing his far post header hacked to safety following a delicious cross from Lucien.

Hamlet’s magician Otzumer then took charge, swinging the game decisively in the home side’s favour in a devastating eight-minute spell.

First, on 63 minutes, he made a great run across the Borough defence from right to left, getting to the left-hand by-line from where he crossed for James to head in.  Then with 70 minutes played, Oztumer timed a run forward perfectly, sprinting away from the Harrow defence to finish superbly past Shea.

Borough were now up against it, but were thrown a lifeline when amid increasingly heavy rain Hamlet’s Dean Lodge, already booked, was sent off after receiving a second yellow card for handball with nine minutes left.

The rain then turned into a downpour of Biblical proportions accompanied by thunder and lightning, forcing a temporary suspension in play for safety reasons.

However, as the storm subsided referee Smith brought the players back on for the final six minutes and Harrow reduced their arrears on 88 minutes.

Lewis Gonsalves’ handball gave Lucien another promising free-kick position and his excellent delivery saw Hawkins head in his second of the afternoon at the far post.

Sadly for the visitors Osobu’s late surge upfield came to nothing and with that went their hopes of a point.

However, their performance should put them in good heart for another road trip to relegation-haunted Enfield Town tomorrow night (Tuesday).